6 - General Nutrition Flashcards
What is metabolism?
The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life
What are anabolic and catabolic processes?
Why do we need energy?
- Mechanical work
- Transport work
- Biosynthetic work
- Electrical work
How is ATP produced?
Oxidation of:
- Lipids
- Alcohol
- Carbohydrates
- Proteins
What is the SI unit of food energy?
kJ (1000J)
1kCal = 4.2 kJ
(when packets say 100 cal, they actually mean 100kCal)
What is the definition of a kCal?
Amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1kg of water by one degree celsius
What do we need in our diet and what is essential?
- Carbohydrates - energy
- Protein - energy and aa
- Fat - energy and essential
- Minerals - essential
- Vitamins - essential
- Water
- Fibre - GI function
What is the general structure of carbohydrates?
(CH2O)
Contain ketone and aldehyde groups and multiple OH’s
What is a dextrin?
Oligosaccharide (3-12 units)
Why is cellulose essential and why can’t we digest it?
- Needed for GI function
- Used to lower cholesterol and risk of diabetes
- Low fibre intake associated with bowel cancer and constipation
- We don’t have enzymes to hydrolyse b 1-4 linkages
What are the three disaccharides and what are they made of?
- Sucrose (glucose and fructose)
- Lactose (glucose and galactose)
- Maltose (glucose and glucose)
What amino acids are essential?
If Learned This Huge List May Prove Truly Valuable
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Threonine
- Histidine
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Tryptophan
- Valine
What are conditionally essential amino acids?
Not always essential but under certain circumstances they are (e.g illness and stress) as there is a high rate of protein synthesis
e.g pregnant women and children need some tyrosine, arginine and cysteine
Why do vegetarians sometimes have illness?
- Can’t get all essential amino acids from a single plant like you can with single bit of meat
- Need wide variety of plant sources as vegetarian
What are lipids composed off and why are they essential?
- Triacylglycerols
(more reduced than carbohydrates so release more energy)
- Needed for absorption of fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K)
- Provide essential FA, linolenic and linoleic acid
Why is linolenic acid essential?
Used to make phospholipids
What minerals are essential and what for?
To maintain water and electrolytes in the body what is recommended to administer IV?
Water: 30ml/kg/day
Na/K/Cl: 1mmol/kg/day each
What vitamins are essential and what do they cause if there is a deficiency?
In tiny quantities
- A: Xerophthalmia (dry eye)
- D: Rickets
- E: Neurological abnormalities
- K: Defective blood clotting
What is hypervitaminosis?
Intake of too much vitamins
Usually due to supplements