Nutrition Review Sheet

Question 1

List the six major types of nutrients.

Answer 1

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water

Question 2

What is nutrition?

Answer 2

The science behind how your body uses the components of food to grow, maintain and repair itself.

Question 3

What are nutrients?

Answer 3

The chemical elements and compounds that are essential to the growth and maintenance of life.

The body needs more than 50 nutrients daily and each nutrient helps your body perform a specific task.

Question 4

What are macronutrients?

Answer 4

Carbohydrates (simple and complex carbohydrates and fibre)
Proteins (high and low quality protein sources)
Fats

Question 5

What are carbohydrates?

Answer 5

Preferred source of food energy for your body. The body converts carbohydrates into a sugar called glucose to burn fat.

50% of your total daily caloric intake should be coming from carbohydrate-rich foods.

Question 6

What are simple carbohydrates?

(Monosaccharide )

Answer 6

Provide the body with a quick source of energy because they can easily be digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. These occur naturally in fruit, milk, yogurt and fruit juices.

These same carbohydrates are used in less nutritious foods such as soft drinks, candy and some baked goods.

Question 7

What are complex carbohydrates?

(Disarccharides and Polysaccharides)

Answer 7

They are made up of long chains of glucose molecules and our body takes longer to break them down by providing a slow steady source of energy. These come from starches found in grain products, veggies and legumes.

Question 8

What is fibre?

Answer 8

Type of complex carbohydrate that the body cannot digest and that is not a source of calories. It helps you stay healthy b/c it takes some cancer causing chemicals out your body. It also removes building blocks of cholesterol.

There are 2 types of fibre, soluble and insoluble. Fibre is part of plants that we cannot digest. Foods like veggies, fruits, legumes and whole grains contain fibre and animal foods like meat and eggs contain none.

Question 9

What is soluble fibre?

Answer 9

Soft fibre that helps control blood glucose and reduces cholesterol. Soluble fibre is present in oat bran, oatmeal, legumes, fruits like apples and strawberries.

Question 10

What in insoluble fibre?

Answer 10

The bulky fibre that helps to prevent constipation and some types of cancers. Insoluble fibre is present in wheat bran, whole grain breads and cereals, fruits and veggies.

Fibre can also help you manage weight. When fibre attaches itself to water, it explands and makes you feel full so you won’t overeat.

Question 11

What foods are rich in fibre?

Answer 11

Whole grain products, veggies, fruits and legumes.
People who choose fibre rich foods have an easier time at maintaining a healthy body weight.

Question 12

What are proteins?

Answer 12

They build, maintain and replace the tissues in your body. The muscles, organs and immune system are made up of mostly protein. Our bodies use the protein that we eat to make lots of specialized protein molecules.

Question 13

How many essential and non-essential amino acids do we need?

Answer 13

Essential Amino Acids : 9
Non- Essential Amino Acids:11

Question 14

What are the complete and non-complete protein sources?

Answer 14

COMPLETE sources that contain 9 amino acids: Eggs, meat, fish, poultry and milk products.
INCOMPLETE sources that lack 1 or more amino acid: Cereal, grain products, legumes and nuts.

Question 15

What are fats?

Answer 15

Concentrated sources of energy and are useful during prolonged physical activity. They help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins that your body needs.

Animal Saturated fatty acids, vegetable unsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids.

Question 16

What are micronutrients?

Answer 16

Vitamins (Water and fat soluble vitamins)
Minerals - Electrolytes (Sodium, chloride, potassium)

Vitamins and minerals do not provide any source of energy or calories and these macronutrients are required in small amounts and allow your body to utilize the energy that is provided by carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Question 17

What are vitamins?

Answer 17

Chemicals that the body needs to build and maintain it’s cells and to release energy from macromolecules.

Question 18

What is water-soluble vitamins?

Answer 18

Our bodies cannot store these types of vitamins so we eat foods that contain them everyday.
EX: Vitamin C

Question 19

What is fat-soluble vitamins?

