Proteins and Vegetarians, Fats and Heart Disease - Essay Example

Proteins and Vegetarians, Fats and Heart Disease Proteins and Vegetarians A balanced diet is essential for normal body function. Proteins are a component of a balanced diet with many functions. Proteins can be derived from animals and plants. Vegetarians abstain from taking animal products thus their source of proteins is plants. Proteins are used to build body cells in the human body. Old cells are repaired and replaced using proteins ingested. Proteins are broken down into energy during some exercises or during starvation.

Proteins maintain some of the processes in the body through substances made from proteins. Enzymes made from proteins facilitate the process of digestion. Breast feed milk used to feed children is made from proteins consumed by man. Vegetarians should ensure that they protein rich from breakfast to super time. Such foods include legumes, grains, nuts vegetables and fats. The vegetarians should ensure that they consume adequate amounts of proteins in each serving. Other foods should also be served in the diet to ensure a balanced diet (Christophe Blecker, et al 225).

Fats and Heart Disease The body stores energy through fat reservoirs in the body. These fats are used when the body needs energy. This fat is at least 10percent of an individual’s weight. Fats are used to transport soluble nutrients around the body. Such nutrients include vitamin A, D, E and K. Fats located under the skin help insulate the body from temperature change. Fats form structural components of the cell such as the cell wall that regulates movement of substances in the cell. Fats are used in the production of hormones that regulate body operations.

Fats are used to produce milk used to feed newborns after pregnancy. Saturated fats are bad for health as they increase cholesterol levels. Increase in cholesterol clog vessels in a process called atherosclerosis. Cholesterol in heart vessels caused heart attacks (Vercambre, Grodstein, and Kang 1136).Works citedChristophe Blecker, et al. "Flaxseed Proteins: Food Uses And Health Benefits." International Journal Of Food Science & Technology 46.2 (2011): 221-228.Vercambre, M.-N., F. Grodstein, and J. H. Kang.

"Dietary Fat Intake In Relation To Cognitive Change In High-Risk Women With Cardiovascular Disease Or Vascular Factors." European Journal Of Clinical Nutrition 64.10 (2010): 1134-1140.