Chapter 1- Nutrients Flashcards
what is nutrition ?
the total of the processes of ingestion, digestion, absorption and metabolism of food
what is a nutrient ?
a substance found in food that performs one or more specific functions in the body
on which days should fiber be consumed for athletes
training days
when should fiber be avoided for athletes and why
the day of and during a race because it reduces performance
what are the six main nutrients ?
carbohydrates fats proteins vitamins minerals water
what nutrient mainly promotes growth and development?
proteins
what nutrient mainly provides energy
carbs
what nutrients are micronutrients
vitamins and minerals
which 3 nutrients mainly regulate metabolism ?
vitamins, minerals, and proteins
how are macronutrients defined ?
need more than a few grams/day
how are micronutrients defined ?
need less than 1g a day
what elements do carbohydrates consist of ?
carbon and hydrogen
what is the general formula for carbs
(CH2O)n
a large percentage of carbs is from which carb in the Western world ?
sugar
what are the main ingredients of sports drinks ?
glucose and glucose polymers
what are the three functions of carbs
energy to muscle
energy to the brain (main source)
storage form of energy
what forms can starch have
amylose and amylopectin
what is the carb intake percentage in Western diet vs athletes
Western diet: 40-50%
athletes: over 60%
what are the three main categorizations of saccharide carbs
mono, di, poly
what are the three main monosaccharides and what do they do
glucose= blood sugar fructose= mostly in fruit galactose= breaks down into lactose
what are the three main disaccharides and what do they consist of
maltose= glucose + glucose sucrose= glucose + fructose lactose= glucose + galactose
what are three examples of polysaccharides ?
starch, glycogen, fiber
storage forms of carbs
what is the function of starch
storage of carbs in plants
what is the carb storage form in animals
glycogen
what are the two places that glycogen is stored
liver and muscles
can fiber be digested in humans
no
what are the two categories of fiber? describe them
soluble fiber and insoluble
how does soluble fiber affect cholesterol
lowers it
what does soluble fiber do to the gut bacteria ?
maintain it
how does soluble fiber affect satiety
increases it, therefore can help in weight loss
how does soluble fiber affect digestion
delays gastric emptying
what does insoluble fiber do in the intestine
adds bulk and helps retain water due to its water-attracting properties
insoluble fiber reduces the risk of which 4 GI diseases
constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, diverticulitis
what is diverticulosis
pockets in gut from excessive pressure on intestine walls; asymptomatic
what are the symptoms of diverticulosis
it is asymptomatic
what is diverticulitis
bacteria buildup, inflammation
how do you treat diverticulitis
slowly increase insoluble fiber intake
why would insoluble fiber reduce the risk of colon cancer
fiber attracts water and residue, therefore more cleaning up toxins
what is the recommended fiber per day for males (2 age groups)
19-50 years 38g
>50 years 30 g
what is the recommended fiber per day for females (2 age groups)
19-50 years 25g
>50 years 21g
why don’t a lot of people meet fiber requirements ?
bc they don’t know about them, and we eat a lot of processed food
what is specific about the structure of a saturated fat
all single bonds between the CH2
what is specific about the structure of a monounsaturated fat
one double bond between the CH2
what is specific about the structure of a polyunsaturated fat
several double bonds between the CH2
why is the trans fat arrangement bad for health
associated with cardiovascular disease and banned
what do triglycerides consist of ?
glycerol backbone and 3 fatty acids
what is a fancier word for omega 6
linoleic acid
what is a fancier word for omega 3
alpha linolenic acid