Question

Why are proteins necessary in our food? Name one protein deficiency disease of young children.

Answer 1

Hint: Proteins are made of amino – acids. Proteins are required for the growth and maintenance of tissues. Our body’s protein needs are dependent upon our health and activity level.

Complete answer: Protein are very important for good health.
1. The name Protein is derived from the Greek word ‘proteos’ which means ‘primary’ or ‘first place’.
2. Proteins are made by joining amino acids together to form long chains.
3. We can consider a protein as a string of beads in which each bead is an amino acid.
4. There are 20 amino acids that make thousands of different proteins in our bodies.
5. Proteins do most of their work inside cells and perform various jobs.
6. Here is a list of the important functions of proteins in our body –
Growth and Maintenance – Our body needs proteins for the growth and maintenance of tissues. Yet, our body’s proteins are in a constant state of turnover (or changes).
Under normal circumstances, our body breaks down the same amount of protein that it uses to build and repair tissues.
In other situations where we exercise a lot, the body breaks down more protein than it can create, thus increasing your body’s needs. This typically happens when we are ill, during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding.
People who recover from injury or surgery, older adults, and athletes also require more protein. An example of protein deficiency disease is Kwashiorkor.

Note: Out of the 20 amino – acids, our body cannot synthesis 8 amino acids.
These are called essential amino – acids.