Leaving Certificate Home Economics Notes: Protein

Keywords: Leaving Cert Study Notes, Home Economics Study Notes, protein, amino acids, essential amino acids, protein functions, protein sources, complete proteins, incomplete proteins, protein digestion, protein deficiency, protein synthesis.

Key Lessons from "Leaving Certificate Home Economics Notes: Protein"

• Elemental Composition of Proteins: Proteins are made up of nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, with essential amino acids like valine and lysine and non-essential ones like serine and alanine.

• Formation and Breakdown of Proteins: Proteins are built through peptide links formed by condensation reactions (loss of water) and broken down by hydrolysis (addition of water and enzymes, e.g., during digestion).

• Protein Structures: Proteins have distinct structures—primary (simple chains, e.g., insulin), secondary (disulfide or hydrogen bonds, e.g., collagen), and tertiary (fibrous, e.g., gluten, or globular, e.g., ovalbumin).

• Properties of Proteins: Proteins demonstrate denaturation (e.g., heat coagulation), elasticity (e.g., gluten), Maillard reaction (browning with heat), solubility (collagen and albumin dissolve in water), gel formation (gelatin traps water), and foam formation (e.g., meringues).

• Digestion and Absorption of Proteins: Proteins are digested through enzymes like pepsin, trypsin, and peptidase, breaking them into amino acids, which are absorbed into the bloodstream via the small intestine and used for growth and repair.

Important Takeaways from "Leaving Certificate Home Economics: Protein"

• Proteins and Their Composition: Proteins are made of nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, with essential amino acids that the body cannot produce (e.g., valine) and non-essential ones that it can (e.g., serine).

• Protein Structure and Function: Proteins have unique structures—primary (simple chains), secondary (hydrogen or disulfide bonds), and tertiary (fibrous or globular)—each contributing to their role in growth, repair, and overall health.

• Properties of Proteins: Key properties include denaturation (e.g., coagulation when heated), elasticity (e.g., gluten in wheat), Maillard reaction (browning with heat), solubility (e.g., albumin dissolves in water), gel formation (e.g., gelatin setting desserts), and foam formation (e.g., whisked egg whites).

• Protein Digestion and Absorption: Proteins are broken down into amino acids by enzymes like pepsin and trypsin in the stomach and small intestine. These amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream to support body functions.

• Applications in Cooking: Understanding protein properties explains everyday cooking phenomena like the setting of cheesecake, browning of biscuits, and creation of meringues, making this knowledge practical for exams and life skills.

Keywords: Leaving Cert Study Notes, Home Economics Study Notes, protein, amino acids, essential amino acids, protein functions, protein sources, complete proteins, incomplete proteins, protein digestion, protein deficiency, protein synthesis.