For a growing child, even a proper diet falls short of the daily requirement and gradual lacking shows in the retardation of growth. The protein requirement in the diet is higher when new tissues are being laid down for growth, development or repair. It rises during pregnancy and breast feeding and is higher in infants and children.

How the high protein diet work in the body:

Proteins are complex structures. They can be utilized by the body if they are split into simpler forms. These simpler nitrogenous compounds are called amino acids. Proteins differ in food value according to the amounts and types of amino acids which they contain.

Nutritionally, amino acids belong to two categories.

Essential amino acids: They cannot be synthesized in the animal body and must be supplied with foods full of protein in adequate amounts.
Non essential amino acids: These amino acids may be synthesized in the body . They need not be supplied in the diet.

Eight amino acids are considered essential for human nutrition. These are

• Methionine
• Threonine
• Tryptophan
• Valine
• Leucine
• Isoleucine
• Lysine
• Phenylalanine

Ariginine and histidine are considered semi indispensable amino acids. Glycine, alanine, serine, cysteine, tyrosine, proline, aspartic acid and glutamic acid are some of the non essential amino acids.

Besides forming proteins, dietary amino acids are required for the formation of products like heme of hemoglobin, the hormones adrenalin and thyroxine, the skin pigment melanin, and essential parts of nucleic acids.

Some amino acids give rise to carbohydrates in the body. Amino acids are also catabolised to give energy.

Food proteins should include sufficient amount of animal proteins such as milk, egg, fish and meat proteins because they contain adequate amount of all the essential amino acids.

They are complex organic compounds which contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. The protein molecule is composed of a number of simpler compounds called amino acids. All the wear and tear of the body caused by the continuous functions of the organs like heart, lungs, stomach, is made up by the proteins we take. Proteins provide the necessary material to build new cells for growth or replace those lost in wear and tear. So it becomes equally important for all age group to keep a strict eye on their daily protein intake, especially children, older citizens.

Proteins are present in foods obtained from animals and in foods from vegetables. Proteins from both animal kingdom and plant kingdom should be consumed. Vegetarians with a lacto vegetarian diet (milk and related product with vegetables) almost fulfill all the needs of the body. Some advocate for eggs also. This is known as lacto-oval-vegetarianism.

To answer, what is the daily recommended amount for protein, 40/50 grams of protein should be in our daily diet. Some are also of the view that one gram of protein should be taken for 1 kg of body weight.

We know how essential oxygen is to our life. Yet, this is also inherently dangerous to our existence. This is known as oxygen paradox. Recent research shows that oxidative stress, or cell damage by free radicals is the main cause of most of the chronic degenerative diseases. These free radicals are harmful by products of the process of oxygen consumption in our body. These free radicals are also created from environmental pollution, certain industrial chemicals, and smoking.

If still unclear of what is oxidation, then think of the process of oxidation outside the body; for which a sliced apple turns brown, the rusting of iron etc.

In fact, oxidative stress is now the leading theory behind the aging process. Stop the oxidative stress, counter the free radicals and be free from all diseases.

Now when you know the oxidants, antioxidants just counter them. They fight against the free radicals and save us from the dark side of oxygen.  Considering the tremendous damage caused by the oxidative stress to the body, ample amount of antioxidants in form of food and supplements do a lot good for health and anti aging in long term.

Antioxidants advantages:

In the view of the damage by oxidative stress, the role of antioxidants in preserving health has come to the fore through recent research. The findings on antioxidants to prevent heart disease, the role of antioxidants to ward off cancer and the latest theory of anti aging through antioxidants; all point towards its huge role in maintaining health.

To list a few benefits of antioxidants

The research has shown and is now ongoing for future strategies on the role these antioxidants may play in heart disease prevention.

Antioxidants have a preventive role in several types of cancer. This is to be noticed that many factors induce the development of cancer including heredity, nutritional excesses and deficiencies, and the environment with all its pollutions.

