Tomatoes: Citric Acid
Citric acid is a very common weak organic acid. It is found naturally in citrus fruits. More than a million tons of citric acid is used as an acidifier, as a flavouring every year. Doing a test on organic tomatoes by adding 1/2 tsp/quart 1/4 tsp/pint of citric acid causes a little change in flavor. Tomatoes on average contain about 17 milligrams of citric acid. The highest amount of citric acid is found in lemon and lime. There are also many other places where citric acid is found such as cleaning agents, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The characteristics of citric acid are that it is a crystalline white solid, odorless, soluble in water, alcohol, ether, etc. Inside the human body like all acids citric acid after lengthy and repeated exposure causes tooth enamel to dissolve which causes tooth decay.
Lettuce: beta-carotene
Beta Carotene is a naturally-occurring vitamin A found in certain fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It is naturally occurring but usually also artificially created in laboratories. Some people who sunburn easily due to erythropoietic protoporphyria(EPP), use beta-carotene to reduce risk of sunburn. It is used by being converted into vitamin A, which has an antioxidant activity, which helps to protect cells from damage. The characteristics of beta-carotene are that it is a dark orange crystal, sweet floral smell, and is insoluble in water.
Cheese: Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is a very common organic compound that is found in dairy products. Processed cheese in a burger contains a large amount of lactic acids because it is made from other cheese and milk. Lactic acid is used to preserve and add flavour to the food. Lactic acid is also a weak acid and soluble in water. In cellular respiration, glucose is broken down to produce energy for the body. When the oxygen is absent the metabolic process changes to fermentation, which then converts sugars, such as glucose, sucrose or lactose into lactic acids and produces less energy. In the human body, lactic acid is well known that it is released by the muscles from glycogen when the oxygen supply is insufficient to support the energy production. Many people are misunderstanding the concepts between lactic acid and lactate in our body. Lactate is just a dissociated form of lactic acid when dissolved in water:
Lactic acid does not cause fatigue. Lactate is actually the one that causes both muscle fatigue during exercise and muscle stiffness afterward. However, lactate is also a very important fuel for the muscles during prolonged exercise. Since lactate is produced in one muscle and oxidized as fuel in another muscle, lactic acid and lactate actually help delay the arrival of fatigue and improve sports performance.
Hamburger Bun: Glucose
Glucose is a sugar molecule or also known as a carbohydrate that is found almost in every food. Hamburger buns, in fact, is made up of about 65-75 percent of carbohydrates, and up to 5-10 percent of the daily sugar intake. Glucose contains 6 carbon atoms and classified as a hexose. Glucose is broken down in our body to produce energy. Glucose also takes a big role in bread making process. Sugars are added to bread to feed the yeast during baking, also known as fermentation. Glucose is a really important sugar, it is the main reactant in our cellular respiration. Glucose is broken down into many other smaller molecules (pyruvates) and with the present of oxygen, they produce much energy in the form of ATP for the muscle to perform everyday activities. So glucose is definitely everyone’s favorite, however consuming too much glucose could lead to many health problems, such as high blood sugar, diabetes, and damaging the liver. The excess amount of glucose in our body will be converted into glycogen by the liver to stored energy in a form of fat. If the amount of energy intake exceeded the amount of energy needed, then results in weight gain. Glycogen is later released when the blood sugar level is low.
Beef patty: Leucine
Leucine is a protein that is found commonly in meat, such as beef, pork, and chicken. Leucine (2-amino-4-methylpentanoic acid) is one of the essential amino acids that is used in the liver, fat, and muscle tissues. Leucine contains an amino group and a carboxyl group with a long chain in the middle. It is doubted to be the only amino acid that is able to stimulate muscle growth. Also, it can help prevent the weakening of muscle with age. It is recommended to consume about 39mg of leucine per kilogram of body weight per day to maintain a healthy body. Leucine contains an amino group and a carboxyl group with a long chain in the middle. As mentioned above, leucine is unique because it is the only amino acid burned by the muscle as fuel. Whether you exercise or not, muscle loss normally occurs due to aging and dieting. Leucine is a great source to prevent muscle loss, but also help in building muscle. Since leucine is essential, but we cannot make it by ourselves. However, leucine can stimulate the other protein synthesis to build muscle. There is also a number of studies show that high protein diets can help losing weight and spare muscle. High leucine diets can result in a better glucose control in our body.
Mayo: Glutamic Acid
Glutamic acid is non-essential amino acid, due to it being naturally produced in the human body. This is found in eggs which is a key ingredient in mayo. This amino acid plays a huge role in the human body, specifically within the citric acid cycle, which is a key component in cellular respiration. Glutamic acid is also a flavour enhancer that is very prominent in foods such as cheese and soy sauce, and is responsible for umami (one of the 5 basic tastes). This compound is very abundant in the brain, and also plays a key role in the human nervous system, as a neurotransmitter. Due to its abundance in the brain, it is used as an energy source for some cancerous tumours.
Ketchup: Ascorbic Acid
Ascorbic Acid is an organic compound found in many fruits and vegetables, but is more commonly known as Vitamin C. It is found in tomatoes which is a key ingredient in Ketchup. This is found in plants and animals but is derived from the breaking down or production of glucose. It is essential for creatures, and the lack of it could cause diseases such as scurvy. Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) is also one of most commonly used methods to reduce the effects of the common cold. The Vitamin C specifically enhances the immune system of our body, and in turn facilitates the absorption of iron which reinforces the body’s resistance to infection.