COURSE III: Proteins in Our Food

This lesson reviews some of the basics of protein biochemistry, then turning attention to the proteins available in food. First, the microbial realm is acknowledged for fixing Nitrogen from the air into the soil, making it available for protein production in all plants and animals. A look at some of the more severe examples of protein malnutrition in humans gives an appreciation of its structural essentiality. Learning the roles of individual amino acids in our biochemistry, then gives appreciation to some of the more subtle expressions of specific deficiencies. The protein profiles and bioavailability of different foods is then explored, bringing clarity to nourishment that might best support our proteome.