Immunity is certain to get a boost if body is properly fed with adequate antioxidants.

Increased free radical activity during strenuous exercise and continuous stress can be countered with antioxidants. So vitamin E ( one antioxidant ) might play a role in reducing muscle inflammation and soreness after bouts of vigorous workouts.

Accelerated aging is halted and aging finally can be delayed by countering the ill effects of oxidative stress on the body.

Monosaccharides : e.g. glucose, fructose ( fruit sugar )

Disaccharides : e.g. sucrose, lactose, maltose

Polysaccharides : e.g. starches, dextrin, cellulose

The more complex sugars, disaccharides cannot be utilized by the body as such. They must be changed into simpler forms.

Polysaccharides contain starch and cellulose. They have to be cooked, heat breaks the walls of the cells and water gets into the starch grains. The starches are found in such foods as cereals, breads, macaroni, potatoes, and corn.

Sugars, a more concentrated form of carbohydrates than starches are found in honey, molasses, preserves, dried and fresh fruits, fruit juices, and in cane, beet or maple sugar. Only a small amount of carbohydrates can be stored in the body as such; when taken in excess of body needs, they are changed to fat by the body and stored as fat.

Cellulose is a form of carbohydrate found in fruits, vegetables, and cereals in varying amount. It is a carbohydrate found in all plants, but human beings do not have the digestive enzyme required to digest this carbohydrate. But before you think this is a useless carbohydrate, then think again. Nothing is useless for your body given by nature. It does one function or other. Cellulose and other indigestible carbohydrates are now proved to be an important part of the diet, as a source of fibre, which facilitates the passage of material through bowel.

So overconsumption of carbohydrate is not prescribed. In fact very few people suffer from the deficiency of this as generally get this from their daily diet in adequate amount. So in an ideal carbohydrate diet plan, low carb diets find their place with high fibre content.

Your cells have their own defense system to fight off these free radicals. Scientists have reported evidence suggesting that certain vitamins and specially vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene can enhance body’s ability to fight these radical monsters and therefore prevent oxidation. These are a list of the best antioxidants.

Vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids (including beta carotene) and the mineral selenium are all powerful natural oxidants found in food.

But look at the problem in getting natural antioxidants to your body from vitamin C, E and selenium.

• Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin and most of the vitamin C in the diet (90%) comes from fruits and vegetables. But being a water soluble vitamin, cooking can destroy vitamin C in food.

• Vitamin E is fat. As vitamin W is found in oils, people following a low fat diet may not get enough.

• The amount of selenium found in food is directly related to the amount of selenium found in the soil in which food was grown.

So it becomes essential for us to get natural antioxidants from natural food and fruits high in antioxidants.

Vegetables and fruits high in antioxidants:

Red, yellow, orange and leafy green vegetables and fruits are rich source of beta carotene.

This includes

Carrots, apricots, cantaloupe, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin.

Vitamin E, another antioxidant is richly found in

Peanut butter, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and margarine, avocado, salad dressings.

Vitamin C rich foods that are antioxidants:

Peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits and juices, berries, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, potatoes, mango, papaya.

It is enough for a normal person to get all the natural antioxidants from the food sources. Antioxidant supplementation may help people dealing with a lot of stress, people on a low fat diet, smokers, older adults, and dieters limiting their calories to 1200 per day or less, people with a family history of heart disease or cancer.

• Heat and energy yielding foods : Fats and carbohydrates

• Body building foods : Proteins ( Animal and vegetable proteins )

• Protective foods : Minerals and vitamins

All three types of foods serve two main purpose of the body

• Building structure of the organs in the body

• Building the function of the organs

A slight deviation in its defined purpose, body comes up with diseases. No need to say about the deficiency in structure of the organs. A very typical example of functional problem in digestive system is irritable bowel syndrome.

So the stress is not only on the quality of food, but on the total digestive process. The diet determines to a good extent the smoothness of the digestive process.

Carbohydrates

Proteins

Antioxidants