Food

Food Biochemistry
When we eat food, we are eating cells. In the case of plants, the cell walls are made of cellulose, a type of fiber. Fiber is not found in animal products. An exception to the first rule is the dairy products, which are not cells. An egg is a cell.

This is an animal cell. The cell is mostly protein, but the cell wall is mostly fat. Carbohydrates are abundant in plants.

This is glucuronate. This substance is controversial. One view has it as being present in Kombucha tea. Glucuronate has the very interesting property of conjugating with DMPEA. Whether this makes DMPEA inactive or not is not known. By itself DMPEA is a neurotoxin.

This is peppermint. At this clipart website oxygen is denoted by a red color. Note the benzene ring.

This Yahoo clipart, which is extremely valuable for those interested in neuroscience, show the synthesis of certain neurotransmitters from amino acids. The amino acids are found in food.

An outstanding website for information on the interaction between food and the brain is Pharmacology Central. This author (Olson) has spent many long hours studying this site. The clipart of the brain is from Pharmacology Central, a brilliant scientific clipart source. Note the substantia nigra (black substance), which houses the cell bodies of many dopamine neurons. This area is definitely abnormal in Parkinson's disease. The substantia nigra is in a cluster of areas called the "basal ganglia".

This substance belongs to a chemical class called the "guaiacols". It has a benzene ring with a hydroxy group and a methoxy group. It is very similar in structure to DMPEA.

This is the benzene ring as shown on a Swedish clipart site. This drawing is unusual because the carbon atoms are depicted in purple. Often the hydrogen atoms are not shown, but they are shown in this rendition.

This is cinnamon. Note the benzene ring, which is common in molecules that have flavor.

This clipart from Pharmacology Central shows some flavors. Also these are aromatic compounds, which means that they have odors. These particular odors are pleasant.

In the chemical shorthand used by Pharmacology Central, the hydrogen atoms are not shown. This is another clipart from Pharmacology Central, which is one of my favorite sites. Ginger is used in the soda gingerale.