Chapter 30
Basic Nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the study of nutrients and how the body utilizes the nutrients in food.
Nutrients are substances needed for growth, maintenance, and repair of the body.
Essential nutrients
Macronutrients
Micronutrients
MyPlate guidelines provides practical health, activity, and nutritional guidance for the client.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/about
Dietary References and Terminology
Dietary reference intakes (DRIs)
Recommended dietary allowances (RDAs)
Adequate intake (AI)
Tolerable upper intake level (UL)
Estimated average requirement (EAR)
Food Pattern and Food Group Terms
Daily food intake pattern
Estimated energy requirement (EER)
Discretionary calorie allowance
Nutrient-dense foods
Ounce equivalent
Kilocalories and Energy
Kilocalorie (kcal)
Unit of measurement that specifies the heat energy in a particular amount of food
Amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water 1°C
Amount of calories a healthy individual needs depends on age, sex, weight, body composition, and
activity level.
Resting energy expenditure (REE)
Total calories needed to maintain body processes
Kilocalories and Energy (cont’d)
Empty calories
Foods that supply calories with few or no nutrients (candy, soft drinks, alcohol, and sugar)
Activity levels
Sedentary
Light intensity
Moderate physical activity
Vigorous physical activity
Enzymes
Enzymes
They are biologic catalysts made of proteins.
Each will catalyze only one specific reaction.
Each works best in a particular pH and temperature.
A major area of enzyme action is digestion
What are Enzymes and How Do they work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTQybDgweiE
Question
Is the following statement true or false?
The body generally cannot survive sustained high temperatures.
Answer
True
Thousands of chemical reactions occur daily in the body. Without enzymes, these reactions would take
much more time and use excessive energy.
Each enzyme works best in a particular pH and temperature. Temperatures greater than 106°F (41°C)
destroy most enzymes; thus, the body generally cannot survive sustained high temperatures.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (CHO) are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Functions
Provide energy and fiber; spare protein
Glucose is the body’s major source of energy.
The end products of carbohydrate digestion are glucose, fructose, and galactose.
The liver converts fructose and galactose to glucose, which can be used for immediate energy or stored
in the liver and muscle as glycogen.
Simple and Carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates
Monosaccharides: Glucose, fructose, galactose
Disaccharides: Sucrose, lactose, maltose
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates
Polysaccharides are made of long chains of many sugar molecules
Starch, dextrin, fructans, glycogen, and fiber
Fats
Fats are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
The body stores fat in the form of triglycerides.
Functions
Provide energy, maintain the function and integrity of capillaries and cell membranes, protect major
organs from injury, insulates the body from extreme temperatures, dietary fat provides satiety,
precursor of the hormones known as prostaglandins
Visible fat
Invisible fat
Fats (cont’d)
Unsaturated fatty acids
Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs)
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
Saturated fatty acids
Trans fatty acids or trans fats
Hydrogenated fats
Oils
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is found only in animal tissues.
The body needs cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids.
High-density lipoproteins (HDL)—the “good cholesterol”
Lowers serum cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL)—the “bad cholesterol”
Implicated in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease
Protein
Proteins are made up of amino acids, which consist of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Functions
Produce and repair all major body constituents
Help maintain the body’s fluid balance and acid–base balance
Key component of the body’s immune system
Can be converted to glucose and burned for energy
Pepsin breaks down protein into polypeptides.
Proteins (cont’d)
Proteins are complex molecules composed of at least 100 individual units known as amino acids.
Essential amino acids must be consumed through diet.
Nonessential amino acids can be synthesized by the body.
Complete proteins provide all essential amino acids in sufficient quantities and proportions for growth
and maintenance.
Incomplete proteins lack sufficient amounts of one or more essential amino acids.
Question
Is the following statement true or false?
A strict vegetarian diet lacks amino acids.
Answer
False
Plant proteins are generally considered incomplete, although the actual quality of protein varies
considerably among different plant sources.
By eating a variety of plant proteins over the course of the day, a person can obtain all essential amino
acids.
Water
About 60% of an adult’s body weight is water.
Every adult loses about 2.5 quarts of water per day by perspiring, urinating, and exhaling. To maintain
fluid balance in body cells, lost fluid must be replaced.
Water is
A large percentage of cellular makeup
One of the blood’s essential components
The solvent in which vital chemical changes occur
Necessary for controlling body temperature
Minerals
Minerals are vital for building bones and teeth, maintaining muscle tone, regulating body processes, and
maintaining acid–base balance.
Electrolytes consist of minerals in the form of salts, acids, and bases.
Sodium (Na) is the major ion in extracellular fluids.
