(Unit 1) Diet - Part One

Nutrients

The constituents of food that sustain humans physiologically.

Essential Nutrients

Nutrients that we cannot synthesize ourselves and need to avoid illness.

Calories

A measure of the energy we get from food; 1 cal raises 1 gram of water by 1ºC.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

The amount of energy the body needs to stay alive, taking about 60%-70% of the calories consumed.

Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

BMR plus energy burned from activities done at rest, accounting for 20% of calories consumed.

Exercise Metabolic Rate (EMR)

Energy burned during moderate to strenuous physical activity, accounting for 10-20% of calories consumed.

Proteins

Machinery of cells composed of amino acids, with approximately 9 essential amino acids needed in the diet.

Carbohydrates

Good source of energy that can be metabolized quickly and efficiently.

Macromolecules

Large molecules made from smaller building blocks, such as nutrients.

Chronic Illness

Health issues that can arise from being overweight or obese due to excess energy storage.

Complete Protein Sources

High-quality proteins that contain all essential amino acids, typically found in meat.

saccharide

monosaccharide, glucose or fructose

disaccharides

2 saccharides, sucrose or lactose

polysaccharides

2+ saccharides, starch or fiber

simple sugars

Processed foods that provide short-term energy. Fruit, honey, milk

complex carbohydrates

Provide sustained energy. Grains, veggies, potatoes

fiber

Indigestible carbohydrate that remains in the digestive tract.

triglycerides

95% of body fat, stores excess calories made by adipocytes.

cholesterol

5% of body fat, only found in animal products.

saturated fatty acids

Chains without double bonds, usually solid and not good for health. Lard or butter

unsaturated fatty acids

Chains with one or more double bonds, usually liquid and good for health. Oil

trans fatty acids

Unsaturated fatty acids that behave like saturated fats due to partial hydrogenation.

High-Density Lipoproteins (HDLs)

Considered good cholesterol, carries cholesterol to the liver for storage/disposal.

Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDLs)

Considered bad cholesterol, carries cholesterol to tissues including artery walls.

fat soluble vitamins

Vitamins that interact with triglycerides and can accumulate to toxic levels.

Vitamin A

Necessary for healthy eyes; deficiency can cause night blindness.

Vitamin D

Necessary for calcium absorption; deficiency can lead to rickets.

Rickets

soft bones

Vitamin E

Keeps red blood cells healthy; deficiency can cause anemia.

Anemia

a deficiency of red blood cells

water soluble vitamins

Vitamins that interact with water and excess is excreted through urine.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

Aids in metabolism of carbs; deficiency can cause beriberi.

Niacin

Found in protein-rich food.

Vitamin C

Found in citrus fruits. Necessary for wound healing and a strong immune system.

Pellagra

Symptoms include rashes and scaly skin.

Scurvy

A disease caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C.

Beriberi

difficulty walking

Macrominerals

Minerals that we need a lot of, such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, and chloride.

Trace minerals

Minerals that we need very little of, such as iron, zinc, manganese, copper, and iodine.

Digestive System

Manages the availability of macromolecule building blocks by ingesting nutrients, digesting macromolecules, and stimulating cells to take nutrients out of the blood.

Alimentary Canal

The tube-like structure where digestion occurs, divided by sphincters that can open or close.

Accessory Organs

Organs like the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas that secrete enzymes and hormones necessary for digestion.

Mouth and Esophagus

Make food more manageable by breaking down pieces and lubricating them with saliva; initial digestion of carbohydrates occurs here.

Stomach

Acts as a holding tank that mixes food and does some breakdown of protein, but does not digest into building blocks.

Small Intestine

Primary site of digestion and absorption of nutrients, with a length of 10 feet and high surface area for absorption.

Large Intestine

Also known as the colon, it absorbs water and forms feces.

Rectum

Stores feces.

Salivary Glands

Produce saliva, which breaks down enzymes and kills bacteria.

Liver

Produces bile, which aids in fat absorption, stores sugars as glycogen, detoxifies blood, and can heal itself.

Gallbladder

Stores bile from the liver and is non-essential.

Pancreas

Secretes many enzymes into the small intestine to handle macromolecules and bicarbonate to neutralize stomach acid.

Glucagon

A hormone that increases the amount of sugar in the blood.

Insulin

A hormone that decreases the amount of sugar in the blood.