Nutrition Molecules

[These notes were kindly copied off the board and typed up by Agnes during a grade 8 science lesson.]

All nutrients are made of elements.
Some of the elements are….
-Oxygen
-Hydrogen
-Nitrogen
-Sodium
-Carbon
-Potassium

What atoms are in carbohydrate molecules?
-All are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
-But they have more oxygen atoms than fats

What atoms are in fat molecules?
-All are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
-But they have fewer oxygen atoms than carbohydrates

 

What are the atoms found in protein molecules?
1. Hydrogen – in all amino acids
2. Carbon – all living thing contain it
3. Oxygen – in all amino acids
4. Nitrogen – in all amino acids
5. Sulfur – only in one: methionine
-We cannot synthesize it ourselves and get it from eggs and ocean fish

What is an amino acid?
-A compound that has two essential parts:
1. A carboxyl (COOH)
2. An amino (NH2)
-It also has another chain that is specific to each amino acid
-There are 20 essential amino acids that humans need to be healthy
-They are found in proteins
-Some protein sources have all the amino acids (e.g. meat)
-Some have only some of the amino acids so we combine sources to get all 20 (e.g. peanut butter and bread; corn and beans)
-Most cultures have vegetarian combinations to provide all 20 amino acids

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