Comprehensive Notes on Nutrition Basics

Nutrition and You

Defining Nutrition, Health, and Disease

  • Nutrition: Encompasses all processes related to how organisms obtain, metabolize, and utilize nutrients to sustain life.
  • Nutritional Science: Investigates how organisms are nourished and the effects of nourishment on personal, population, and planetary health.
  • Health: A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease.
  • Disease: Any abnormal condition affecting the health of an organism, characterized by specific signs and symptoms.
  • Health Promotion: Activities and habits, such as physical activity, healthy sleep, and diet, that promote health.
  • Disease Prevention: Activities and habits, such as physical activity, healthy sleep, and diet, that prevent disease.

What Are Nutrients?

  • Nutrient: A substance required by the body, obtained from the diet.
  • Macronutrients: Needed in large amounts.
    • Carbohydrates: Organic molecules of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, including simple and complex sugars.
    • Lipids: Organic compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, insoluble in water; includes triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols.
    • Proteins: Macromolecules of amino acid chains composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
    • Water: Composed of hydrogen and oxygen; vital for life.
  • Micronutrients: Needed in smaller amounts.
    • Minerals: Solid, inorganic substances forming crystals, classified as trace or macro.
    • Vitamins: Non-caloric substances, water- or fat-soluble, acting as enzymes or co-enzymes.
Vitamins and Their Major Functions
  • Water-Soluble Vitamins:
    • B1 (Thiamine): Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance
    • B2 (Riboflavin): Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance
    • B3 (Niacin): Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance
    • B5 (Pantothenic Acid): Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance
    • B6 (Pyridoxine): Coenzyme, amino acid synthesis assistance
    • Biotin: Coenzyme
    • Folate: Coenzyme, essential for growth
    • B12 (Cobalamin): Coenzyme, red blood cell synthesis
    • C: Collagen synthesis, antioxidant
  • Fat-Soluble Vitamins:
    • A: Vision, reproduction, immune system function
    • D: Bone and teeth health maintenance, immune system function
    • E: Antioxidant, cell membrane protection
    • K: Bone and teeth health maintenance, blood clotting
Minerals and Their Major Functions
  • Macro Minerals:
    • Sodium: Fluid balance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction
    • Chloride: Fluid balance, stomach acid production
    • Potassium: Fluid balance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction
    • Calcium: Bone/teeth health, nerve transmission, muscle contraction, blood clotting
    • Phosphorus: Bone/teeth health, acid-base balance
    • Magnesium: Protein production, nerve transmission, muscle contraction
    • Sulfur: Protein production
  • Trace Minerals:
    • Iron: Carries oxygen, assists in energy production
    • Zinc: Protein/DNA production, wound healing, growth, immune function
    • Iodine: Thyroid hormone production, growth, metabolism
    • Selenium: Antioxidant
    • Copper: Coenzyme, iron metabolism
    • Manganese: Coenzyme
    • Fluoride: Bone/teeth health, tooth decay prevention
    • Chromium: Assists insulin in glucose metabolism
    • Molybdenum: Coenzyme
Energy Yielding Nutrients
  • Carbohydrates, lipids, and protein are metabolized into energy.
  • Calorie: Unit of measurement for food energy.
    • 1 gram of carbohydrates = 44 calories.
    • 1 gram of lipid = 99 calories.
    • 1 gram of protein = 44 calories.

The Broad Role of Nutritional Science

  • Scientific Method: Organized process of inquiry.
    • Observation
    • Hypothesis
    • Testing
    • Evaluating results
    • Gathering evidence
    • Conclusion
  • Types of Scientific Studies:
    • Epidemiological Studies: Define frequency, distribution, and patterns of health events in a population.
    • Randomized Clinical Trials: Manipulate variables between groups.
    • Laboratory Studies: Conducted on animals or cells.

Health Factors and Their Impact

  • Genetics: Inherited traits, including disease risks.
    • Nutrigenomics: Studies how nutrients affect gene expression and how genes affect nutritional requirements.
    • Epigenetics: Studies how non-gene factors affect gene expression.
  • Life Cycle: Stages of life from birth to death.
  • Environment:
    • Socioeconomic Status: Social standing based on income, occupation, and education.
  • Lifestyle:
    • Dietary habits
    • Physical activity level
    • Recreational drug and alcohol use
    • Sleeping patterns
  • Personal Choices:
    • Economics: Access to healthy food
    • Social: Peer pressure
    • Cultural: Cultural influences on food perception
    • Geography: Location influences choices
    • Emotional: Emotional issues affecting eating habits
    • Taste, texture, and appearance
    • Early food experiences
    • Habits
    • Advertising
    • Health concerns
    • Food/sustainability choices

Assessing Personal Health

  • Personal Health Assessment Includes:
    • Physical exam
    • Blood work
    • Hearing and eye exams
    • BMI
    • Fitness
    • Diet (food journal, MyPlate.gov)
  • Steps to Take Charge:
    1. Track personal health.
    2. Assess diet.
    3. Research family medical history.
    4. Assess lifestyle.
    5. Start living healthier.

A Fresh Perspective: Sustainable Food Systems

  • Sustainable Food System: Meets current needs without negatively impacting the environment for future generations.
    • Attributes: Availability, accessibility, affordability, humane practices, and justice.
  • Solutions for Change:
    • Eat a “low-carbon diet.”
    • Join a community-based farmers’ market.
    • Have a garden at home.
    • Compost waste.
    • Buy local food.
    • Waste less food.
    • Pool resources.
    • Drink tap water.
    • Choose less packaging.
    • Support state initiatives and small businesses.
    • Request nutritional fact labels when dining out.