Macronutrients

Question 1

What are macro-nutrients?

Answer 1

Proteins, fats and carbohydrates. These three types of nutrient are needed in the body in large quantities.

Question 2

What is protein needed in the body for?

Answer 2

Growth, repair and maintenance of the body.

G - growth of nails, hair and muscle mass
R - repair of parts of the body e.g. muscle, tissue and organs after illness or injury
M - to make enzymes for digestion and antibodies to stop us from becoming ill

Question 3

Can you state 3 foods that are high in protein?

Answer 3

Meat, fish, dairy products, nuts, pulses, seeds and beans.

Question 4

What is protein made up of?

Answer 4

Amino acids.

Question 5

What are non-essential amino acids?

Answer 5

Amino acids that our bodies can make themselves.

Question 6

What are essential amino acids?

Answer 6

Amino acids that our bodies can’t make by themselves.

Question 7

What are HBV proteins?

Answer 7

High biological value (HBV) proteins are foods that contain all the essential amino acids our body needs.

Question 8

Can you state 3 foods that are often HBV protein foods?

Answer 8

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, soya beans and quinoa.
Most HBV foods are found in animal sources.

Question 9

What are LBV proteins?

Answer 9

Low biological value (LBV) proteins are foods that do not contain all of the essential amino acids we need but contain some.

Question 10

Can you state 3 foods that are often LBV protein foods?

Answer 10

Peas, lentils, nuts, seeds and most beans.

Most LBV foods are found in plant sources.

Question 11

What is protein complementation?

Answer 11

When you combine 2 or more LBV proteins to get all of the essential amino acids in our diet.

Question 12

On average how much protein should the average male and female have each day?

Answer 12

Men - 55g

Women - 45g

Question 13

Can you state 2 reasons why people may require more protein in their diet?

Answer 13

Growing children need more protein to increase their body mass and size.
Those who complete a high level of physical activity need more protein for muscle growth and repair.
Pregnant women need on average 6g more of protein than normal for their baby to grow. If breastfeeding, women require even more protein.

Question 14

What problems could occur if excess protein is consumed in the diet?

Answer 14

Pressure and strain can be caused on the liver and kidneys. These organs help process protein.

Question 15

State 3 problems that could occur with a protein deficiency?

Answer 15

Slow down in growth, especially common in children.
Hair, skin and nails will slow down in growth and will get into poor condition.
The immune system will stop working properly, meaning wounds will not heal as quickly, therefore meaning that people will be more susceptible to infection.
People could struggle to digest food properly.

Question 16

What illnesses are linked with protein deficiency?

Answer 16

Oedema - this is a build up of fluid in the body that causes swelling, often around the feet.
Kwashiorkor can develop in severe cases. This is often seen in malnourished children, often with swollen abdomens.

Question 17

Can you state three sources of alternative proteins?

Answer 17

Soya - HBV source of protein that can be eaten whole in salads, used to make soya milk and mused to make other protein alternatives e.g. tofu and TVP.
Mycoprotein - foten made from a mushroom-like fungus and egg whites. Vegan alternatives are available now. Common example is Quorn.
TVP - Textured Vegetable Protein (often made from soya).
Tofu (made from curdling soya milk).

Question 18

What is fat needed in the body for?

Give at least 3 uses.

Answer 18

Energy (twice as much energy per gram as proteins and carbs).
Source of fat-soluble vitamins (ADEK).
Insulation (fat forms an insulating layer under our skin which keeps us warm.
Layers of fat protect bones and organs (e.g. heart and kidneys).
Fat helps our body create cholesterol, which is an essential part of all cell membranes.

Question 19

What are fats made up of?

Answer 19

Fatty acids and glycerol in the form of triglycerides.

Triglyceride = 1 glycerol & 3 fatty acids

Question 20

What are fatty acid chains made up of? (2 elements)

Answer 20

Carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Question 21

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?

Answer 21

Saturated fatty acids only have single C-C bonds in their chain.
Unsaturated fatty acids have one or more C=C bonds in their chain.

Question 22

When does our body break down fat into fatty acids?

Answer 22

During digestion.

Question 23

Which are unhealthy fats? Unsaturated/Saturated

Answer 23

Saturated fats are classified as unhealthy fats, especially if they are consumed in high quantities.

Question 24

State 3 types of food that are often high in saturated fats.

Answer 24

Meats (including processed meats like sausage and burgers), butter, lard, suet, cheese and coconut butter.

Question 25

What is a problem of having too much saturated fat in the diet?

