Macronutrients Flashcards
Name all macronutrients
Protein
Fats
Carbohydrates
What is a macronutrient?
A type of food we need lots of in our diet
Name uses of protein
Growth
Repair
Maintenance - producing antibodies to prevent illness and enzymes to help digestion
Secondary source of energy - if the bid doesn’t have enough carbohydrates and fats, protein can be used as a reserve energy source
What are high biological value proteins?
Have all the essential amino acids that humans need
Mostly located in animal sources
What are low biological value proteins?
Don’t contain all the essential amino acids that humans need
Only located in plant-based foods
What is protein complementation?
Protein complementation is a way of making sure that we get all the essential amino acids we need in our diets. It involves combining various LBV proteins.
Name sources of HBV proteins
Found in some plant based foods, such as soya beans
Animal sources e.g chicken, salmon
Name sources of LBV proteins
Only located in plant based foods e.g cereals, nuts
Name protein alternatives
Soya beans
Mycoprotein
Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Tofu
What is Mycoprotein?
Made by combining a fungus with egg white
What are the consequences of too little protein?
Slowed growth
Poor digestion
Hair loss
Malfunctioning immune system - higher likelihood of catching disease
Infections - oedema (swelling caused by a build up of fluid)
What are the consequences of too much protein?
Can strain liver and kidneys
What are the dietary reference values of protein for certain people?
Average male - 55g daily
Average female - 45g daily
Pregnant women - around 6g more protein to support baby’s growth
Which organs are strained by a diet that contains too much protein?
Liver
Kidneys
Why do we need fats?
Insulation - helps keep us warm by creating an insulating layer beneath the skin - our bones and organs are protected by these layers
Cholesterol - We use fat to form cholesterol.
Cholesterol - a vital component of cell membrane
Provide energy - Fats are concentrated energy sources.
We get double the amount of energy per gram of fat than we do per gram of carbohydrate or protein
Source of vitamins - Fats contain vitamins A, D, E and K (in fat-soluble form)
What makes up fats?
Triglycerides
What are triglycerides?
Esters formed from fatty acids and glycerol
How can we tell which is saturated and which is unsaturated fat?
During digestion, the human body breaks down fat into fatty acids.
If there are more saturated fatty acids, it’s a saturated fat.
If there are more unsaturated fatty acids, it’s an unsaturated fat.
What are saturated fats?
Saturated fats are unhealthier than unsaturated fats.
Eating lots of saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels and put us at greater risk of heart disease.
Name sources of saturated fat
We mostly get saturated fats from animal sources, like beef and dairy sources. Palm oil is an example of a plant-based source
What are unsaturated fats?
Healthier type of fat compared to saturated
Name sources of unsaturated fat
We mostly get unsaturated fats from vegetable sources with high-fat content, like pecans, pumpkin seeds and avocados
What are the two types of unsaturated fat?
Monounsaturated - have one C=C double bond. We get them from hazelnuts and avocados among other things.
Polyunsaturated - have two or more C=C double bonds. We get them from walnuts and flax seeds among other things
What are the dietary reference values for fat?
Government guidelines - less than 35% of our daily food energy intake.
Less than 11% should come from saturated fat.
Average adult - around 70g of fat per day.
No more than 20g of this should be saturated fat.
What are the consequences of too much fat?
Gaining weight.
Obesity, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Excess saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol restricts the flow of blood around the body by clogging up blood vessels.
A person will be more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, shortage of breath or coronary heart disease
What are the consequences of too little fat?
Vitamin deficiency, as the body doesn’t get enough of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Thinner fat layers beneath the skin for protection. So bones may bruise more easily if knocked.
Less insulation.
If someone isn’t eating enough carbohydrates, the body will resort to using fat stores to get energy. The person may lose weight if they’re not eating enough fat
What are the two major types of carbohydrates?
Sugar and starch
What happens when we consume carbohydrates?
our bodies convert the starch and sugar into glucose. Once absorbed into the blood, the glucose can be used for energy
What are complex carbohydrates?
Examples - starch and polysaccharides (multiple monosaccharides joined together).
As complex carbohydrates cannot be digested as quickly as simple carbohydrates, they raise blood sugar levels more gradually. Energy is released at a slower pace
What are simple carbohydrates?
Sugar is a simple carbohydrate.
There are 2 types: monosaccharides (basic sugar molecule) and disaccharides (two monosaccharides).
Glucose and fructose are monosaccharides. Sucrose is a disaccharide.
Simple carbohydrates can be digested quickly. This rapidly raises blood sugar levels and causes a short energy burst.
What is the glycaemic index?
The glycaemic index, known as the GI index, ranks different carbohydrates according to how quickly they alter blood sugar levels
What are high GI foods?
The body digests them rapidly.
They quickly raise blood sugar levels.
Name examples of high GI foods
white bread, rice cakes, white rice, pineapples, rice pasta, bran flakes
What are low GI foods?
The body digests them slowly.
They cause blood sugar levels to gradually rise
Name examples of low GI foods
sweet potato, lentils, whole wheat bread, muesli
How much of carbohydrates should make up our daily food energy intake?
50%
What are the consequences of too many carbohydrates?
A build-up of fat - this is because excess carbohydrates in the body are converted into fat. Excess fat can cause obesity.
Tooth decay (from eating too much sugar).
Higher blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes
What are the consequences of too few carbohydrates?
Low blood sugar levels. This can lead to hunger, faintness and fatigue.
Weight loss.
A fat deficiency (because our bodies have had to resort to fat for energy).
A fat deficiency can lead to a protein deficiency, as our bodies begin to use proteins for energy
Fibre is a form of….?
Carbohydrate
Name sources of fibre
Wholegrain breakfast cereals, wholewheat pasta, wholegrain bread and oats, barley and rye.
Fruits - e.g. berries, melon, pears, oranges.
Vegetables - e.g. sweetcorn, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, parsnips.
Beans and pulses - kidney beans, lentils, etc.
Nuts and seeds - almonds, chia seeds, etc.
What are the consequences of too little fibre?
Symptoms of having too little fibre in the diet include: . Weight gain. Heart disease. Constipation. High blood pressure. Cancer (e.g. colon, bowel).
What is the recommended daily intake of fibre for adults?
30g
Eating too few carbohydrates can lead to a…?
Fat deficiency which can lead to a protein deficiency
What fat soluble vitamins does fat provide us with?
A,D,E,K
Why is dietary fibre important?
Helps the body remain healthy by moving food we eat through our digestive system, allowing the body to absorb more nutrients, whilst moving waste products
Dietary fibre relieves constipation by bulking stool, promoting regular bowel movements
