NUTRITION 408- Red Tamales and Spanish Rice

NUTRITION 408- Red Tamales and Spanish Rice

Naryah Lipford

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Index

Title

Ingredients and nutritional value

Macronutrient metabolism

Key enzymes

Health effects

Cellular and organism level

Demographic/activity level

Ingredient subs

References

Ingredients and Quantities Red Tamales (2 tamales): Masa harina (corn dough): ~1 cup Lard vegetable oil 2 tbsp Shredded pork (or chicken): 3 oz Red chili sauce (dried red chilies, garlic, spices) ¼ cup Corn husks (for wrapping) Spanish Rice (1 cup) White rice (uncooked): ½ cup (makes ~1 cup cooked) Tomato sauce: ¼ cup Oil: 1 tbsp Onion 2 tbsp Garlic: 1 tsp Chicken broth: 1 cup

Info

List of ingredients and nutritonal value

Total Meal Estimate Carbs: ~130 g Protein: ~34 g Fat: ~55 g Fiber: ~9–10 g

Berg, J. M., Tymoczko, J. L., Gatto, G. J., & Stryer, L. (2019). Biochemistry (9th ed.). W. H. Freeman. Hall, J. E. (2021). Guyton and Hall textbook of medical physiology (14th ed.). Elsevier.

These pathways are coordinated mainly by insulin: Glucose → glycolysis → acetyl-CoA Acetyl-CoA → fatty acid synthesis (lipogenesis) Amino acids → TCA cycle intermediates Excess glucose + amino acids → fat storage All pathways connect through shared intermediates like acetyl-CoA and the TCA cycle, showing how carbs, fats, and proteins can all contribute to energy production or storage.

Upregulated Upregulated (fed state): Glycolysis Glycogenesis Lipogenesis Protein synthesis Downregulated: Gluconeogenesis Glycogenolysis Lipolysis

Macronutrient Metabolism After digestion and absorption, the macronutrients from this meal enter metabolic pathways:

Metabolism & Pathways (Berg et al., 2019) (Saltiel & Kahn, 2001)

Info

Hu, F. B., Manson, J. E., & Willett, W. C. (2001). Types of dietary fat and risk of coronary heart disease: A critical review. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 20(1), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2001.10719008

cc) Key Enzymes Activated/Repressed Activated: Glycogen synthase (glycogen formation) Phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1) (glycolysis) Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (fat synthesis) Repressed: Glycogen phosphorylase (glycogen breakdown) Hormone-sensitive lipase (fat breakdown) Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (gluconeogenesis).

Key ENZYMES

(Berg et al., 2019) (Hall, 2021)

Hotamisligil, G. S. (2006). Inflammation and metabolic disorders. Nature, 444(7121), 860–867. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05485

(Hotamisligil, 2006)

Health Effects

Info

Effect on Epigenome Yes, diet can influence epigenetics. How? High-fat intake may alter DNA methylation patterns Nutrients can influence histone modification Long-term diet patterns can change gene expression without altering DNA sequence

Here are the health effects involving inflammation cardiovascular and gene transcription

Carbohydrates in rice and masa would have the biggest impact due to poor glucose regulation.

Cellular Level

• Reduced glucose uptake due to insulin resistance
• Increased gluconeogenesis despite high glucose
• Impaired glycogen storage
• Increased lipolysis → excess fatty acids

Organism Level

• Hyperglycemia after meal
• Increased fat storage and weight gain
• Higher triglycerides
• Increased risk of complications (neuropathy, CVD)

Is this meal healthy if eaten often?

Sustainability Can be made healthier with substitutions Traditional ingredients may not always support long-term health if eaten frequently

Demographics & Activity Level

AMDR: Carbs: 45–65% Fat: 20–35% Protein: 10–35% This meal: Slightly high in fat Moderate protein High refined carbs

(U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020)

Risk and ingredient substitutions

Ingredient Substitutions To improve health: Replace lard → olive oil (healthier fats) Use brown rice instead of white rice (more fiber) Add vegetables (peppers, tomatoes) Use lean protein (chicken instead of pork) Reduce sodium in broth These changes improve fiber, reduce saturated fat, and support heart health.

Chronic Disease Risk Frequent intake may increase risk of:Obesity Type 2 diabetes Cardiovascular disease But occasional intake is fine as part of a balanced diet.

References

References (APA 7th Edition) Berg, J. M., Tymoczko, J. L., Gatto, G. J., & Stryer, L. (2019). Biochemistry (9th ed.). W. H. Freeman. Hall, J. E. (2021). Guyton and Hall textbook of medical physiology (14th ed.). Elsevier. Hu, F. B., Manson, J. E., & Willett, W. C. (2001). Types of dietary fat and risk of coronary heart disease: A critical review. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 20(1), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2001.10719008 Hotamisligil, G. S. (2006). Inflammation and metabolic disorders. Nature, 444(7121), 860–867. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05485 Saltiel, A. R., & Kahn, C. R. (2001). Insulin signalling and the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. Nature, 414(6865), 799–806. https://doi.org/10.1038/414799a Kersten, S. (2014). Mechanisms of nutritional and metabolic regulation of gene expression. EMBO Reports, 15(7), 705–716. https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.201438795 Zeisel, S. H. (2009). Epigenetic mechanisms for nutrition determinants of later health outcomes. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(5), 1488S–1493S. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.27113B U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 (9th ed.). Example In-Text Citations (Use in your slides or paper) Metabolism & Pathways (Berg et al., 2019) (Saltiel & Kahn, 2001) Enzymes & Insulin Regulation (Berg et al., 2019) (Hall, 2021) Inflammation (Hotamisligil, 2006) Cardiovascular Disease (Hu et al., 2001) Gene Expression (Kersten, 2014) Epigenetics (Zeisel, 2009) Nutrition Guidelines (AMDR/RDA) (U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020)

Glucose from masa and rice enters the bloodstream → increases blood glucose → insulin is released. Stored as glycogen (glycogenesis) in liver and muscle Excess converted to fat (lipogenesis)

Carbs

Amino acids from pork/chicken: Used for protein synthesis (muscle repair, enzymes) Excess amino acids → deaminated → enter TCA cycle or converted to glucose

Protein

Fat from lard/oil: Broken into fatty acids Used for energy via β-oxidation Stored as triglycerides in adipose tissue

Fat

Ingredients and nutritional value

This meal may slightly increase inflammation due to: Refined carbs (white rice) Saturated fats (lard) However, chili peppers contain antioxidants that may reduce inflammation.

Inflammation

Higher saturated fat → may increase LDL cholesterol High sodium → may raise blood pressure Moderate protein intake is beneficial Overall: could increase risk if eaten frequently without balance.

Cardiovascular

Yes, this meal could affect genes such SREBP-1c (fat synthesis) FASN (fatty acid synthase) GLUT4 (glucose transport) Insulin signaling increases expression of genes involved in fat storage and glucose uptake.

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