biochemistry Flashcards
name the 4 elements of life
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
name the 7 nutrients
carbohydrates
proteins
lipids
vitamins
minerals
water
fibre
what elements are in carbohydrates
carbon hydrogen and oxygen
what is the function of carbohydrates
complex carbohydrates are broken down into simple carbohydrates in order to be used as energy
name the 3 groups that carbohydrates can be split into
monasaccharides
disaccharides
polysaccharides
what are monosaccharides
the smallest unit of carbohydrates, only one carbon ring.
-eg: glucose, galactose. fructose
very reactive
(simple carbohydrate)
what are disaccharides
carbohydrates made up of two carbon rings
-eg: maltose , lactose , sucrose
limited chemical reactivity
(simple carbohydrates)
what are polysaccharides
carbohydrates made out of many carbon rings all joined toghether to form a chain
-eg: starch, glycogen, cellulose
not reactive at all
(complex carbohydrates)
are complex carbohydrates soluble or insoluble
insoluble
are simple carbohydrates soluble or insoluble
soluble
explain how solubility affects the role of carbohydrates
-soluble carbohydrates (simple carbohydrates) can be easily transported around the body
however
-insoluble carbohydrates (complex carbohydrates) are used for storage because of their insolubility
what are some examples or sources of carbohydrates
sugars (simple carbohydrates)- mostly in the form of sucrose and found in sugary foods like cookies or soft drinks
cellulose (complex carbohydrate) - found in cells walls of plant cells. Humans can not digest this, so we can not use cellulose for energy but it forms dietary fibre that prevents constipation
starch (complex carb that gets broken into simple carb) and is used for energy
what happens to carbs in our body
1- the carbs we eat are broken into glucose to be used as energy
2- any excess glucose is converted into glycogen (complex carb) and stored.
3- when there is excess glycogen (complex carb) it is converted to fat and stored
what are the functions of water
heat control
transport medium
reagent and solvent
what is fibre
undigested cellulose that absorbs a lot of water and softens faeces to prevent constipation
name two functions of fibre
-stimulates peristalsis (movement of intestines)
-reduces cancer risks by moving the food faster in the digestive tract
what are proteins made out of
(4 elements)
carbon oxygen hydrogen nitrogen
what are the functions of protein
-building blocks of muscle, bones etc
-form important structures like enzymes or hormones
-used as a last resort when body runs out of carbs
what are the building blocks of proteins
amino acids
explain how proteins are formed
amino acids link together by peptide bonds and these form a polypeptide chain
this chain is later folded into a specific configuration to form the final protein
what happens to excess amino acids
they are sent to the liver to be deaminated - meaning that the amino group is separated from the rest of the protein and converted to urea. The rest of the protein is converted to a carbohydrates or fat and stored
name two sources of protein
- animal proteins (fish,meat,cheese,eggs)
- plant proteins (lentils,beans,nuts)
what are lipids
fats and oils
what are lipids made of (elements)
carbon, oxygen, hydrogen
what are the functions of lipids
energy store
insulation
protection
what is the structure of lipids
a lipid molecule consists of two parts
-glycerol (main part)
-3 chains of fatty acids
name a few sources of lipids
animal lipids (egg yolk, cheese, meet)
plant lipids (palm oil, seed oil)
distinguish between saturated and unsaturated fat
-saturated fats contribute to plaque formation in arteries and are derived from animal lipids
-unsaturated fats are liquid (oil) and help lower blood cholesterol levels
name 3 examples of saturated and unsaturated fats
saturated: chicken skin, ice cream, meat
unsaturated: olive oil, avocado, salmon
what are the functions of vitamins
vitamins are needed in small quantities to assist the action of enzymes in chemical reactions, making them essential for cell reactions. There are multiple types of vitamins to aid in the reactions in the body
name and explain two examples of vitamins
Vitamin B (found in salmon,banana,etc)
-a co enzyme in the reaction of cellular respiration
Vitamin C
(found in orange ,blackcurrant, potatoes) -used to help amino acids in collagen to stick together
what are minerals
elements like calcium and iron that the body needs in small amounts
name two examples of minerals
calcium (Ca) Iron (Fe)
What’s the function of calcium
helps in formation of strong bones and teeth
deficiency causes rickets, slow blood clotting or brittle bones
what’s the function of Iron
helps make haemoglobin which binds to oxygen and Co2 in red blood cells
deficiency causes anemia etc
when does malnutrition occur
when a person has an imbalanced diet
name 3 examples of malnutrition
-type 2 diabetes (consuming high sugar)
-eating disorders
-kwashiorkor (protein deficiency) causes delayed growth and fluid accumulation in the belly
