Nutrition Concepts Exam #1

What are the 6 major nutrients?

• Carbohydrates

• Lipids/fats

• Proteins

• Vitamins

• Minerals

• Water

What is a macronutrient? What nutrients are considered macronutrients?

• Type of nutrient needed in large amounts

• Includes carbs, lipids, proteins, & water

What is a micronutrient? What nutrients are considered micronutrients?

• Type of nutrient needed in small amounts

• Not a source of energy

• Includes vitamins & minerals

How many calories are found in 1 gram of carbs? Protein? Fat?

• Carb = 4 calories

• Protein = 4 calories

• Fat = 9 calories

What is AMDR?

• Stands for Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range

• Provides healthy range of intakes for carbs, protein, & total fat expressed as percentage of total calories

What is the AMDR of fats?

20-35%

What is the AMDR of carbs?

35-65%

What is the AMDR of protein?

10-35%

What is nutrient density?

• Contains many beneficial nutrients relative to calorie content

• “Good deal” nutritionally in that they provide many nutrients at a low calorie “cost”

• Ex: 1 cup of fudge less nutrient dense than 1 cup of carrots

What is energy density?

• High in calories relative to weight

• Nutrient-rich nuts fit this bill, but many foods are dense in calories & low in nutrients, such as cookies & chips

• Ex: 1 cup of fudge more energy dense than 1 cup of carrots

When estimating energy requirements, what factors influence this number?

• Age

• Body mass

• Weight

• Height

• Gender

What are the dietary guidelines for how many servings of whole grains per day?

2-4 servings of whole grains per day

What are the dietary guidelines for how many servings of vegetables per day?

3 servings of vegetables per day

What are the dietary guidelines for how many servings of fruit per day?

2 servings of fruit per day

The Dietary Guidelines state that there should be no more than __ grams of sugar per meal.

10

What are the dietary guidelines for the maximum amount of sodium for adults per day?

2,300 mg per day of sodium

What are the dietary guidelines for the maximum percent for saturated fats?

10%

How would you describe an ultra-processed food?

• Ingredients include food substances not commonly used in culinary preparations (besides, salt, sugar, oils, & fats)

• Ex: hydrolyzed protein, modified starches, hydrogenated or esterified oils, additives; colorants, flavorings, etc.

• Food ex: corn chip, french fries, gummy bears, ice cream, etc.

• Has ingredients that typically contain no or little whole foods

• “Convenience foods”

What does enriched grains mean?

• They’re refined grains that have had certain nutrients added back after processing

• Enriched = processed

What nutrients are commonly added to enriched grains?

• Iron

• Folic acid

• Riboflavin

• Niacin

• Thiamin

What is the 5%/20% rule?

• 5% or less → low in a nutrient

• 20% or more → high in a nutrient

What is the difference between mechanical digestion & chemical digestion?

• Mechanical digestion — physical fragmentation of foods into small particles; ex: chewing

• Chemical digestion — breaks chemical bonds to cleave large molecules into smaller ones; deals with enzymes; ex: stomach acid breaking food down

The __ is where the esophagus goes into the stomach

lower esophageal sphincter

The __ is where the stomach turns into small intestine

pyloric sphincter (aka pylorus)

The __ separates the ileum from the colon

ileocecal valve

What’s the three parts of the small intestine in order?

Duodenum → jejunum → ileum

What does bicarbonate do?

• Acts as a neutralizer

• Prevents cells of small intestine from getting damaged

• Released by pancreas

What is bile’s role in digestion? What organ makes bile? Where is it stored?

• Breaks down fat by acting as an emulsifier

• Helps fats travel in the watery GI tract

• Made by liver

• Stored by gallbladder

What is an emulsifier?

Means it is taking a big blob of fat & making it into smaller droplets

What area of the GI tract is most of the nutrients absorbed?

Small intestine

What are villi & what is their role/function?

Projections that increase surface area, which in turn increases absorption efficiency

What nutrients enter the portal circulation (bloodstream) & which enter the lymphatic system after absorption?

• Portal circulation

  • Water-soluble vitamins, sugars, minerals, amino acids

  • Carbs & proteins too

  • Goes to the liver first

• Lymphatic system

  • Fat-soluble vitamins, lipids

  • Doesn’t go to the liver — eventually goes into blood but doesn’t go to the liver at any point

What is gastrin & what does it do?

• A hormone that triggers the stomach to release HCl (stomach acid) & pepsinogen

• Stimulates gastric & intestinal motility

  • Found in stomach & duodenum in response to food reaching the stomach

What is secretin & what does it do?

• Stimulates release of pancreatic enzymes & bile from the gallbladder

• Found in small intestine in response to dietary fat in chyme

What is CCK & what does it do?

• Stimulates release of pancreatic bicarbonate

• Found in small intestine in response to acidic chyme & as digestion progresses

What are the three main functions of the acid in the stomach?

1.) Kills bacteria in food

2.) Provides optimum pH for actions of pepsin (protein digestion)

3.) Helps iron (Fe²+) & calcium (Ca²+)

Besides the main three functions of stomach acid, what are other functions?

