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What is the definition of nutrition?
Nutrition is the science that links food to health and disease. It also includes how nutrients are digested, absorbed, and used by the body
What is the leading nutrition-related cause of death in the United States?
Heart disease
How many essential nutrients does the body require to function?
Six
What are the two classifications of essential nutrients, based on the amount needed daily?
Macro-nutrients and Micro-nutrients
What are the three macro-nutrients?
Carbohydrates, protein, and fats
What are the two micro-nutrients?
vitamins and minerals
How many kcals/gram do carbohydrates provide?
4 kcals/gram
How many kcals/gram do proteins provide?
4 kcals/gram
How many kcals/gram do lipids (fats) provide?
9 kcal/gram
How many kcals/gram does alcohol provide? Is it considered a nutrient?
7 kcal/gram. Alcohol is not considered a nutrient
What are phytochemicals?
Compounds found in plant sources, especially fruits and vegetables, that provide significant health benefits
What is the scientific method?
An unbiased approach used by nutrition scientists to acquire knowledge
What is a peer-reviewed scientific journal?
A reliable source of nutrition information where studies are evaluated by other researchers before publication
What is hunger?
The physical need or internal drive to find and eat food
What is appetite?
The psychological or external influence that encourages us to find and eat food
What are essential nutrients?
Nutrients that cannot be made by the body and must be consumed to maintain health
What three concepts is a healthy diet based on?
Moderation, variety, and balance
What is a nutrient-dense food?
A food that provides a large amount of nutrients for a relatively small amount of calories
How is nutrient density derived?
By dividing a food's nutrient content by its calorie content
What is an energy-dense food?
A food that has a lot of calories in a small amount of food
What are empty calories?
Calories that add to the diet but contribute few nutrients
What is a major contributor to empty calories in the American diet?
Sugar-sweetened beverages
What are some key recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?
Limiting foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and limiting alcoholic beverages
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, what should a healthy eating pattern include?
A variety of vegetables, fruits (especially whole fruits), grains (at least half whole grain), fat-free or low-fat dairy, a variety of protein foods, and oils from plants
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, what should a healthy eating pattern limit?
Added sugars, saturated fat, sodium, and alcohol
What is malnutrition?
Failing health from long-standing dietary practices that do not meet nutritional needs; can refer to both under-nutrition and over-nutrition
What is the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI)?
A set of recommendations to describe the amounts of specific nutrients and energy that people should consume to stay healthy
What is the Estimated Energy Requirement (EER)?
An estimate of how many calories are needed to match the energy use of an average person to maintain body weight
What are the four types of DRI values used to describe recommendations for intake of individual nutrients?
Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Adequate Intake (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
What is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)?
The average daily intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals in a specific group
What is the Adequate Intake (AI)?
A recommended average daily intake level based on observed or experimentally determined estimates of nutrient intake by a group of healthy people. It is used when there is not enough evidence for an RDA
What is the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)?
The highest level of daily nutrient intake that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects to almost all individuals
What is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responsible for?
Assuring that foods sold in the United States are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled
What information does the FDA require on food labels?
Serving size, total calories, carbohydrate, protein, fat, fiber, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total sugars, added sugar, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium
What is the Daily Value (DV)?
A nutrient standard used on the Nutrition Facts portion of food labels
What does the %DV indicate?
How much of a specific nutrient one serving of food contributes to a daily diet based on a 2,000-calorie diet
What does a %DV of 5% or less mean?
The food is low in the nutrient
What does a %DV of 10-19% mean?
The food is a good source of the nutrient
What does a %DV of 20% or more mean?
The food is high in the nutrient
How are ingredients listed on a food label?
In descending order by weight
What are the three federal guidelines for organic food claims?
"100% Organic" (100% organic ingredients), "Organic" (minimum of 95% organic ingredients), and "Made with Organic" (at least 70% organic ingredients)
What does the gastrointestinal tract (GI) include?
The mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, colon, rectum, and anus
What are the major accessory organs in digestion?
Salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas
What are the main functions of the GI tract?
Digestion, absorption, and elimination
What is peristalsis?
The wave-like muscular squeezing actions that push food along the digestive tract
What is segmentation?
Circular muscle movements in the small intestine that mix food with digestive secretions
What is a sphincter?
A ring of smooth muscle that acts as a valve along the GI tract, controlling the movement of food
What is chyme?
A watery food mixture that results from the mixing of food with gastric secretions in the stomach
Where does most chemical digestion occur?
small intestine
What does the pancreas secrete to neutralize chyme?
An alkaline solution called bicarbonate
What is bile?
A secretion made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder that is essential for the breakdown and absorption of fat (fat emulsifier)
What are villi?
Finger-like projections in the small intestine that help trap nutrients to enhance absorption
What is passive diffusion?
The movement of substances across cell membranes from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration
What is facilitated diffusion?
The movement of substances with the help of a carrier protein down a concentration gradient
What is active absorption?
The movement of substances against a concentration gradient, requiring energy
What is a major function of the large intestine?
absorb water
What causes heartburn?
A back-flow of acidic contents into the esophagus due to the improper closing of the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus
What can help prevent or treat constipation?
Eating dietary fiber from whole plant foods, increasing fluid intake, and physical activity
What is celiac disease?
A chronic condition where exposure to gluten triggers an inflammatory reaction by the immune system
What are some common chronic diseases?
Cardiovascular or heart disease, hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis
What is a major dietary factor linked to heart disease?
The consumption of saturated fat and trans fat
What are the recommended ranges for macro-nutrients in a healthy diet?
10-35% of calories from protein, 45-65% from carbohydrates, and 20-35% from fat
What are some examples of phytochemicals?
Anthocyanidins, beta-carotene, catechins, carotenoids, flavonoids, isoflavones, and polyphenols
How are the health benefits of phytochemicals best obtained?
Through the regular consumption of whole foods and eating patterns
What are epidemiological studies?
Studies that examine the relationship between variables in a group of people by making observations and recording information
What are clinical trials?
Studies that explore the health effects of altering people's diets
What is the peer-review process?
The process where a study is read, analyzed, and evaluated by other researchers to ensure it was not flawed and the results are interpreted correctly
Who is a qualified nutrition expert?
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
What are the primary factors that influence food choices?
Taste and smell
What are some learned behaviors that affect food choices?
Preferences based on early influences, culture, location, climate, and habits
How does food relate to psychological needs?
Food is often used when dealing with emotions like stress, anxiety, and depression, and it can be associated with comfort and family gatherings
What is the difference between appetite and hunger?
Appetite is the psychological or external influence to eat, while hunger is the physical need for food
What is the importance of eating a varied diet?
It is the best way to get enough essential nutrients and phytochemicals to ensure the body functions normally and stays healthy
What are some things that can help with heartburn and ulcers?
Eating small low-fat meals, avoiding carbonated beverages and acidic foods, limiting onions, garlic, chocolate, peppermint, caffeine, and alcohol, and avoiding eating 3-4 hours before lying down
What is the difference between serving size and portion size?
A serving size is a standardized amount of food, while a portion size is the amount of food you choose to eat
What is the difference between under-nutrition and over-nutrition?
Under-nutrition is when nutrient intake does not meet needs, leading to deficiencies, while over-nutrition is when intake exceeds the body's needs, leading to obesity
What is the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)?
A value that is estimated to meet the nutrient requirements of 50 percent of the healthy individuals in a specific group
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