fitFLEX Articles: The Basic Definitions of Proteins - Carbohydrates - Fats
( What Exactly is it that we Consume each Day? - fitFlex Articles - Learn, Share and Discover! ) ..
I suspect that if you asked the average bodybuilder to draw out an example of a protein, a carb, and fat, they would be
unable to do it. Anyway here is a simple rundown of what they are.
Protein - There are approximately 20 amino acids that can make up a protein. Eight of them are considered essential, and
the body cannot make them on its own - the definition of an essential nutrient. The other nonessential aminos can be made
from the essential aminos. If you link several aminos together you get a peptide. Keep linking peptides together and you
get a protein. Proteins have many different roles in the body from making enzymes to certain hormones (known as peptide
hormones) and, of course, good ol' muscle! The shape of the individual amino acids is unique and highly specific, so I
won't go into great detail here. Suffice it to say that amino acids are the structural unit of a protein molecule.
Fats - Fats are deceivingly simple molecules. They re just atoms of carbon linked together in a chain. Assuming nothing is
attached to either end of the chain (a free fatty acid), you will find a carbon surrounded by hydrogens (CH3) on one end,
and on the other end you will find a few oxygens (COOH or COO-). Surrounding all the carbons are hydrogen atoms. What gives
various fats most of their biological character is the length of the chain and the number of double bonds. The more carbons
you have, the longer the chain. A double bond is what you get when you take away a few hydrogens and the bond "doubles up"
on the carbons (see diagram), These double bonds are very important and dictate - along with the length and shape - what
type of fat it is and the effect it will have on the body. For example, a fatty-acid chain with no double bonds is said to
be saturated and is known as a saturated fat. Put a single double bond in the fat and it is a monounsaturated fat, and so
on to the polyunsaturated fats as you make more double bonds. Like the essential amino acids, the body has two essential
fatty acids it cannot make itself because of a lack of the necessary enzymes, so they must be supplied by the diet. These
are aptly called "the essential fatty acids." The two fats are linoleic acid and alphalinolenic acid.
Carbohydrates - Carbohydrates or "sugars" are made primarily of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms that cyclize into a ring.
They can be "simple" or "complex" by the number of rings you hook together. Though the rings can be slightly different, their
common theme is the ring structure as their final shape. Similar to amino acids and fats, when you link the simple units
(the sugars) together you get carbohydrates with different properties. You can link glucose units together to get a glucose
polymer and in fact the body stores units of glucose linked together in the liver and muscle. This substance is called
"glycogen," a term most people are familiar with. You can also link different kinds of sugars to get different products.
For instance, f you combine glucose with fructose you get sucrose (table sugar). If you combine glucose with galactose you get
lactose (milk sugar) and so on. Link a bunch of sugars together and you get polysaccharides. Combine two sugars together like
the previously mentioned lactose, and you get a disaccharide. By themselves they are called monosaccharides. Are you starting
to see a recurring theme here? Link a simple unit with other units and you get a product the body can do all sorts of things
with. Linking units gives you a product (fats, carbs, proteins) and breaking down the products into units ultimately gives you
energy. So simple yet soooooo complex! You will notice I have not mentioned essential carbohydrates because there ain't no such
thing! Though the body runs best on an intake of some carbs in the diet, it can make its own carbohydrates from protein and
other noncarbohydrate substrates. I hope this simplified crash course in protein, fat and carbohydrate helps you.
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