NUTRITION & NUTRIENTS
What is Nutrition
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Nutrition is the science or study of food and the ways
in which the body uses food, how and why we make
food choices, and the study of the nutrients foods
contain.
Nutrients are substances in food that provide energy
or help form body tissues and are necessary for life
and growth.
Six Classes of Nutrients
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There are 6 classes of
nutrients
 Carbohydrates
 Fats
 Proteins
 Vitamins
 Minerals
 Water
What are Carbohydrates?
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What are carbohydrates?
Your body uses carbohydrates (carbs) to make
glucose which is the fuel that gives you energy and
helps keep everything going.
Your body can use glucose immediately or store it in
your liver and muscles for when it is needed.
What are Carbohydrates

You can find carbohydrates in the following:
Fruits (Fructose, the sugar in fruits)
 Vegetables
 Breads, cereals, and other grains (Sucrose and Fiber or
other starches)
 Milk and milk products (Galactose)
 Foods containing added sugars (Sucrose) [e.g., cakes,
cookies, and sugar-sweetened beverages].
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What are the types of carbohydrates?
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There are two basic types of carbohydrates:
 Complex
carbohydrates
 Starches
 Fiber
 Simple
carbohydrates
 Sugars
I've heard there are "good" carbs and
"bad" carbs?
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Some diet books use "bad" carbs to talk about foods with
refined carbohydrates (i.e., meaning they're made from white
flour and added sugars).
Examples include white bread, cakes, and cookies.
"Good" carbs is used to describe foods that have more fiber
and complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are
carbohydrates that take longer to break down into glucose;
such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.
Simple Carbohydrates

Sugar – simple form of carbohydrates
Sugar provides energy to the cells (even cancer cells)
 A single-unit sugar is called glucose
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Simple carbohydrates include sugars found naturally in
foods such as fruits, vegetables milk, and milk products.
Simple carbohydrates also include sugars added during
food processing and refining.
What's the difference? In general, foods with added
sugars have fewer nutrients than foods with naturallyoccurring sugars.
Complex Carbohydrates

Starches – complex carbohydrates made up of many sugars that are
connected together.
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Starch eaten in food is broken down by the body into sugars that will then
be used by the body.
Starch must be broken down through digestion before your body can
use it as a glucose source.
Glycogen – the body’s “quick energy reserve”
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If you consume more carbohydrates than your body needs it will be stored
as glycogen.
If glycogen stores become full, the body will then convert carbohydrates to
fat
Complex Carbohydrates

Fiber – an indigestible complex carb that cannot be
used for energy. Its role is to help move waste through
the digestive system and prevent intestinal problems.
Very important for one’s health, keeps intestines healthy
 Soluble and Insoluble fiber

Dietary Fiber
Soluble fibers

Soluble fibers attract water and
form a gel, which slows down
digestion. Soluble fiber delays the
emptying of your stomach and
makes you feel full, which helps
control weight. Soluble fibers can
also help lower LDL (“bad”) blood
cholesterol, which can lower your
chance of heart disease.
Insoluble fibers

Insoluble fibers are considered
gut-healthy fiber because they
have a laxative effect and add
bulk to the diet, helping prevent
constipation. These fibers do not
dissolve in water, so they pass
through the gastrointestinal tract
relatively intact, and speed up the
passage of food and waste
through your gut. Insoluble fibers
are mainly found in whole grains
and vegetables.
Dietary Fiber
Soluble fiber is found in the
following:
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Oatmeal
Oat bran
Nuts and seeds
Most fruits (e.g.,
strawberries,
blueberries, pears, and
apples)
Dry beans and peas
Insoluble fiber found in the
following:
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Whole wheat bread
Barley
Brown rice
Couscous
Bulgur or whole grain cereals
Wheat bran
Seeds
Most vegetables
Fruits
Dietary Fiber

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To meet the
recommendations for fiber,
most people need to
increase the consumption of
beans, peas other
vegetable, fruits and whole
grains, and other foods
with naturally occurring
fiber.
It's recommended that you
get 14 grams of dietary
fiber for every 1,000
calories that you consume
each day
Whole Grains

Whole grains are a good source of fiber and nutrients. Whole grains refer
to grains that have all of the parts of the grain seed (sometimes called the
kernel). These parts of the kernel are called the bran, the germ, and the
endosperm.
Whole Grains
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When whole grains are processed, some of the dietary
fiber and other important nutrients are removed. A
processed grain is called a "refined" grain.
Some refined grain products have key nutrients, such as
folic acid and iron, which were removed during the
initial processing and added back. These are called
enriched grains. White rice and white bread are
enriched grain products.
Some enriched grain foods have extra nutrients added.
These are called fortified grains.
How can I avoid added sugars?
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One way to avoid these
sugars is to read the
ingredient lists on food labels.
Look for these ingredients as
added sugars:
If you see any of these in the
ingredient list, you know the
food has added sugars. The
closer to the top of the list, the
more of that sugar is in the
food.
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Brown sugar
Corn sweetener
Corn syrup
Dextrose
Fructose
Fruit juice
concentrates
Glucose
High-fructose
corn syrup
Honey
Invert sugar
Lactose
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Maltose
Malt Syrup
Molasses
Raw sugar
Sucrose
Sugar
Syrup
Proteins

Proteins are nutrients that help build and maintain
body cells and tissues.
 Proteins
are made of long chains of substances called
amino acids.
 The body can manufacture all but 9 of the 20 different
amino acids that make up proteins.
 The 9 that your body can’t make are called essential
amino acids – you must get them from the food you eat.
Proteins

