Home - Ec Chapter 4 - NUTRITION

Question 1

Food

Answer 1

Food is any solid or liquid that provides the body with nutrients. Food is any solid or liquid that provides the body with nutrients.

Question 2

Nutrition

Answer 2

Nutrition is the study of food, the nutrients it contains and how they are used by
the body

Question 3

Nutrients

Answer 3

Nutrients: These are chemical substances that make up
food. When digested, they allow the body to function
properly.

Question 4

Elemental Composition

Answer 4

Elemental composition: Elements are individual
chemicals. The composition of something is the
elements that it is made up of. For example, protein is
made up of the elements carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen
(O) and nitrogen (N).

Question 5

Classification

Answer 5

Classification: This is a way of grouping similar things together. For
example, proteins are classified as high biological value proteins or low
biological value proteins

Question 6

Source

Answer 6

Source: This is a food or something else that provides nutrients to the body.
For example, milk is a source of calcium and sunlight is a source of vitamin D.

Question 7

Reference Intake

Answer 7

Reference Intake (RI): This is the average daily intake of a nutrient that is
needed to meet the nutritional requirements of the majority of people in
a specific age or gender group. For example, teenage girls have an RI of 15
mg of iron per day.

Question 8

Function

Answer 8

Functions: These are the jobs a nutrient carries out in the body. For
example, carbohydrates provide the body with heat and energy

Question 9

Food has six constituents. Five are nutrients

Answer 9

1. Protein
2. Fat
3. Carbohydrates
4. Minerals
5. Vitamins
6. Water

Question 10

Nutrients are classified into 2 group

Answer 10

-MACRONUTRIENTS
- MICRONUTRIENTS
Macronutrients are required in LARGE amounts and are Protein, Fat &
Carbohydrates
Micronutrients are required in SMALL amounts and are vitamins & minerals

Question 11

Composition of Protein

Answer 11

Protein is made up of four elements.
1. Carbon (C)
2. Hydrogen (H)
3. Oxygen (O)
4. Nitrogen (N)
Protein is the only nutrient that contains nitrogen (N). This element is
needed for the growth and repair of every cell in the body.

Question 12

Compostion of protein cont

Answer 12

Chain of small units called amino acids.Amino acids are linked together with peptide links.
diagram:line with triangle,pentagon,square,circle

Question 13

Classification of protein

Answer 13

1. High biological value (HBV) proteins: These are proteins that contain ALL
   or most of the essential amino acids needed by the body.
   **Essential amino acids are those the body cannot make itself, so they
   must come from food. Most HBV proteins are found in animal sources, e.g.
   meat.
2. Low biological value (LBV) proteins: These are proteins that CONTAIN
   SOME essential amino acids and usually come from plant sources, e.g.
   cereals.

Question 14

Sources of protein

Answer 14

HBV:meat,fish,eggs,milk,cheese,soya
LBV:pulses,cereals and nuts

Question 15

Reference Intake of Protein

Answer 15

Adults need at least 50 g of protein, or approximately
0.75 g for every 1 kg of body weight.
• Children and teenagers need more because they are
growing so quickly

Question 16

Functions of Protein

Answer 16

Protein is needed for the growth and repair of all body
cells (skin, blood, tissues and bones).
• It is necessary for the production of hormones,
enzymes and antibodies (which fight disease

Question 17

Protein deficiency symptoms

Answer 17

poor or stunted growth with muscle wasting
• slow healing of wounds
• hair breakage and loss
• poor general health
• hormone and enzyme imbalances.

Question 18

More severe protein deficiency occurs in developing countries such as Africa,
Asia, South America

Answer 18

1. Marasmus
2. Kwashikor

Question 19

Composition of fats

Answer 19

Fats, also called lipids, can be in solid or liquid form. Liquid fats are called oils.
Fats are made up of three elements.
1. Carbon (C)
2. Hydrogen (H)
3. Oxygen (O)
Fats contain twice as much carbon as protein or carbohydrates, and therefore
produce twice as much energy

Question 20

Composition of Fats cont

Answer 20

E shape-oval glycerol,3 sides coming out fatty acids

Question 21

Classification of fats

Answer 21

1. Saturated fat contains cholesterol – a type of fat found
   in the blood. Saturated fat is generally found in foods that
   come from animals.
2. Unsaturated fat does not contain cholesterol. It is found
   in foods that come from vegetable or plant sources and in
   oily fish.

Question 22

Sources of Fats

Answer 22

Saturated:butter,cream,eggs,pastries
unsaturated:Avacadoes,nuts,seeds,olives,oily fish

Question 23

Reference Intake of Fats

Answer 23

An average adult should not consume more than 70 g of fat per day. No more
than 20 g of this fat should be saturated.

