Question

A healthy diet must include some protein. Assuming you had a way to measure the amount of each element in a sample of food, which element would you measure in order to tell whether the food contained protein?

a) Nitrogen
b) Carbon
c) Hydrogen
d) Oxygen

Answer 1

To ascertain the presence of protein in food, nitrogen levels should be measured, as nitrogen is a unique component in the structure of amino acids, which form proteins.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine whether food contains protein, you would measure the amount of nitrogen. Proteins have a complicated structure consisting of amino acids, which are made up of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. Unlike carbohydrates and fats, it is the nitrogen that sets proteins apart, as it is a constituent of the amino acid's structure. Each amino acid in a protein molecule is connected to form its unique and functional shape. Therefore, nitrogen is a key element that reflects the presence of protein in food.