Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

We are testing whether eating unhealthy foods versus healthy foods, affects your energy production in cells.
What foods would you eat to decrease your energy level? how long would you have to eat those foods to decrease that energy?
PLEASE HELP BY TOMORROW!

I would like to know basic stuff about how ATP is produced in a cell by nutrients that you eat.
I am doing an experiment about unhealthy foods versus healthy foods and if you eat unhealthy foods, can it decrease your energy production in cells

Hello,
A good start would be to google ATP production. It is made in the mitochondria and requires a variety of different chemical molecules to happen. Once you can determine the ideal environment that the mitochondria need to function and produce ATP you can determine how the type of food would impact this process.

Hope that helps get you started!
Katie

Hello,
I would first start with figuring out what in your body creates energy. Where does this happen and how? Once you know that you can start looking into how the type of food you eat will impact it.

Hope that helps get you started!
Katie

Hi there,

Katie has already given you some great advice to get started. I just wanted to add that you can look for the different macromolecules in the foods - carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and especially the different types of those macromolecules (e.g., saturated vs. unsaturated fats). At the cellular level, it's all about the molecules.

That said, what makes processed foods "unhealthy" is often the additives and other chemicals, including preservatives, dyes, and heavy metals. Look for the complicated chemical names in the ingredients list on the foods.

I hope this helps. Please post again (in this same thread) if you have more questions.

Heather

Very informative discussion on unhealthy food versus healthy foods in energy production and thanks Maya for making this threat and raising this issue. Bookmarked the link to check more replies in future.