Answer 25

Increased cholesterol levels in the blood, which can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

Question 26

What state are saturated and unsaturated fats at room temperature?

Answer 26

Saturated fats are often solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fats are often soft or liquid form at room temperature.

Question 27

State 3 types of food that are often high in unsaturated fats.

Answer 27

Flax seeds, peanuts, vegetable oil, almonds, avocados and oily fish.

Question 28

What is the difference between mono-saturated and poly-saturated fats?

Answer 28

Mono-saturated - 1 double C=C bond in their carbon chain.

Poly-saturated - 2 or more C=C bonds in their carbon chain.

Question 29

State 3 sources of mono-saturated unsaturated fatty acid chains.

Answer 29

Peanut butter, avocados, olive oil and almonds.

Question 30

State 3 sources of of poly-saturated unsaturated fatty acid chains.

Answer 30

Sesame oil, soya-bean oil, seeds and oily fish.

Question 31

What can happen if you replace saturated fats in your diet with unsaturated fats?

Answer 31

Your blood pressure can be lowered, reducing cholesterol levels.

Question 32

What are carbohydrates needed for?

Answer 32

Energy.

Question 33

Carbohydrates can be split into two main types. What are they?

Answer 33

Sugar and starch.

Question 34

What foods can sugars be found naturally in?

Answer 34

Fruits and vegetables.

Question 35

What foods can sugars be added to during the manufacturing process?

Answer 35

Cakes, sweets and fizzy drinks.

Question 36

What are added sugars often referred to as and why?

Answer 36

Empty calories. This is because they have no nutritional benefit to the body other than a source of energy.

Question 37

What foods can starch be found naturally in?

Answer 37

Potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, cereals.

Question 38

What nutrients are often found in starchy foods?

Answer 38

B Vitamins, iron and calcium.

Question 39

What does the body break sugar and starch down into?

Answer 39

Glucose.

Question 40

What is glucose absorbed in the body for?

Answer 40

Energy.

Question 41

What are simple carbohydrates?

Answer 41

Simple carbohydrates are carbohydrates that are either monosaccharides or disaccharides. These molecules either have one single molecule or two molecules joined together, making them easily digestible, giving the body a short burst of energy.

Question 42

What are monosaccharides?

Answer 42

Most basic sugar molecules e.g. glucose or fructose. They are made up of only 1 molecule.

Question 43

What are disaccharides?

Answer 43

A molecule that is made up of 2 monosaccharides e.g. sucrose is made up of glucose and fructose.

Question 44

What are complex carbohydrates?

Answer 44

Complex carbohydrates (e.g. starch) are polysaccharides. These are made up of long chains of monosaccharides. Complex carbohydrates take a longer amount of time to digest compared to simple carbs, and therefore slowly release energy into the body.

Question 45

What are high GI foods?

Answer 45

High Glycaemic Index foods are those that are digested quickly which cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels.

Question 46

State 3 foods that are high GI foods.

Answer 46

White bread, pasta, rice, cornflakes, and watermelon.

Question 47

What are low GI foods?

Answer 47

Low Glycaemic Index foods are those that are digested slowly which cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels.

Question 48

State 3 foods that are low GI foods.

Answer 48

Wholewheat bread/pasta, brown rice, peaches and porridge.

Question 49

Why is the GI index useful for people with diabetes?

Answer 49

They can choose low GI carbohydrates which can avoid them from having surges in blood sugar levels.

Question 50

How much food energy should come from carbohydrates per day?

Answer 50

50%.

Question 51

Where should most energy from carbohydrates come from?

Answer 51

Starchy foods. Only 5% of our energy each day should come from free sugars (empty calories) which are added to food and drinks during the manufacturing process.

Question 52

What occurs if we have too many carbohydrates?

Answer 52

Excess carbohydrates are converted into fat. Too much fat can cause obesity and other diet-related health issues.
If lots of sugars are digested too quickly, they will be stored as fat as the body will not need all of the energy.
Eating too many sugary foods will lead to tooth decay.
Frequent consumption of simple carbohydrates can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Question 53

What occurs if we have a deficiency in carbohydrates?

Answer 53

Blood sugar levels can drop which causes hunger, dizziness and tiredness as the body would have less energy than it needs.
If the body does not have enough carbohydrates for energy they will need other sources of energy so will start to use up fat in the diet or body.
If we have a fat deficiency in addition to carbohydrate deficiency, the body will start to use up protein. This would make us lose muscle, therefore making us weaker.