Basic nutrients

Question 1

What are essential nutrients?

Answer 1

Nutrients that cannot be synthesised (or can be synthesised but not to sufficient amounts) within the human body.

Question 2

What are non-essential nutrients?

Answer 2

Nutrients that can be synthesised to sufficient quantities within the human body.

Question 3

The majority of nutrients can be classified into macro and micronutrients, what are the two exceptions to this rule?

Answer 3

Water - required in large quantities but does not produce energy.
Alcohol - produces a large amount of energy, not required.

Question 4

What are macronutrients?

Answer 4

Nutrients required in larger, gram quantities. Refers to CHO, fats and protein which, quantitatively, take up the largest percentage of a healthy human diet.

Question 5

What are micronutrients?

Answer 5

Nutrients required in smaller (<1g) amounts. Refers to vitamins, minerals and trace elements. They are the largest family of nutrient and provide little to no energy.

Question 6

What are the four main functions of food?

Answer 6

Promotion of growth and development
Provision of energy, warmth and movement
Resisting and fighting infection
Regulation of metabolism.

Question 7

What are the four classifications of Carbohydrates?

Answer 7

Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Oligosaccharides, Polysaccharides.

Question 8

True or false, multiple saccharides joined together can only be structured linearly.

Answer 8

FALSE, can be linear or branched.

Question 9

In large quantities, Oligosaccharides produce methane. TRUE or FALSE?

Answer 9

TRUE

Question 10

Triglycerol comprises up to 95% of dietary fats. TRUE or FALSE?

Answer 10

TRUE

Question 11

Like carbs, fats are comprised of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. What is the main difference?

Answer 11

Fats have less hydrogen than CHO.

Question 12

How are fats categorised?

Answer 12

Based on number and bonding of carbon atoms.

Question 13

What are the three saturation levels for fatty acids?

Answer 13

Saturated
Unsaturated
Polyunsaturated

Question 14

Why are phospholipids crucial for membrane stability?

Answer 14

They are amphipathic, acting as an interface between aqueous and lipid environments.

Question 15

Phospholipids are critical for lipoproteins. TRUE or FALSE?

Answer 15

True

Question 16

How are sterols structured?

Answer 16

Ring structure with associated side chains.

Question 17

Key functions of sterols:

Answer 17

Membrane structure, synthesis of hormones, bile acids.

Question 18

What are the three main types of fat in the body?

Answer 18

Fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols.

Question 19

Composition of proteins:

Answer 19

C, H, O, N.

Question 20

How is excess nitrogen removed from the body?

Answer 20

Excreted through urine, in the form of urea.

Question 21

Protein usage in the body:

Answer 21

Structure of all tissues

Enzymes, carrier molecules, hormones, neural transmitters, clotting factors.

Question 22

CAn protein be used to provide energy?

Answer 22

Only in extreme cases of starvation or trauma. All dietary protein is utilised within the body. Metabolism of protein to provide energy always results in destruction of body tissue/reduction in metabolic function.

Question 23

How is protein quality determined?

Answer 23

Determined by digestibility and nitrogen retention.

Question 24

TRUE or FALSE, digestibility differs between plant and animal protein.

Answer 24

TRUE, protein in plant cellulose cannot be digested.