nutrients Flashcards
nutrient
a chemical substance in food that helps maintain the body
what the body needs energy for
- movement
- growth
- reproduction
- repair damaged tissues
- maintenance of bodily functions
the six nutrient groups
- vitamins
- minerals
- carbohydrates
- protein
- water
- fats / lipids
maintenance diet
the correct nutrients in the right amounts, maintaining the correct weight and ultimately the good health of an animal
calorie
a unit measure of energy in food
macronutrient
generally needed in large quantities to provide energy
micronutrient
essential in small amounts for the normal process and functions
water functions
- lubricant (eyes, nose, mouth)
- solvent (to enable digestion of nutrients)
- transport (blood)
- regulator (removing heat produced by organs)
- cleanser (removes toxins)
how is water lost from the body
- urination
- defecation
- saliva
- respiration
- sweating
- evaporation
- milk
- bodily fluids
carbohydrates
- sugars (simple)
- starches (complex)
- cellulose (complex)
simple carbohydrates
easy to break down through digestion → made up of one or two sugar molecules
simple carbohydrates (examples)
- monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose)
- disaccharides (maltose, lactose, sucrose)
complex carbohydrates
- harder to break down because the sugar molecules are in longer, complicated chains
- made up of three or more sugars joined together
complex carbohydrates (examples)
polysaccharides (starches, fibres, glycogen)
monosaccharides
- single sugars
- structural isomers → share the same molecular formula
- C6H12O6
disaccharides
- sugars composed of two monosaccharides joined together
- simple carbohydrates
polysaccharides
chain of 10 or more sugars
oligosaccharides
chain of three to six sugars
functions of carbohydrates
- provide energy
- regulate blood glucose
- build other molecules
- storage of energy once converted to fats
structure of a protein
- made up of many polypeptides (50+ amino acids)
- contains nitrogen → whereas the other 3 nutrient groups that provide energy don’t contain nitrogen
functions of protein
- growth and repair of body tissues
- production of hormones and enzymes
- form the immune system (through amino acids)
- storage of energy once converted to carbohydrates and fats
carboxyl group
COOH
amino group
NH2
structure of amino acids
Carbon , Hydrogen , Oxygen , Nitrogen
- central carbon bonded to carboxyl group
- amino group
- hydrogen atom
- R group (changes depending on what type of amino acid)
peptides
strings of amino acids joined by a peptide bond
peptide bond
when a carboxyl group in one molecule of an amino acid reacts with an amino group of another amino acid molecule and releases a molecule of water
function of fats / lipids
- energy storage
- insulation
- vitamin absorption and transport (E, D, A, K)
- help reinforce cell membranes
saturated fatty acids
- full of hydrogens
- single bond between carbons
- carboxyl group
- straight structure
unsaturated fatty acids
- full of hydrogens
- double bond between two carbons
- carboxyl group
- bent structure
vitamins
organic substances used by the body for proper functioning
organic
something containing carbon
fat soluble vitamins
- vitamins stored in fats in the body
- vitamins A, D, E, K
water soluble vitamins
- vitamins not stored in the body and therefore the body needs them daily
- vitamin C and B group vitamins
vitamin functions
- wound healing
- maintaining healthy skin / fur / coat
- blood clotting
- chemical reactions in the body
- growth and development
minerals
inorganic materials needed in small quantities
how do animals obtain minerals
- drinking water
- plants take up minerals via water → some animals eat those plants and other animals eat those animals
macrominerals
- needed in large quantities
- necessary for skeletal structure and transference of nutrients
examples of macrominerals
- calcium
- phosphorus
- magnesium
- potassium
microminerals
- needed in small quantities
- help the formation of enzymes
examples of microminerals
- fluorine
- iodine
- zinc
- iron
enriched foods
lost vitamins and minerals are added back into the foods
(vitamins and minerals are lost through cooking or processing food)
fortified foods
extra vitamins and minerals are put into the foods
