Question

What are essential amino acids? In what way are they different from nonessential amino acids?

Short answer

Answer: The key difference between essential and nonessential amino acids is that essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained through dietary sources, while nonessential amino acids can be synthesized by the body from available molecules. Both essential and nonessential amino acids are vital for our body's proper function and overall health, as they are building blocks of proteins needed for various biological functions.

Step-by-step solution

Introduction to Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are essential for many biological functions in our body. Proteins are made up of long chains of amino acids, and there are 20 different amino acids in total. Among these 20 amino acids, there are two categories - essential and nonessential amino acids.

Definition of Essential Amino Acids

Essential amino acids are those that our body cannot synthesize on its own, and therefore, we need to obtain them through our diet. There are 9 essential amino acids: 1. Histidine 2. Isoleucine 3. Leucine 4. Lysine 5. Methionine 6. Phenylalanine 7. Threonine 8. Tryptophan 9. Valine

Definition of Nonessential Amino Acids

Nonessential amino acids are those that our body can synthesize from other amino acids or molecules, so it is not necessary to obtain them directly from our diet. Even though they are called 'nonessential,' these amino acids are still important for our body's function. There are 11 nonessential amino acids: 1. Alanine 2. Arginine 3. Asparagine 4. Aspartic acid 5. Cysteine 6. Glutamic acid 7. Glutamine 8. Glycine 9. Proline 10. Serine 11. Tyrosine

Differences between Essential and Nonessential Amino Acids

The main difference between essential and nonessential amino acids is how our body obtains them. Essential amino acids are not produced by the body, so they must be obtained through dietary sources like animal proteins, legumes, or nuts. On the other hand, nonessential amino acids can be synthesized by our body from available molecules. However, both essential and nonessential amino acids are vital for our body's proper function and overall health.