The proteins in food are classified into two groups,
complete and incomplete proteins.
 Complete
proteins – contain adequate amounts of all 9
essential amino acids
 Found
in animal products (fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk,
cheese, and yogurt) and soybean products
 Incomplete
proteins - lack one or more of the essential
amino acids
 Found
in beans, peas, nuts, and whole grains
 Consuming a combination of these proteins is equivalent to
consuming a complete protein.
Proteins

Protein’s role in the body:
 During
major growth periods (infancy, childhood,
adolescence, and pregnancy) the body builds new cells
and tissues from the amino acids in proteins.
 The body replaces damaged or worn-out cells by
making new ones from proteins.
 The body uses proteins to make enzymes, hormones,
and antibodies.
 If you consume more protein than needed, the body will
store it as fat.
Fats
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Some fat is necessary for good health.
Fats are a type of lipid – a fatty substance that
does not dissolve in water.
 The
building blocks of fats are called fatty acids,
molecules made of long chains of carbon atoms, with
pairs of hydrogen atoms and single oxygen atoms
attached.
 Fatty acids that the body needs, but cannot produce,
are called essential fatty acids.
Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Depending on their chemical composition, fatty
acids are classified as either saturated or
unsaturated.
 Saturated
fatty acids hold all the hydrogen atoms it
can (therefore its saturated in hydrogen!)
 Fats high in saturated fatty acids are usually solid at
room temperature.
 Ex.
Animal fats and tropical oils (beef, pork, egg yolks, palm
oil, coconut oil.
Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids

An unsaturated fatty acid has at least one
unsaturated bond – a place where hydrogen can be
added to the molecule.
 Unsaturated
fats are usually liquid (oils) at room
temperature.
 Ex. Include most vegetable fats (olive, canola, soybean,
corn, and cottonseed oils)
 Unsaturated fats have been associated with a reduced
risk of heart disease.
The Role of Fats
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Besides providing a concentrated form of energy,
fats are essential for other important health
functions.
 They
transport vitamins A, D, E, and K in your blood
 Foods that are high in fats also tend to be high in
calories, consuming an excess amount of fat increases
your risk of unhealthful weight gain and obesity.
The Role of Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that circulates in
blood.
 Your
body uses a small amount to make cell
membranes, nerve tissues, and produce many hormones,
Vitamin D, and bile.
 Excess blood cholesterol is deposited in the arteries.
 This
includes the arteries of the heart and can increase the
risk of heart disease.
The Role of Cholesterol

High cholesterol may be hereditary, and cholesterol
levels tend to rise with age.
 Although
hereditary and age are out of your control,
you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease
by eating a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol.
 A high intake of saturated fats is linked to increased
cholesterol production.
 Dietary cholesterol is found only in animal products such
as egg yolks, meats, and high fat milk products.
Vitamins
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Vitamins are compounds that help regulate many
vital body processes, including the digestion,
absorption, and metabolism of other nutrients.
Vitamins are classified as either fat-soluble or
water-soluble.
Vitamins

Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and pass
easily into the blood during digestion.
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The body doesn’t store these vitamins, so you need to
replenish tem regularly through the foods you eat.\
Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed, stored, and
transported in fat.
Your body stores these vitamins in your fatty tissue, liver, and
kidneys.
 Excess buildup of these vitamins in your body can be toxic.
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Water-Soluble Vitamins
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Vitamin C
Protects against infection, helps heal wounds, helps form
connective tissue, promotes healthy teeth and gums.
 Found in citrus fruits, cantaloupe, tomatoes, broccoli,
potatoes, and peppers
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B Vitamins
Produce energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and
necessary for production of red blood cells
 Found in animal products, whole-grains, fish, and many
vegetables
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Fat-Soluble Vitamins
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Vitamin A
 Maintains
skin tissue, promotes use of calcium in bone
formation, helps eyes adjust to darkness, keeps eyes
moist.
 Found in dairy products, green vegetables, carrots, and
deep orange fruits
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Vitamin D
 Promotes
use of calcium, essential for normal bone and
tooth development
 Milk, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, produced in skin
exposed to sunlight
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
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Vitamin E
 Believed
to help in oxygen transport, slow down effects
of aging, and protect against destruction of red blood
cells.
 Found in vegetable oils, apples, peaches, nectarines,
nuts, seeds, whole wheat.
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Vitamin K
 Essential
for blood clotting, assists in regulating blood
calcium levels.
 Found in spinach, broccoli, eggs, tomatoes.
Minerals

Minerals are substances that the body cannot
manufacture but that are needed for forming
healthy bones and teeth and for regulating many
vital body processes.
Minerals
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Calcium
 The
building material of bones and teeth (skeleton
contains 99% of body calcium), regulates several body
functions (heart muscle contraction, blood clotting)
 Found in dairy products and leafy greens
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Phosphorus
 Combines
with calcium to give rigidity to bones and
teeth, essential in cell metabolism.
 Found in most dairy products, peas, beans, fish, poultry,
broccoli, and whole grains.
Minerals
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Magnesium
 Aids
in bone growth and muscle contraction
 Found in whole grains, milk, dark green leafy
vegetable, legumes, and nuts.
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Iron
 Helps
carry red blood cells throughout body, important
for use of energy in cells, and for resistance to infection
 Found in red meats, shellfish, peanuts, dried fruits, egg
yolks, liver, fortified breakfast cereals.