Question 24

Functions of Fat

Answer 24

Fats produce heat and energy.
• Adipose tissue (a layer of fat stored under the skin) helps to keep the body
warm.
• A layer of fat surrounds vital organs, such as the liver and kidneys, to protect
them from damage.
• Fats are a source of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K

Question 25

Overconsumption of fats

Answer 25

1. Obesity: Fats are all high in kilocalories. Eating too much fat causes weight
   gain and obesity. ( think back to our discussion on Energy Balance)
2. Coronary heart disease: Too much cholesterol in the blood causes it to stick
   to the artery walls, increasing the risk of heart attacks.

Question 26

Reducing Fats in the Diet

Answer 26

Limit high-fat foods, such as takeaways.
• Use low-fat cooking methods (e.g. grilling,
steaming or baking) instead of frying.
• Modify recipes to reduce fat content, e.g. use
olive oil instead of butter for frying.
• Choose low-fat, fresh, unprocessed meats. Trim
any visible fat from meat before cooking.
• Choose low-fat products, e.g. low-fat cheese,
low-fat yoghurt.
• Always read food labels to check fat content
(particularly saturated fats)

Question 27

Composition of Carbohydraytes

Answer 27

Carbohydrates are made up of three elements.
1. Carbon (C)
2. Hydrogen (H)
3. Oxygen (O)
These elements combine to form simple sugars, e.g. glucose.
These simple sugars link or combine together to
form long chains of starch.
During digestion, these long chains are broken down
by enzymes into simple sugars so that they can be
used by the body[pentagons on line]

Question 28

Classification of Carbohydrates

Answer 28

1. Sugar
2. Starch
3. Dietary fibre

Question 29

Sources of Carbohydrates

Answer 29

Sugar:honey,cakes,jam,buscuits
Starch:cereals,breads,pasta
Dietry Fibre:Whole cereals,fruit and veg with skin

Question 30

Functions of Carbohydrates

Answer 30

Heat and energy.
• Excess carbohydrates are stored as fat (adipose tissue),
which insulates the body.
• Dietary fibre is vital for the movement of waste through
the intestines, prevents constipation and helps prevent
diseases of the bowel, e.g. bowel cance

Question 31

Dietry fibre names

Answer 31

Roughagee or cellulose

Question 32

Increasing Fibre in the diet

Answer 32

Avoid refined carbohydrate foods.
• Eat wholegrain carbohydrates instead, e.g. brown bread instead of white.
Choose high-fibre breakfast cereals, e.g. porridge or bran flakes.
• Eat plenty of raw fruit and vegetables, with skins on where possible.
• Eat nuts or dried fruits, e.g. raisins, apricots or prunes.
Reference Intake (RI) for carbohydrates
It is recommended that we consume between 25 and 35 g of
fibre per day

Question 33

Classification of minerals

Answer 33

Minerals are micronutrients that are vital for healthy body function. Macrominerals (calcium, sodium, phosphorus and potassium) are needed in
large amounts.
• Trace minerals (iron, fluoride, iodine and zinc) are needed in small amounts

Question 34

Macromineral Calcium

Answer 34

SOURCES
• Milk
• Cheese
• Yoghurt
• Tinned fish, e.g. salmon (when bones
are eaten)
• Green vegetables, e.g. spinach
• Fortified products, e.g. cereals, bread,
flour

Question 35

Functions of Calcium

Answer 35

Calcium builds strong healthy bones and teeth in
children and teenagers.
• It maintains good bone density (hardness) in adults
and older people.

Question 36

Calcium deficiency diseases

Answer 36

Rickets,Osteoporosis

Question 37

Reference Intake for calcium

Answer 37

Children and Adults:800 mg per day
teenagers and pregnant women:1,200 mg per day

Question 38

Trace mineral
- iron

Answer 38

Sources
• Red meat
• Offal
• Eggs
• Fortified breakfast cereals
• Beans and lentils
• Dark green vegetables, e.g. kale

Question 39

Functions of Iron

Answer 39

Iron is needed to manufacture haemoglobin. This is a substance in red blood
cells that is needed to carry oxygen around the body in the blood.

Question 40

Iron deficiency diseases

Answer 40

Anaemia is a condition caused by lack
of iron. -The symptoms of anaemia
include tiredness, dizziness, paleness,
shortness of breath and headaches. -Women and teenage girls need to be
particularly careful to have enough iron
in the diet because of blood loss during
menstruation

Question 41

Reference intake for Iron

Answer 41

Children:10mg per day
Teenagers:14mg per day
Adults:10mg per day
Pregnant:15mg per day

Question 42

Sodium

Answer 42

Sodium is required to help control water balance in the body.
-Sodium is often called salt, but salt is actually a mixture
of sodium and chloride.
-It is recommended that adults consume no more than 6 g of salt
per day.
-Many people in Ireland consume too much salt, which can lead
to high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, strokes and
kidney problems.
( IFSA report found on average Irish adults consume 10g of salt/ day)