INTRODUCTION

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• The word 'protein' comes from Greek 'prota', meaning 'of primary importance'.
• Back in 1838, Jons Jakob Berzelius introduced the word 'protein' to name large organic compounds featuring almost equivalent empirical formulas.
• Actually, proteins are the basic building blocks of all life.

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• For instance, the human body contains around 100,000 various proteins, and every cell in our body contains protein
• It can also be found in almost all body fluids.
• Humans need protein in their diet in order to help the body repair cells and produce new ones.

FUNCTIONS OF PROTEIN

repair and maintenance

• Protein is termed the building block of the body.
• It is called this because protein is vital in the maintenance of body tissue, including development and repair.
• Hair, skin, eyes, muscles and organs are all made from protein.
• This is why children need more protein per pound of body weight than adults because they are growing and developing new protein tissue.

energy

• Protein is a major source of energy.
• If you consume more protein than you need for body tissue maintenance and other necessary functions, your body will use it for energy.
• If it is not needed due to sufficient intake of other energy sources such as carbohydrates, the protein will be used to create fat and becomes part of fat cells.

hormones

• Protein is involved in the creation of some hormones.
• These substances help control body functions that involve the interaction of several organs.
• Insulin, a small protein, is an example of a hormone that regulates blood sugar.
• It involves the interaction of organs such as the pancreas and the liver.

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• Secretin, is another example of a protein hormone.
• This substance assists in the digestive process by stimulating the pancreas and the intestine to create necessary digestive juices.

enzymes

• Enzymes are proteins that increase the rate of chemical reactions in the body.
• In fact, most of the necessary chemical reactions in the body would not efficiently proceed without enzymes.
• For example, one type of enzyme functions as an aid in digesting large protein, carbohydrate and fat molecules into smaller molecules