Nutrition

Question 1

What is Fibre?

Answer 1

Fibre or non starch polysaccharide(NSP) is a carbohydrate that cant be digested. As it is not absorbed by the body, fibre therefore acts as a bulking agent to the body and helps remove waste.

Question 2

What are the health benefits of fibre?

Answer 2

reducing the risk of
cardiovascular disease (CVD)
reducing the risk of type 2
diabetes
reducing the risk of some cancers, especially
colorectal cancer
helping to control and maintain a healthy weight
preventing constipation and other bowel disorders
improving gut health

Question 3

What is the recommended daily intake of fibre?

Answer 3

2 to 5 year olds – 15g per day
5 to 11 year olds – 20g per day
11 to 16 year olds – 25g per day
16 year olds and above – 30g per day

Question 4

How to increase fibre in the diet?

Answer 4

start the day with a high fibre breakfast cereal – e.g., bran flakes
go for wholemeal breads
choose wholegrains – e.g., wholewheat pasta
go for potatoes with skins – e.g., a baked potato
for snacks try fruit, vegetable sticks, oatcakes or unsalted nuts
include plenty of vegetables with meals
have some fresh or dried fruit for snacks or a dessert

Question 5

What is Insoluble fibre and Soluble fibre?

Answer 5

Insoluble fibre
Insoluble fibre does not absorb or dissolve in water, so when it passes through our digestive system it adds bulk to faeces.
Insoluble fibre offers various health benefits:

reduces the risk of constipation as it makes faeces easier to pass
helps to maintain a healthy weight as it is filling and can reduce the desire to snack between meals
improves digestive health – as insoluble fibre gets rid of waste more effectively, there is a reduced risk of
haemorrhoids and bowel-related health problems.

Soluble fibre
Soluble fibre is soluble in water. It absorbs water to form a gel-like substance that swells inside the digestive system. It helps to soften stools so they can be passed more easily.

Soluble fibre offers important health benefits:

helps to lower blood cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of
cardiovascular disease (CVD) as it attaches to the cholesterol particles and removes them from the body
helps to control blood sugar levels as it slows the absorption of sugar from carbohydrates, protecting those with diabetes.

Question 6

What are the symptoms of dehydration?

Answer 6

thirst
headaches
dizziness
tiredness
dark coloured or strong smelling urine
loss of concentration
constipation
dry mouth, lips or eyes

Question 7

What are the function of water in the body?

Answer 7

Regulates body temperature – Water is required to help your body stay cool via perspiration. When your internal body temperature increases your body will sweat to allow you to cool down.
Helps prevent constipation – Water aids bowel movements, the more fluids you drink the easier your body will pass the stool.
Maintains blood pressure – The more water you drink, the more fluids leave your blood vessels, causing them to relax and your blood pressure to reduce.
Transports nutrients and oxygen to cells – Water is a main constituent of blood so carries
nutrients
and oxygen through the body.
Lubricates joints and protects body organs – Water keeps joints mobile and helps protect the spinal cord.
Excretion – Water helps the kidneys to flush out waste and toxins by producing urine of different concentrations.
Metabolic reactions – Water participates in the biochemical breakdown of what we eat. For example, the absorption of
nutrients and digestion. It also helps with swallowing as it is a major constituent of saliva.
Keeps the tissues in your body moist – For example, water helps to form tears,
lubricating the eyes.

Question 8

Why does the body need protein?

Answer 8

for growth, in particular during pregnancy and adolescence
to repair body cells and tissues, including recovery after illness or injury
to produce enzymes needed for digestion
to produce hormones that control body functions
protein provides a secondary source of energy

Question 9

What are the two types of Amino acids?

Answer 9

Indispensable (essential) amino acids: These cannot be made by the body, they must come from the diet. There are eight indispensable amino acids.

Dispensable (non-essential) amino acids: These are produced by the body. There are 12 dispensable amino acids.

Question 10

What is an LBV and HBV?

Answer 10

The biological value relates to how many amino acids are present in a protein.

If a food is missing one or more of the indispensable amino acids, it has a low biological value (LBV). For example, baked beans have an LBV.

If a food has all the indispensable amino acids, it has a high biological value (HBV). For example, steak has an HBV.

Question 11

What is protein complementation?

Answer 11

Protein complementation is when two LBV proteins are eaten together.

By eating two LBV proteins in the same meal, you can make up for the lacking amino acids in each, therefore giving yourself a meal with a high biological value (HBV).

A common example of protein complementation would be eating beans on toast.

Question 12

Why does the body need protein?

Answer 12

for energy – 1g of carbohydrate gives the body 3.75kcal of energy
wholegrain varieties of carbohydrate provide the body with fibre

Question 13

What are the two types of carbohydrate?

Answer 13

Sugars (simple) – these raise the body’s blood sugar level very quickly, as they enter the blood stream rapidly after they are eaten.

Starches (complex) – they take longer to digest as they need to break down molecules.

Question 14

What does an excess of carbs do?

Answer 14

Too many simple carbs can contribute to weight gain. They can also increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol.

Question 15

What are the functions of fat?

Answer 15

Unsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature, for example rape seed oil or olive oil.

