What Are Amino Acids? What are the sources of food?
When talking about amino acids, this cannot be separated from the name protein. Yes, the protein you usually get from eggs, meat, nuts, tofu, tempeh, fish, and others. Then what is the relationship between amino acids and protein? What exactly are amino acids? Come on, see the review below.
What are amino acids?
Amino acids are the smallest part of the protein structure. That said, the protein from the food you eat is a collection of several amino acids. As the simplest form of protein, this form of amino acid can be absorbed by the body and carry out its functions properly.
How is protein processed in the body to become amino acids?
In principle, protein must be broken down into amino acids so that it can be absorbed by the body and carry out its functions in the body.
First, protein processing usually occurs since the food has not been eaten, that is, when it is cooked. Cooking helps soften the connective tissue in meat. This condition will help the food to be chewed more easily during digestion in the body.
When you eat, the protein source (eg chicken) is first destroyed by your teeth and enters the stomach. When it enters the stomach, the stomach responds by releasing stomach acid which is followed by the release of an enzyme called pepsin.
Pepsin will begin to break down proteins into simpler ones but does not completely separate all the proteins into amino acids in this phase. Only a few of the peptide bonds in the protein are broken down.
Next, food from the stomach that has become a form called chyme is flowed out of the stomach into the 12 finger intestine.
When entering the intestine of the 12 fingers, chyme will trigger the pancreas to release the next enzyme. There are several enzymes released, namely trypsin, carboxypeptidase, and chimotrypsin. These three enzymes will help break down even simpler proteins to form amino acids.
These amino acids in the intestines can eventually be absorbed into the intestinal cells. Amino acids are then transported to the liver via the portal vein bloodstream. From the liver, amino acids will be distributed to all cells in the body that need amino acids.
From here the amino acids will be used for all the needs in the body.
Amino acid function
After the amino acids are ready for use, the body then uses them to:
- Helping all growth processes in the body
- Repair body tissue
- Maintain body fluid balance
- Maintain an acid-alkaline atmosphere in the body
- Forming hormones (for example, thyroid hormone and insulin).
- Forming enzymes. An enzyme is a molecule of protein that functions as a catalyst. With a catalyst, all chemical reaction processes in the body will be progressed more quickly and effectively.
- Forms neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals in the brain that help send signals between nerve cells in the brain. The nerotransmitters that are formed are called dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, for example.
- Build the immune system. Antibodies are key in the immune system. Amino acids make the body’s antibodies to attack target cells that are considered foreign to enter the body.
The types of amino acids in the body
Reported on the Medline Plus page, amino acids are divided into three. The three of them are essential amino acids, non-essential amino acids, and conditional amino acids. What are essential amino acids? Essential amino acids are amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own, therefore, it must be obtained from food. Examples include the amino acids histidine, lysine, methionine, tryptophan, valine.
Meanwhile, nonessential amino acids are amino acids that can be produced by the body if they are not obtained from the food eaten. Examples include amino acids, alanine, glutamic acid, asparagine.
Even though there are different types, you don’t need to be picky and consume protein based on the type one by one. As long as you can meet protein needs every day, essential and nonessential amino acid needs can be met properly.
Conditional amino acids are a group of conditional amino acids, needed when sick, injured and under stress. Examples include cysteine, glutamine, serine and proline.
Sources of protein
After understanding what amino acids are, find out where you can meet your daily amino acid needs. Below are some examples of protein sources that are commonly found around you:
Animal sources:
- Chicken
- Beef, goat, buffalo and other processed meats such as meatballs, sausages and jerky
- Egg
- Fish
- Shrimp, squid, shellfish, and various other seafood
Vegetable sources:
- Nuts such as peanuts, soybeans, cashews, red beans, tolo beans, and others
- Tofu
- Tempe
- Oncom
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