Amino+Acids

Amino Acids are the building blocks for proteins. The construction of an amino acid consists of: 1. Carboxylic acid 2. Amino group 3. Hydrogen atom 4. Side chain (different in different proteins)



29 proteins are necessary for the proper growth and maintenance of the human body. Humans are capable of synthesizing 20 of these amino acids naturally. The other 9 must be consumed as food. This is a main dietary concern of vegetarians and vegans: most of these 9 other amino acids that human bodies do not produce are taken in when consuming animal flesh. Therefore vegetarians and vegans need to ensure that they eat certain foods that have protein additives, or have sufficient replacements for animal meat to keep up with dietary requirements for protein construction.