Module 1 Flashcards
Essential Nutrients
Nutrients that the body cannot make itself, must be obtained from the diet
Examples of Essential Nutrients
Amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and water
Nutrient Categories
Water, Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Vitamins and Minerals
Example of Carbohydrates
Sugars, Starches, Fibres
Example of Lipids
Fatty acids, Sterols, Phospholipids
Organic Nutrients
Carbs, Lipids, Proteins, Vitamins - contain carbon chains
Inorganic Nutrients
Water and Minerals - do not contain carbon chains
Macronutrients
Found in higher proportions in the body and are required in larger quantities
Micronutrients
Found in smaller quantities in the body and are required in smaller amounts
Nutritionism
Describes why reducing the effects of foods to the sum of their parts can be problematic
Understanding Nutrition
Nutrient content in food cannot always determine the health effects it also requires an understanding of how nutrients and other substances in food interact with each other, as well as how the effects of nutrients differ between people
Non-nutrients
Not required for the growth and survival of the organism - phytochemicals, alcohol, caffeine
Phytochemicals
Non-nutrients found in plants that may have positive health effects - reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer
Flavonoids
Bright blue, red or dark colour pigmentation in plants - blueberries, black tea, citrus fruits, wine
Flavonoids effects
Anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and antioxidant effects
Caretenoids
Yellow, orange and red colours - pumpkins, sweet potatoes, carrots
Caretenoids effects
Antioxidant effects, synthesize vitamin A, positive effects on cardiovascular system
Toxins
Naturally occurring substances found in plants and animals that can have harmful effects
Where are toxins found
Many foods contain toxins that are mostly unavoidable, anything consumed in excessive amounts can be toxic even water
Fortification of Food
Increasing the amount of nutrients in the food beyond what was there originally
Mandatory Fortification
Iodine to table salt
Voluntary Fortification
Added vitamins to breakfast cerals
Whole Foods
Least amount of processing, remain close to their natural form as possible
Processed Foods
Undergone significant changes to their original form
Ultra-processed Foods
HIgher risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mortality
NOVA Group 1
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods - home cooked meals
NOVA Group 2
Processed Culinary Ingredients - oils, butter, sugar and salt
NOVA Group 3
Processed foods that are typically made by combining group 1 and group 2 foods to enhance shelf life, taste, marketability - canned foods, cheese
NOVA Group 4
Ultra-processed foods made by combining group 2 and group 3 foods - sugar-sweetened beverages, chocolate bars, candy, prepackaged frozen meals
Organic Foods
Foods that have minimal synthetic or artificial inputs and are grown that preserves biodiversity
Ultra-processed organic foods
Packaged macaroni, cheese, cookies
Organic Foods effect on health
Lower amounts of pesticide and lower nitrate levels but not enough studies on specific organic food diet and effect on health
Organic foods NOVA categories
Can be found in each category
Genetically Modified Foods
Foods that have undergone alterations to their DNA through genetic engineering, consumption of GMF does not change our own genetics
Food Additives
Substances added to food to affect taste, appearance, safety, freshness - more common in processed/ultra
How do GMFs work
May involve the use of a vector to implant traits into an organism to improve the growth of the food, make it more resilient to threats or to boost nutritional quality
Cash crops
Heavily produced, sold and traded such as corn and soy
Selective breeding examples
Seedless grapes, broccoflower
Vector examples
Golden rice, RoundUp Ready Soy
Use of vector
- DNA of organism with a desired trait
- Desired gene is removed
- A vector is used for gene transfer
- Gene is incorporated into vectors
- As it grows the target organism takes up the desired genes from the vector
- Target organism has new gene incorporated in its DNA
Preserving agents
Sodium nitrate
Thickening agents
Guargum
Sweetners
High-fructose corn syrup
Food additives NOVA groups
Processed and ultra
Sustenance
Maintenance of our bodies and lives
What do Nutrients contribute to
Body structure, body function, energy provision
Body Structure - Anatomy
Cell membranes - lipids
Proteins + Carbs - embedded within membranes
Cytoplasm - Water and minerals
Protein - adds structure to muscles, bone and teeth
Minerals - harden our bones and teeth
Lipids - body structure and cushion in adipose tissue
Body Function - Physiology
All nutrients contribute through various reactions and processes to maintain homeostasis
Energy Provision
Carbs, lipids, proteins are energy yielding nutrients
Basal Metabolism
The body needs energy in order to perform its various functions and keep us alive
Calorie
1 kilocalorie = 1000 calories = 1 calorie
Enjoyment
Food is social, tasty, cultural people enjoy the process of eating
Psychological Reasons
People may eat because they are bored, depression or something emotional
Modifiable risk factors
Includes whether a person smokes, is inactive or experiences a high degree of stress
Unmodifiable risk factors
Includes gender, age and genetics
Diet-Gene Interactions
Genetics influence nutrition such as appetite, nutrient absorption and nutrient use
Nutritional Epigenetics
Explores how the foods we eat change DNA expression
ex: consumption of food can affect what genes are expressed and the risk for disease in future child
Dietary Balance
Finding the right equilibrium for types of foods. 80% healthy, 20% less healthy
Dietary Variety
Less likely to be deficient in nutrients if we consume a range of different whole foods
Moderation
Not too much and not too little
Nutrient Density
Amount of nutrients in a food or meal compared to a reference amount (100kcal)
Nutrient Profiling
The science of ranking foods based on nutrient density, not content
Why is it difficult to study nutrition?
- People change their diet constantly
- We can’t force people to eat a certain way
- It is difficult to know for certain what people eat
- Other factors beyond nutrition also affect health
- Difficult to establish causation
Scientific method
- Define problem
- Take observations
- Make a hypothesis
- Develop study methods
- Take detailed results
- Analyze data
- Draw conclusions
Experimental Studies
- Randomized control trials
- Involves experimental and control groups
- Proves causation
Epidemiological Studies
- Population-based studies without manipulating variables
- Does not proves causation, results could be for other reasons
Anecdotal Evidence
- Personal testimonies drawn from direct or indirect casual experiences
- Not scientific, not peer-reviewed
- Ex: before and after picture with a supplement that ‘worked’
Ranking of Credibility
- Systematic reviews
- Randomized control trials
- Epidemiological evidence
- Expert opinions
- Anecdotal Evidence
Evaluating Nutrition Sources
Valuable - is it relevant?
Evidence-based - scientific evidence?
Trustworthy - credible source?
Opinion-based - does it show bias?
Indigenous ways of knowing (IWOK)
- Looks at food as a whole
- Food is seen as a dynamic, living entity
- Food is part of our relationship with each other and the land