• Cleaves vitamin B12 from food & helps activate intrinsic factor required to allow B12 to be absorbed

• Promotes pancreatic & bile secretion

Why doesn’t stomach acid hurt the cells of the stomach wall?

Stomach wall is covered in mucus

How would you describe GERD?

• Backward flow of stomach &/or duodenal contents into the esophagus

• Acid reflux, heartburn

• Happens on regular basis

• Causes inflammation → buildup of scar tissue (stricture)

What dietary factors may contribute to GERD symptoms?

• High fat meals — decreases lower esophageal sphincter pressure

• Caffeine & alcohol — increases acid secretion & decreases lower esophageal sphincter pressure

• Acidic/spicy foods when inflammation exists

What is IBS & what are the three main symptoms?

• Stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• 3 main symptoms:

  • Diarrhea

  • Constipation

  • Abdominal pain

• Most frequently diagnosed digestive disorder

• No tissue damage, inflammation, or immunologic involvement

How would you describe visceral hypersensitivity & how is it linked to IBS?

• When foods are fermented in the large intestine to produce gas, this gas causes the intestines to stretch & expand (much like blowing up a balloon with air)

• Ppl with IBS have nerves around their intestines that are very sensitive, meaning that this stretching causes pain signals to be sent to the brain

What are FODMAPs & why is a low FODMAP diet used for IBS?

Carbohydrate foods that may increase IBS symptoms

What foods are required to be eliminated for celiac disease?

• Wheat

• Rye

• Barley

When someone has celiac disease, what part of their GI tract is impacted?

Small intestine

In celiac disease, what happens to the villi when they are exposed to gluten?

Gluten damages the villi of the small intestine

Is gluten a carbohydrate, protein, or fat?

Carbohydrate

What are considered simple carbohydrates?

Monosaccharides & disaccharides

What are three monosaccharides?

• Glucose

• Fructose

• Galactose

What are three disaccharides? What monosaccharides are they made of?

• Maltose = glucose + glucose

• Sucrose = glucose + fructose

• Lactose = glucose + galactose

What are complex carbohydrates?

Polysaccharides

What are three polysaccharides?

• Starch

• Fiber

• Glycogen

What is glycogen & where is glycogen stored in the body?

• It’s the storage form of glucose in animals

• Most highly branched of all polysaccharides

• Store in liver & muscle

What does the liver use glycogen for?

• Used as an energy source

• Regulates blood glucose/sugars

• Stores extra as fat

What does muscle use glycogen for?

Energy for movement

Which type of fiber is used by gut bacteria?

Soluble fiber

What food / food groups do we find fiber?

• Legumes

• Nuts

• Whole grains

• Vegetables

• Some berries

What is the recommendation for fiber intake?

25-38 grams per day

**women on lower side of range whereas men on higher side of range

What is salivary amylase?

• Breaks starch down into smaller units

  • Taste the sweetness with prolonged chewing

  • Smaller the piece, the sweeter the taste

• Located in the mouth

• Only little bit of digestion occurs

What is pancreatic amylase?

• Breaks carbs into disaccharides

• Located in small intestine

What is maltase?

• Breaks maltose down into two glucoses

• Located in small intestine

What is sucrase?

• Breaks sucrose down into glucose & fructose

• Located in small intestine

What is lactase?

• Breaks lactose down into glucose & galactose

• Located in small intestine

What enzyme is responsible for carb digestion in the stomach?

There is none

What is the difference between a milk allergy versus an intolerance?

• Milk allergy — deals with milk protein

  • Triggered by immune system

• Lactose intolerance — deals with milk carb

  • Occurs in GI tract

What is missing in a person that has lactose intolerance?

Lactase

What is the minimum amount of carbohydrate that should be eaten each day?

130 grams per day

What is the recommendation for added sugars?

Eat no more than 10% of total calories

What are three artificial sweeteners?

• Saccharin → Sweet’N Low

• Aspartame → Equal, NutraSweet

• Sucralose → Splenda

What is the liver’s involvement in blood glucose regulation?

Regulates glucose that enters the bloodstream

What is the pancreas’ involvement in blood glucose regulation?

• Release of insulin

• Release of glucagon

What is insulin’s role?

• Acts as a key to allow glucose to enter cell

• Helps body lower glucose levels to normal range

• Insulin = glucose into cell, out of bloodstream

What is glucagon’s role?

• Tells liver to release some of the stored glucose & put it back into the blood

• Helps raise glucose levels to normal range

• Glucagon = out of cell, into bloodstream

What type of diabetes is more common?

Type 2

What type of diabetes is autoimmune?

Type 1

What type of diabetes is it required to take insulin as a medication?

Type 1

What are the main differences between Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes?

• Type 1

  • Immune system attack of pancreas

  • No keys

• Type 2

  • Insulin resistance

  • Key doesn’t fit

What is insulin resistance? Is it associated with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes?

• Making plenty of insulin but insulin doesn’t match with insulin receptor — cells just not using it right

• Slow process

• Associated with Type 2

What food groups (carbs, proteins, fats) raise blood sugars the most?

• Carbohydrates

• Most to least: carbs → protein → fat