Food chemistry

Food science deals with the three biological components of food.

1. Carbohydrates are sugars and starches which are chemical fuels needed for our body’s cells to function.
2. Liquids are fats and oils and are essential parts of cell membranes that lubricate and cushion organs within the body. Because fats have 2.25 times the energy per gram than either carbohydrates or proteins, many people try to limit their intake to avoid becoming overweight.
3. Proteins are complex molecules composed of from 100 to 500 or more amino acids that are chained together and folded into three-dimensional shapes necessary for the structure and function of every cell. Our bodies can synthesize some of the amino acids; however eight of them, the essential amino acids, must be taken in as part of our food. Food scientists are also concerned with the inorganic components of food such as its water content, minerals, vitamins and enzymes.

Question:

1. What do our cells need to function?
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2. What causes people to become overweight?
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3. How many amino acids make up proteins and how do they become three-dimensional shapes?
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