Module 1: Intro, Food & Nutrition Recommendat Ions, Consumer Trends Flashcards
Nutrition
A science that studies all the interactions that occur b/w living organisms & food
Nutrients
Food provides nutrients and energy - needed to keep us alive & healthy - to support growth - to allow reproduction
The modern Canadian food supply
includes an endless assortment of eating options - fresh fruits & veggies, meats & grains - frozen veggies, canned soup, packages meals, frozen prepared meals, and snack foods
Processed foods
Foods that have been specially treated or changed from their natural state - high in fat, sugar and/or salt - increase risk of chronic disease
Canadian diet
Not as nutritious as it could be - impacting the health of Canadians - obese due to over consumption of energy (calories or kcalories)
Chronic disease
Non-communicable diseases that develop slowly over a life time & need continuing medical attention to manage & control (heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer)
Canadian community health survey
Survey of health-related issues, including the eating habits of Canadians - info about the health & food intake of Canadians
Essential nutrients
Nutrients that must be provided in the diet bc the body either cannot make them or cannot make them in sufficient quantities to satisfy needs
Fortified foods
Foods in which nutrients have been added through processing
Natural health products
Another source of nutrients in the food supply - a category of products regulated by health Canada that include vitamin & mineral supplements, amino acids, fatty acids, probiotics, herbal remedies, & homeopathic & other traditional medicines - they occupy a middle ground b/w food and drugs
Phytochemicals
Substances found in plant foods that are not essential nutrients buy may have health-promoting properties
Zoochemicals
Substances found in animal foods that are not essential nutrients but may have health-promoting properties
Classes of nutrients
Chemically, there are 6 classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, & minerals
Energy yielding nutrients
Nutrients that can be metabolized to provide energy in the body (carbs, lipids, proteins)
Macronutrients
(Macro: large) nutrients needed by the body in large amounts - these include water & the energy-yielding nutrients: carbs, lipids, & proteins
Micronutrients
(Micro: small) - nutrients needed by the body in small amounts - these include vitamins and minerals
Organic molecules
Those containing carbon bonded to hydrogen - carbs, proteins, lipids, & vitamins, so referred to as organic nutrients
Inorganic molecules
Those containing no carbon-hydrogen bonds - minerals & water, referred to as inorganic nutrients
Kilocalories (Kcal)
Energy provided by carbs, lipids, & proteins is measured in kilocalories - the suit of heat that is used to express the amount of energy provided by foods
Kilojoule (kjoule or kJ)
Energy provided by carbs, lipids, & proteins is also measured in kJ - a unit of work that can be used to express energy intake & energy output
Carbohydrates
Provide a readily available source of energy to the body - they contain 4 kcalories per gram - include sugars, fruit, milk, & starches such as those in veggies & grains, most fibres
Lipids (fats & oils)
Provide 9 kcalories per gram - they are a concentrated source of energy in food & a lightweight storage form of energy in the body
Protein
Needed for growth & strength of body structures & regulation of the body processes & provides energy - 4 kcalories per gram (meat, fish, milk, grains, veggies, legumes)
Water
A macronutrient that does not provide energy - acts as a lubricant, a transport fluid, & a regulator of body temps
Vitamins
Organic molecules that do not provide energy, but are needed to regulate body processes (functions: involved in helping the body use the energy from carbs, lipids & proteins, bone growth, vision, blood clotting, oxygen transport, & tissue growth & development
Minerals
Inorganic molecules that do not provide energy - needed for bone strength, the transport of oxygen, the transmission of nerve impulses, & numerous other functions
Functions of nutrients
Together, macronutrients & micronutrients provide energy, structure, & regulation, which are needed for growth, maintenance & repair, & reproduction - each nutrient provides one or more of these function, but all nutrients together are needed to maintain health
Metabolism
The sum of all the chemical reactions that take place in a living organism
Homeostasis
A physiological state in which a stable internal body environment is maintained