human nutrition - key terms

Question 1

Define balanced diet

Answer 1

A diet containing proper proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water to maintain good health and metabolism.

Question 2

Define the fuction of Carbohydrates

Answer 2

A sugar, starch, or cellulose that is a food source of energy for an animal or plant.

Question 3

Define the fuction of Fats and oils

Answer 3

Source of energy, building materials, energy store, insulation, buoyancy, making hormones

Question 4

Define the fuction of Proteins

Answer 4

Energy, building materials, enzymes, haemoglobin, structural material (muscle), hormones, antibodies

Question 5

Define the fuction of Vitamin C

Answer 5

Collagen, resistance to diseases

Question 6

Define the fuction of Vitamin D

Answer 6

Absorption of calcium

Question 7

Define the fuction of Calcium

Answer 7

Development and maintenance of strong bones and teeth

Question 8

Define the fuction of Iron

Answer 8

Making haemoglobin

Question 9

Define the fuction of Fibre (Roughage)

Answer 9

Provides bulk for faeces, helps peristalsis

Question 10

Define the fuction of Water

Answer 10

Chemical reactions, solvent for transport

Question 11

Digestive system: Define Ingestion

Answer 11

taking substances (e.g. food, drink) into the body through the mouth.

Question 12

Digestive system: Define physical/mechanical digestion

Answer 12

breakdown of food into smaller pieces without chemical change.
It increases the surface area of food for the action of enzymes in chemical digestion.

Question 13

Digestive system: Define chemical digestion

Answer 13

breakdown of large, insoluble food molecules into small, soluble molecules.

Question 14

Digestive system: Define absorption

Answer 14

the movement of nutrients from the intestines into the blood

Question 15

Digestive system: Define assimilation

Answer 15

uptake and use of nutrients by cells

Question 16

Digestive system: Define egestion

Answer 16

the removal of undigested food from the body as faeces

Question 17

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Mouth

Answer 17

contains teeth used for mechanical Digestion, an area where food is mixed with salivary amylase & where ingestion takes place

Question 18

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Salivary glands

Answer 18

produce saliva, which contains amylase and helps food slide down the oesophagus

Question 19

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Oesophagus

Answer 19

tube-shaped organ that uses peristalsis (circular muscle contract and relax) to transport food from mouth to stomach

Question 20

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Stomach

Answer 20

has pepsin (a protease that works best in acidic conditions) to break down proteins into amino acids and kills bacteria with hydrochloric acid. They also have elastic walls.

Question 21

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Small intestine

Answer 21

tube-shaped organ composed of two parts.

Question 22

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Duodenum

Answer 22

fats are emulsified by bile and digested by pancreatic lipase to form fatty acids and glycerol. Pancreatic amylase and trypsin (a protease) break down starch.

Question 23

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Jejunum

Answer 23

Contains many microvilli, majority of the primary nutrient absorption happens here.

Question 24

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Ileum

Answer 24

Maltase breaks down maltose to glucose. This is where absorption also takes place.

Question 25

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Pancreas

Answer 25

produces amylase, trypsin (a protease that works best in alkaline conditions), and lipase

Question 26

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Liver

Answer 26

produces bile (emulsifies fats, neutralises acidic fat molecules), deamination, and makes urea to be sent to the kidney. Also, it is the site of the breakdown of alcohol and other toxins.

Question 27

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Gall bladder

Answer 27

stores bile from the liver

Question 28

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Colon

Answer 28

organ for absorption of minerals and vitamins and reabsorbing water from waste to maintain the body’s water levels

Question 29

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Large intestine

Answer 29

tube-shaped organ composed of two parts, Colon and Rectum

Question 30

Main Organs in the Alimentary Canal: Define Rectum

Answer 30

where faeces are temporarily stored

Question 31

Structure of Tooth: Define Enamel

Answer 31

the strongest tissue in the body made from calcium salts

Question 32

Structure of Tooth: Define Cement

Answer 32

helps to anchor tooth

Question 33

Structure of Tooth: Define Pulp

Answer 33

contains tooth-producing cells, blood vessels, and nerve endings that detect pain.

Question 34

Structure of Tooth: Define Dentine

Answer 34

calcium salts deposited on a framework of collagen fibres

Question 35

Define Absorption

Answer 35

the movement of nutrients from the intestines into the blood

Question 36

Define large surface area

Answer 36

means more absorption of nutrients can happen.

Question 37

Define lacteals

Answer 37

absorbs fatty acid and glycerol

Question 38

Define capillaries

Answer 38

provide a good blood supply and a steep concentration gradient.

Question 39

Define chemical digestion

Answer 39

Enzymes break down large insoluble substances, such as proteins, into smaller soluble substances, like amino acids, so that they can be absorbed.

Question 40

Define amylase

Answer 40

breaks down starch into maltose; it is produced in the pancreas (but also in the salivary gland)

Question 41

Define maltase

Answer 41

breaks down maltose into glucose in the membrane of the epithelium lining in small intestines.

Question 42

Define protease

Answer 42

breaks down proteins into peptides and then into amino acids. Pepsin comes from the stomach, and trypsin comes from the pancreas (alkali).

Question 43

Define lipase

Answer 43

breaks down lipids into fatty acids and glycerol, produced by the pancreas.

Question 44

Define Bile

Answer 44

an alkaline mixture that neutralises the acid mixture of food and gastric juices entering the duodenum from the stomach to provide a suitable pH for enzyme action.