Nutrition Flashcards
Our nutrition is composed of?
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Fats
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
- Water
What does each nutrition give us? (except water)
Fats and Carbohydrates give us energy and our used for building blocks
Minerals give: Homeostasis, signalling, cofactors, structural
Vitamins: required co-factors that cannot be made —> Essential nutrients that cannot be synthesized
What are the essential nutrients? And how do we obtain them?
- minerals
- vitamins
- essential amino acids (9)
- essential fatty acids
- All must be obtained through food
- What is essential varies by the organism
What are the 2 essential fatty acids?
Essential fatty acids: linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid ( omega 6 and 3 fatty acids)
What about the rest of the fatty acids?
Rest of the fatty acids can be synthesized from a-linolenic acid
What is missing in humans?
W-6 and w-3 desaturase missing in humans (W = omega)
W-3 and W-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) ratio matters:
- Low W-3 PUFA, high W-6 PUFA can cause chronic inflammation. (Western diet - red meat, fast food)
- High W-3 PUFA, low W-6 PUFA is healthy . (Mediterranean diet - fish certain veggies)
What is cholesterol?
Precursor for many steroid hormones , common pathway in animals and plants
Insects can’t make what and why?
Insects can’t make steroid hormones because they miss one enzyme: cholesterol is a vitamin (or other steroids)
Why is vitamin D important? And how do people with less sunlight get Vitamin D?
- Vitamin D important: reduces chances of osteoporosis.
- In areas with less sunlight, Vitamin D is a supplement in food.
What is the digestive process steps?
- Ingestion: taking food into digestive tract
- Digestion: Breakdown into smaller pieces
- Absorption: Uptake of nutrients
- Elimination: disposal of waste
What is the incomplete digestive tract?
Food comes into the mouth → pharynx → gastrovascular cavity
What is the complete digestive tract?
when food enters the mouth and leaves out of the anus. (Alimentary canal)
Human digestive tract?
Mouth → esophagus → Stomach → Small intestine → Large intestine → Anus
The mouth contains?
The liver, gall bladder and pancreas produce?
salivary glands
enzymes that help breakdown food