Nutrition Flashcards
Micronutrients
Essential elements needed from food in small quantities (vitamins, minerals)
Macronutrients
Nutrients required in large quantities which make up vast majority of metabolic energy to an organism. (Carbs, proteins, fats, water)
Functions of macronutrients
Carbs- supplies energy for physical activity, organ function, breaks down fatty acids, energy storage, cell membrane
Proteins- growth and repair, hormones, enzymes, body breaks down protein into amino acids so the body can make its own proteins, structure, transport, communication, protection, fuel
Lipids- fuel, energy, cell membrane, hormones, precursor of bile acid
Water- temp regulation, transportation of oxygen and nutrients, lubrication of joints, aid in waste elimination, give cells stability and shape, medium for biochemical reaction
Chemical composition of a glucose molecule
CH2O
How glucose molecules can combine to form disaccharides
Condensation/dehydration reaction (removal of water molecules and the oxygen binds together)
Distinguish between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.
Saturated- found in animal products and processed foods (meat, dairy, chips, pastries, butter, lard) fully saturated with hydrogen atoms, and does not contain double bonds between carbon atoms. Raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Unsaturated- found in foods such as nuts, avocado, olives. Liquid at room temp. Chemical structure contains double bonds. Heart healthy, able to lower cholesterol (LDL) levels, and raise (good) HDL cholesterol. Two hydrogen atoms are missing form double bonds between two carbon atoms and become unsaturated.
Essential VS non-essential amino acids
Essential- essential to our diet as our bodies can not created them through metabolism
Non-essential- acids that can be produced from other amino acids during metabolism.
Approximate energy content per 100g of carbs, lipids and proteins
Carbs- 1760 kj
Proteins- 1720 kj
Fats- 4000 kj
Metabolism
Can be defined as all chemical processes in living organisms
Anabolism
The constructive phase of metabolism where smaller molecules are converted to larger molecules.
Catabolism
Destructive phase of metabolism where larger molecules are converted to smaller molecules.
Aerobic catabolism requires oxygen.
Anaerobic does not.
Glycogenolysis
When your body needs more glucose than is ingested glycogen is broken down and glucose (liver) and glucose-6-phosphate can serve as metabolic fuel.
Lipolysis
Process of releasing triglycerides from the body’s fat stores. Excess fate is stored in adipose tissues and muscle.
Role of insulin
- Secreted from the Bcells in the pancreas
- REGULATES BLOOD SUGAR/GLUCOSE LEVELS
- increases transport of glucose into the cells
- stimulates glycolysis
- inhibits gluconeogenesis
- promotes glycogenesis
- inhibits lipolysis and breakdown of proteins
- insulin WANTS you to use glucose, or store it as glycogen, to get blood sugar levels back to normal
Gluconeogenesis
Conversion of protein and fat to glucose.
Glycolysis
Breakdown of glucose for energy
Glycogenesis
Conversion of glucose into stored form- glycogen
Glucagon
Hormone that acts the opposite of insulin.
- stimulates glycogenolysis and synthesis of glucose to increase blood glucose levels for energy (when blood sugar is low)
- activates lipolysis which contributes to energy supply.
Glycogen
Storage form of glucose
Major sites of triglyceride storage
Fat cells and some muscle cells
Ribosome
Protein builders- build long chains of amino acids
Endoplasmic reticulum
Work with the ribosomes to assemble proteins
Lysosomes
Hold enzymes created by the cell, and digest thing
Golgi apparatus
Builds complex molecules into vesicles and builds lysosomes
Mitochodrion
Energy source in the cell
Cristae
Increase the surface area of the mitochondria for chemical reactions to have enough room to occur.
Inner membrane
Forms the cristae
Inner matrix
Start the oxidation of molecules such as pyruvate.
Outer smooth membrane
Permeable to nutrient molecules, ions, ATP and ADP molecules
Cell respiration
Controlled release of energy in the form of ATP from organic compounds in cells.
Energy release from ATP
Bond between Adenosine and one of the phosphate groups is broken using enzyme ATPase and water. Freed energy used to fuel metabolic processes in body.
Phosphorylation
Synthesizes ATP by adding a phosphate group to the compound adenosine diphosphate.
Recreated using one of three different energy systems:
1) the alactic anaerobic (ATP/PC) system
2) the lactic acid system
3) the aerobic system
Role of ATP in muscle contraction
Storage molecule for energy in body. As body breaks glucose down, it produces ATP to store the energy released. ATP then provides the muscle with that stored energy during contraction
