Nutrition Flashcards
(438 cards)
What is nutrition?
The science of food and how the body works
What are essential nutrients?
substances the body must get from food because it cannot manufacture them at all or fast enough to meet its needs; include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water
What is the main function of proteins and what is its calorie density? What are some major sources of proteins? How many essential proteins are there ?
-4 calories/gram
form important parts of muscles, bone, blood, enzymes, some hormones & cell membranes
repair tissue
regulate water and acid-base balance
help in growth
supply energy
9 essential
-examples: meat, fish, eggs, milk products, legumes and nuts
What is the main function of carbohydrates and what is its calorie density? What are some major sources?
-4 calories/gram
supply energy to cells in brain, nervous system, and blood
supply energy to muscles during exercise
Can be placed into two groups; simple and complex.
- grains (breads, and cereals), fruits, vegetables, milk.
What is the main function of fats and what is its calorie density? What are some major sources?
-9 calories/gram
supply energy
insulate, support & cushion organs
provide medium for absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
-animal foods/fish, grains, meat, dairy products..
What is the main function of vitamins and what is its calorie density? What are some major sources?
-no calorie density
promote (initiate or speed up) specific chemical reactions within cells
-fruits & vegetables, grains, meat, dairy products
What is the main function of minerals and what is its calorie density? What are some major sources?
no calorie density
help regulate body functions
aid in the growth and maintenance of body tissues
act as catalysts for release of energy
-found in most food groups
What is the main function of water? What are some major sources?
makes up about 60% of body weight
provides medium for chemical reactions
transports chemicals
regulates temperature
removes waste products
-found in fruits, vegetables and liquids
What is the calorie density of alcohol?
7 calories per gram
How many essential nutrients do we have?
50
What is the different between macronutrients and micronutrients?
macronutrients – an essential nutrient required by the body in relatively large amounts
carbohydrates, fats and proteins
micronutrients – an essential nutrient required by the body in minute amounts
vitamins and minerals
What is digestion?
the process of breaking down foods in the gastrointestinal tract into compounds the body can absorb
What is a kilocalorie? How much is one kilocalorie?
- a measure of energy content in food; one kilocalorie represents the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one litre of water by one degree Celsius; commonly referred to as calorie
- 1 kilocalorie = 1000 calories
calories consumed in excess of energy needs are converted to fat and stored in the body
How many calories does the average person need a day?
2000
What are proteins made of?
a compound made of amino acids that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
What are amino acids? How many essential amino acids do we have?
amino acid – the building blocks of proteins
20 amino acids (9 essential, 11 non-essential)
What are the essential amino acids, are they produced by the body?
9 essential = methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine, histidine, tryptophan & valine
not produced by the body
What is the difference between a complete protein and an incomplete protein? Provide an example.
complete protein = supplies all the essential amino acids in adequate amounts
i.e. meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, soy products
incomplete protein = do not supply all the essential amino acids
i.e. legumes, vegetables, nuts
True or false, legumes are high in fibre and are also an important source of protein.
True
What happens to excess protein consumed? What are consequences of excess proteins?
It is synthesized into fat for energy storage or burned for energy requirements
Excess protein strains the kidneys
What is the recommended protein intake? How much of total calories should be protein?
0.8/kg of body weight
DRI: 10-35% of total calories should be protein.
True of false, proteins consumed throughout the day can complement one another and form a pool of amino acids the body can draw from to produce the necessary proteins.
True
What is the best definition for fats?
Most concentrated source of energy, common form is a triglyceride, can be saturated, mono-saturated or polyunsaturated.
What are the two types of essential fats in the diet? What are their roles?
linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid are essentiel fats in the diet and are polyunsaturated.
Key regulators of many body functions, such as maintenance of blood pressure and healthy pregnancy