Potassium (K) is the major ion in intracellular fluid.
Chloride (Cl) is needed for the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Minerals (cont’d)
Magnesium (Mg) has many functions, including bone formation and maintenance of homeostasis.
Calcium (Ca) is present in the bones and teeth. It helps blood clot, maintains body fluids balanced, and
regulates heart and other muscle activity and nerve responses.
Phosphorus (P) is present in every body cell. It helps the cells use carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and
regulates acid–base balance. It is also important for normal nerve and muscle functioning.
Question
Is the following statement true or false?
Populations who have a high intake of sodium are at greater risk for hypertension and cardiovascular
disease.
Answer
True
High sodium intake may also increase the risk of osteoporosis by promoting increased urinary calcium
excretion.
Although meat, milk, and some vegetables provide sodium, the major portion of consumed sodium may
come from processed and convenience or “fast” foods.
Trace Minerals
Trace minerals are needed by the body in very small amounts.
Important minerals include
Iron (Fe), iodine (I), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu)
The following trace minerals may be essential for humans in very small amounts: arsenic, boron,
bromine, cadmium, fluorine, lead, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, tin, and vanadium.
Vitamins
The word “vitamin” signifies the importance of vitamins to humans.
Vitamins consist of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and sometimes nitrogen or other elements.
They are organic substances; they can be converted to other forms and are susceptible to oxidation and
destruction.
Most vitamins work in the form of a coenzyme that promotes the action of enzymes.
Vitamins are an essential component of a healthy diet.
Vitamins (cont’d)
Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Water-soluble vitamins include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, pantothenic
acid, biotin, and vitamin C.
Foods are the natural sources of vitamins and should supply daily vitamin needs.
Question
Which vitamin is also referred to as ascorbic acid?
a. Vitamin A
b. Vitamin B2
c. Vitamin C
d. Vitamin D
e. Vitamin E
Answer
c. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is referred to as ascorbic acid.
Vitamin A is also known as retinol. Vitamin B2 is referred to as Riboflavin. Calciferol or vitamin D is a
group of sterols. Vitamin E is referred to as alpha-tocopherol.
Prebiotics and Probiotics
Prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients that selectively feed probiotic bacteria.
Resistant starch found in raw potatoes and unripe fruit, such as bananas.
Probiotics are healthy live bacteria.
Sources include Kefir, yogurt, and cheeses.
Together, prebiotics and probiotics work to maintain a healthy digestive system and may boost immune
function.
A Healthy Diet
A healthy diet
Provides an adequate amount of each essential nutrient needed to support growth and development,
perform physical activity, and maintain health
Satisfies a variety of personal, social, and cultural needs
Nutrition facts label
Helps the client understand nutrient content and to control the intake of specific nutrients
A Healthy Diet (cont’d)
Diet planning
Nutrient density, as well as caloric density, becomes increasingly important for those with diminished
appetites.
Nutritional problems
Overnutrition
Diet imbalance
Health and Body Weight
Body mass index (BMI)
Measures weight in relation to height
Obesity
Excessive amount of fat on the body
Malnutrition
Too little of one or more nutrients
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/downloads/tip-portion-size.pdf
Nutrition Across the Lifespan
Pregnancy
Adequate intake of protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and folic acid is especially important.
Calorie needs generally need to be increased by only 300 kcal/day during the second and third trimester.
Nutrition Across the Lifespan (cont’d)
Infants
Breast milk provides all essential nutrients in optimal amounts in a form that the infant can easily digest.
Infant formulas resemble breast milk, although they do not contain docosahexaenoic acid, which
promotes cognitive brain development.
Childhood
Fat is an important energy source for children because they have small stomachs and high energy needs.
Nutrition Across the Lifespan (cont’d)
Adolescence
The teenager needs extra food to meet the needs of growth and body development.
An iron-rich diet can help to prevent iron deficiency that may be a problem for girls after the onset of
menses and in boys during their growth spurt.
Nutrition Across the Lifespan (cont’d)
Early and middle adulthood
Beginning in young adulthood, muscle and bone mass decline and the proportion of fat increases. This
results in a decrease in calorie requirements.
Older adults
Have a decreased ability to differentiate tastes, especially salts and sugars. Some compensate for this
loss by increasing their intake of salts and sugar.
Too much salt can promote hypertension. Too much sugar can lead to weight gain and obesity.
Food for Thought
Eat Clean…(No processed Foods, Soda, or Fast Food)
Fill your plate ½ full of fruits and veges, whole grains, and lean or vege protein.
Teach your family, friends, and patients how to eat clean!
Everyone should view “Fed Up” a documentary by Katie Couric about our food and obesity crisis in the
US.