Answer 19

Absorbed in the small intestine and then sorted in the liver, so we only need a small amount.
EX: Vitamin D

Question 20

What are minerals?

Answer 20

Help the body get energy from macromolecules and also helps make bones, proteins and blood.
Minerals are inorganic(non-carbon based) substances needed for good health.

Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in the body and it balances fluid levels in the body, maintaining blood pressure and conduct nerve impluses.
3 types: Sodium, chlorine (salts) and potassium (fruits and veggies).

Question 21

Fats

Answer 21

Functions: Good fats protect our organs, keep our body temperature regulate.
Deficiency: Our body’s are not protected against the elements.
Good Sources: Avocados, EVOO
Bad Sources: Cheese, processed foods and alcohol.
Side effects: Heart disease, weight gain, organ failure.
Interesting Facts: Not all processed foods are bad, it is most dangerous to carry fat in your stomach area.

Question 22

Sodium

Answer 22

Functions: Helps muscles contract and regulates fluid balance.
Deficiency: Muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting and dizziness.
Sources: Yeast, pizza, cold cuts and cheese.
Side effects: Effects high blood pressure and heart has to work harder.
Interesting Facts: Sometimes “healthy” items are loaded with your daily intake of sodium.

Question 23

Potassium

Answer 23

Functions: Major electrolyte in the body and functioning of cells, tissues and organs.
Deficiency: Weakness, lack of energy an high blood pressure .
Sources: Artichoke, cantaloupe and bananas.
Side Effects: Too much can cause temporary paralysis.
Interesting Facts: Atomic symbol K.

Question 24

Carbs

Answer 24

Functions: Gives you energy.
Deficiency: Low energy, weak and anemia.
Sources: Bread, rice and pasta.
Side Effects: Weight gain and constipation.
Interesting Facts: Eggs have no carbs and occasional carb cutting fights cancer.

Question 25

Protein

Answer 25

Functions: Healthy skin, nails, hair and energy.
Deficiency: Sluggish, tired and anemia.
Sources: Meat, beans, tofu and nuts(almonds).
Side effects: Weight gain.
Interesting facts: An important building block of bones.

Question 26

Vitamins

Answer 26

Functions: Maintains hormones’ levels in the body and converts food we eat into energy.
Deficiency: Anemia and confusion.
Sources: Fish, chicken, nuts and avocado.
Side Effects: Can lead to brain damage and stomach illness.
Interesting Facts: Increases stamina and decreases depression.

Question 27

Iron

Answer 27

Functions: Energy functions and production of cells.
Deficiency: Anemia (low red blood count).
Sources: Red meat, organ meats, dark leafy greens (spinach, kale and broccoli).
Side Effects: Too much can lead to abdominal pain.
Interesting Facts: Most girls and women aged 13-45 are anemic.

Question 28

Water

Answer 28

Functions: Keeps you hydrated, helps with digestion, cleanses the body from the inside out, and helps with lactic acid buildup.
Deficiency: Dry skin, hair, dehydration, feels tired and hungry.
Sources: Water itself, fruits and veggies, celery and cucumber.
Side effects: You can die from water overdose and you urinate more often.
Interesting Facts: Our bodies are made up of primarily water.

Question 29

Calcium

Answer 29

Functions: Build and maintain strong bones and helps blood vessels move in the body.
Deficiency: Low bone mass and high blood pressure.
Sources: Milk, kale, yogurt and sardines.
Side effects: Can cause constipation.
Interesting Facts: Our bodies stop absorbing calcium after the age of 30.

Question 30

Fibre

Answer 30

Functions: Helps you break down carbs in the body and control sugar.
Deficiency: You are bloated and gassy.
Sources: Whole grain rice, nuts and cereal.
Side effects: You must drink a a lot of water to help assist fibre.
Interesting Facts: Lowers blood cholesterol levels.

Question 31

FACTS

Answer 31

The heart needs 12% of the calories.
The kidney needs 12% of the calories.
The liver needs 23% of the calories.
The brain needs 23% of the calories.
The skeletal muscle need 30% of the calories.