Unsaturated fats come from plant sources and therefore are better for us than saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats have one double bond (‘mono’ meaning one)

Polyunsaturated fats have more than one double bond (‘poly’ meaning many)

Saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature, for example butter.

sadly i have to believe this but app sat fats are bad for heart:( i hate the government

Question 16

Vitamin A

Answer 16

The body needs vitamin A for:

healthy eyesight
healthy skin
healthy immune system
normal growth and development
antioxidant properties, helping protect the body from cancer and
cardiovascular disease (CVD)
healthy development of a foetus in the womb

There are two types of vitamin A – retinol and beta-carotene.

Retinol is the name for sources of vitamin A which come from animals, while beta-carotene is the name for sources of vitamin A from plant origin.

Milk, cheeses and butter
Retinol sources include:

liver
oily fish
eggs
cheese
whole milk
butter and fortified margarine
Carrots
Beta-carotene sources include:

carrots
fruits that are orange in colour – for example, oranges and peaches
green leafy vegetables – for example, Brussels sprouts

Question 17

Vitamin D

Answer 17

The main function of vitamin D is to help the body absorb calcium for strong teeth and bones.

Sources
Vitamin D comes from the sun, so we get some vitamin D every day from our skin’s exposure to sunlight.

However, this can be a problem for some people. Groups at risk include older adults, those who are house-bound, those who follow religions where the skin should be covered and those who work long hours indoors.

Oily fish
Therefore, it is important that we get some vitamin D from our diet. It can be obtained from the following sources:

eggs
meat
oily fish
margarine
breakfast cereals

Question 18

What happens when Vitamin D is deficient?

Answer 18

There are two conditions that can occur as a result of a lack of vitamin D in the diet.

In children a deficiency of vitamin D is called rickets – a condition affecting bone development that can lead to deformity of the skeleton.

In adults, this is called osteomalacia – a very painful condition caused by the bones being weak, or ‘soft’.

Question 19

Vitamin B1

Answer 19

Vitamin B1(Thiamine) is required to help the body release energy from food. It is also needed for the heart, nervous system and muscles to function normally.
Sources
Most breakfast cereals and breads are fortified with vitamin B1. Fortified means that the vitamin is added during the production process.

Vitamin B1 is also found naturally in nuts and meat.

Question 20

Vitamin B12

Answer 20

Like vitamin B1, vitamin B12 is needed to help release energy from foods such as carbohydrates and to help the nervous system function normally.

Vitamin B12 is also needed to form red blood cells.

Sources
Most breakfast cereals and breads are fortified with vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 is also found in meat and dairy products such as milk and cheese.

Question 21

Vitamin B9

Answer 21

Folate is another of the B group vitamins. The body needs folate for a number of reasons:

to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida – during pregnancy folate is required for the normal development of the foetus in the womb
for normal functioning and structure of the nervous system
for normal cell division
to help form healthy red blood cells

The following foods contain folate:

green leafy vegetables such as kale or Brussels sprouts
oranges
bananas
fortified breakfast cereals

Deficiency
Not eating enough folate can cause harm to our bodies in a number of ways.

Neural tube defects: If a pregnant woman is deficient in folate before her pregnancy or very early in her pregnancy then the baby is at an increased risk of being born with a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.

Miscarriage: If a pregnant woman is deficient in folate before her pregnancy or very early in her pregnancy there is an increased risk of miscarriage.

Anaemia: A lack of folate can increase the risk of anaemia.

Question 22

Vitamin C

Answer 22

Vitamin C is required by the body to:

heal wounds by helping to form new connective tissue
absorb iron – especially non-haem iron
help protect the body from cancer and
cardiovascular disease (CVD)
(due to its antioxidant properties)
help prevent gum disease by keeping gums healthy
help prevent scurvy
help build a strong immune system to fight infection.
Vitamin C can be found in some fruits, such as:
oranges
lemons
Vitamin C can be found in some vegetables, such as:
peppers
chilli
kale
Not eating enough vitamin C can be harmful to us in a number of ways: our immune system is weakened, the body finds it harder to fight off disease, it takes longer for wounds to heal, our gums can bleed and we might feel tired or fatigued.

Question 23

Sodium

Answer 23

fluid balance – sodium helps keep the body’s fluid level balanced
nerve function – sodium is required for the normal functioning of the nervous system

can cause high blood pressure in excess

Question 24

Iron

Answer 24

Iron is needed to prevent anaemia.

It is also required for the formation of haemoglobin. This is present in red blood cells and helps them transport oxygen around the body.

Sources
There are two types of iron – haem and non-haem.

Steak
Haem iron comes from animal sources, which are more easily absorbed by the body. These include:

red meat
liver
eggs
fish
Non-haem iron comes from plant sources, and is more difficult for the body to absorb. In fact, it needs vitamin C to help absorption. Sources of non-haem iron include:
green leafy vegetables – such as broccoli and cabbage
fortified breakfast cereals
wholegrains

Iron deficiency is called anaemia. This is common in teenage girls as they begin menstruation.

Question 25

Calcium

Answer 25

Calcium is needed by the body for the following reasons:

to contribute to bone density and maintain healthy, strong teeth
to form blood clots to stop bleeding
for normal nerve and muscle function
Sources
The richest sources of calcium are found in dairy products, such as:
milk
cheese
yoghurt
Not getting enough calcium can result in osteoporosis. This is a condition which affects older adults who have weak bones as a result of not getting enough calcium during adolescence and adulthood. This is also linked with a vitamin D deficiency.

Question 26

How much calories should a man and woman have per day.

Answer 26

Man 2500kcal
WOMAN 2000 kcal