Proteins can be regarded as a versatile nutrients for children, which helps muscle contraction, blood clotting process helps, helps the process of eye sight, keep children stay active by facilitating chemical reactions, help fight infection, and certainly no less important is the formation of bone structure, teeth, and hair.
Protein is taken from the Greek word "protos" and means "very important". Proteins are composed of amino acids and is formed of about 20 amino acids. Amino acids can be synthesized in the body, except the 8 amino acids (10 for babies). Essential acids must be present in food. Disadvantages of a single amino acid will interfere with protein synthesis.
Growth and repair (healing) or replacement of a child's body tissue protein task. Protein has many important roles in the body to support the child's health and fight disease.
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| Image By Keith Weller, USDA ARS, via Wikimedia Commons |
Protein for Growth & Child Health
In addition to functioning as a shaper of building muscle, blood, and skin, the protein is also required for:- Keeping the volume and composition of body fluids.
- Regulate processes in the body.
- Transporting substances such as lipids (fats), minerals, oxygen, and vitamins throughout the body.
- Replace cells and dead or damaged tissue.
- Maintaining the body in fighting cancer through antibodies and strengthen the immune system.
If the child has a deficiency of protein, energy, or both, it is called as Protein-Energy Malnutrition (PEM). One of the visible results are due to a lack of protein and muscle tissue disposal weight loss sometimes to drastic weight reduction.
Instead, because of the abundance of protein foods in some countries or regions, there is also the problem of excessive protein consumption. Research has shown that eating patterns (diet) that is too high in protein has no benefits and can cause several diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity and kidney stones.
For example, excess protein will be converted to body fat. Excess protein will also aggravate kidney performance. Too much protein intake also causes the body's cholesterol increased because most high protein foods also contain a lot of saturated acids.
That's some facts about the importance of protein for growth and health of children. May be useful for you.