Nutrition Label AP Project: What are you eating and why are

you eating it?

Purpose: To analyze the contents of a processed food within the household to determine the
major macromolecules found within it.

Task:

1. Search your kitchen/pantry for a food that is processed (has a nutrition label with the
ingredients shown on the label). The item of your choice MUST have a minimum of 5
different substances listed as ingredients.

2.Take a picture of the nutrition label,

including the ingredients list.

3. Analyze the contents:

a. Sort each ingredient into one of the four major macromolecule groups. Google it if you need to, or go by
our naming rules you learned in class. Present this in an organized format, such as a table.
b. You will most likely find something that does not fit any of the groups. If you need to, you can add a
group labeled “Vitamins” and/or “Artificial Substances” (aka preservatives).
c. Then, explain what role/purpose each ingredient plays in the body (energy, binding agent etc.).
i. Include the structure or picture ( 1 picture)
ii. Its importance in the body (list 2)
iii. Where it is found or used in the body (list 2).

Carbohydrates Fats Proteins Nucleic Acid “Vitamins/Artificial

Substances
 Sugar Palm Oil Hazelnuts SKIM MILK(small
Skim Milk Hazelnuts Skim Milk amount)
Cocoa Cocoa Hazelnuts(Small
Soy Lethecin amount)

SUGAR: 2) Quick Energy and raw material for the synthesis of

other small organic molecules.

3) Enzymes in your mouth break down the sucrose into fructose and glucose but the majority of the sugar is absorbed in
the small intestine, and then taken into the bloodstream, and into cells where glucose is used for cellular respiration.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sucrose-glucose-fructose

Palm Oil: 2)Energy storage, and insulation.

3) Enzymes made in the pancreas break down the palm oil then the fatty acids are absorbed by the small intestine, and
then taken into the bloodstream, then the ER where they are used to make triglyceride.

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/smallgut/absorb_lipids.html

Hazelnuts: I could not find one chart because there are so many components to hazelnuts, but I included pictures of
the main fatty acids, and amino acids that make up the hazelnut.

Oleic Acid Arginine

2) Arginine is an amino acid that stimulates the release of insulin, and other important substances in the body. Oleic acid
is a fatty acid that provides insulation and long term energy to the body.

3) Arginine is often found in the bloodstream near the heart ;( it is said to improve blood flow near the heart.) Oleic acid
is found in triglycerides and the phospholipids that make up cell membranes.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814605006849

SKIM MILK

Palmitic Acid Casein Protein Lactose

2) Palmitic acid is a straight chain fatty acid that provides insulation and long term energy to the body. Lactose provides
quick energy to the body because it is broken down into glucose and galactose. Casein protein is used to build and repair
tissues.

3) In the small intestine the enzyme lactase causes lactose to turn into glucose and galactose. It is then taken into the
bloodstream and into cells for cellular respiration.

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/amino-acids-contained-milk-eggs-3992.html

Cocoa:

Albumin Oleic Acid

1) Cocoa Is composed of half triglycerides and fatty acids and half globulin, and albumin protein. Albumin keeps fluid in
your bloodstream so it doesn’t leak into tissues. (Helps in the function of tissues). Oleic acid provides insulation and long
term energy for the body.

2) Oleic acid is found in triglycerides and the phospholipids that make up cell membranes. Albumin is often found in the
bloodstream.

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-61779-803-0_8

SOY LETHICIN
Phosphatidylcholine

1) Phosphatidylcholine is the main component of soy-lethicin and is a phospholipid. It forms structures in which fat is
enclosed and transported throughout the bloodstream, and phospholipids make up the cell membrane.

2) In the body it is usually found in cell membranes or travelling between cells.

VANILLIN

1) Vanillin is an artificial flavor containing benzaldehydes is an antioxidant but has no function in the body.

2) It is found in the digestive tract and is usually not taken up by the body.

https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/vanilla-beans.html

4. Summarize your findings:

a. Write a 8 sentence MINIMUM paragraph explaining whether you think the food you chose is “healthy”
or beneficial to your body. (Elaborate : Does your body need all of these ingredients? Is there anything in
excess amount or missing? What do the *extra* ingredients provide to your body? Could you live off this
food alone?) Refer back to your analysis section when you are writing this and use it as justification to
support your claim. If you used any resources, make sure you paraphrase, and provide links.
I do not think the food that I chose is beneficial to the body. It is beneficial in the sense that it provides energy
and insulation, since the majority of the ingredients; the palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, and soy-lethicin are lipid
based. It also provides energy through the sucrose in the cane sugar. However, I think the proportion in the fats
to carbohydrates is unhealthy as the body requires more “quick” energy than energy that can be used over a
long period of time. In addition the majority of the fats in Nutella are either oleic acid or palmitic acid; which
contains high amounts of saturated fats. The Nutella also contains an excessive amount of sucrose, as sucrose
contains fructose which too much of can cause high fat buildup in the body. There is not enough nucleic acids or
proteins in Nutella, as the only ingredient that contains protein is hazelnuts, cocoa, and skim milk, which all have
more of a fat concentration than protein. In addition skim milk and hazelnuts contain VERY SMALL amounts of
nucleic acids; therefore not sustainable for the body. The extra ingredient, vanillin provides no benefit to the
body other than having small traces of antioxidants. You could therefore not live off of this food alone, because
the concentration of lipids, and fructose is too large in comparison to the concentrations of proteins, nucleic
acids, and glucose meaning your body would build up too much fat and eventually stop functioning.