Essential Nutrients of the Human Body: What Do Proteins Do?
Plant life is typically a low quality source for proteins, so vegetarians must eat a balanced combination of different plant foods in order to get all of the essential amino acids into their system. Typically plants do not have one of the nine essential amino acids alone, so a mix of different plants is required. Foods like soymilk and tofu that have been processed with soybeans are usually known for being complete sources of proteins. Compared to animal foods though, plants are not as good of a source to get complete sources of amino acids.
Only a certain amount of amino acids are used by the body, with the rest being converted into an additional energy source for the body. The acids must be deaminated by the liver before they can be used for energy. This is a complex process that can be rough on the kidneys depending on how much is being processed. First the process forms urea that will later be excreted in urine. Since water must be used in the process, it can potentially lead to dehydration is a person is not properly hydrated. Additionally, it can increase the amount of calcium that is lost in urine, which can lead to the formation of very painful kidney stones. Typically, the average American citizen is consuming over twice the amount of protein that is needed by the human body to function properly.
Source:
Benitz, Bill. Lecture: Human Biology. December 4, 2009
Published by John Smith
John has been writing online for several years. An avid hockey player and fan, he is enjoys writing sports articles, but is familiar with a wide variety of topics. View profile
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