Nutrition Unit
Lesson 2

 The study of what people eat and of eating habits and how these affect health status
 Nutrient = substance in food that helps with the body processes, growth and repair of cells, and provides energy.
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Calorie : unit of energy produced by food; used by the body

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 Needed for:
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Growth
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To build, repair, and maintain body tissues
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Regulate body processes
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Supply energy
 Help body maintain strength; resist infection
 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
 Protein deficiency may stunt growth or affect tissue and mental development
 Excess protein is stored as fat or burned as energy

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Two kinds:
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Complete protein – contains all essential amino acids
 Amino acids = building blocks of protein
 Examples: meat, fish, poultry, milk, yogurt, eggs
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Incomplete protein – from plant sources that does not contain all of the essential amino acids
 Examples: grains, legumes, nuts and seeds

 Main source of energy for the body
 Includes sugars, starches, and fiber
 Supply 4 grams of energy per gram of food
 Excess carbs are stored as fat
 Includes:
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Vegetables, beans, potatoes, pasta, breads, rice, bran, popcorn, and fruit

 Two types:
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Simple carbohydrates – sugars that enter the bloodstream rapidly; provide quick energy
 Examples: fruits, honey, milk, processed sugar, cakes, candy, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and soda pop
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 Provide calories, but few vitamins and minerals
Complex carbohydrates – starches and fiber
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Most of the calories in diet are complex carbs
Examples: grains (breads/pasta), vegetables
 Starch: food substance made and stored in plants – provide long-lasting energy

 Fiber
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Part of grains and plant foods that cannot be digested – also called roughage
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Helps move food through digestive system
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Helps prevent constipation and other intestinal problems
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Foods with fiber make you feel full
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Reduces blood cholesterol level and risk of developing heart disease
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Includes wheat, bran, cereals, fruit, and vegetables

 Provides energy; helps body store and use vitamins
 One gram of fat = nine calories of energy
 Store and transport fat-soluble vitamins
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Fat-soluble vitamin – dissolves in fat; can be stored in the body (ex.: vitamins A, D, E, and K)
 Surround and cushion internal organs
 Give taste and texture to food
 Need fat to maintain body heat, store and use vitamins, maintain energy reserve, build brain cells/nerve tissues

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Two Types
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Saturated fat – comes from dairy products, solid vegetable fat, and meat and poultry
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Usually solid in form
Contribute to person’s cholesterol in blood
 Cholesterol = fat-like substance made by the body and found in certain foods
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 Can be lowered by eating fewer saturated fats
(healthy levels lower the risk of heart disease and some cancers)
Unsaturated fat – obtained from plant products and fish
 Usually liquid
 Polyunsaturated fat – sunflower, corn, and soybean oils
 Monounsaturated fat – olive and canola oils

 Helps body use carbs, proteins, and fats
 Two types:
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Fat-soluble (A, D, E, and K)
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Water-soluble – dissolves in water; cannot be stored by the body in significant amounts
 Examples: B complex, C

 Regulates chemical reactions in the body
 Two types:
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Macro : required in amounts greater than 100 milligrams
 Examples – calcium, sodium
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Trace : needed in very small amounts; just as important as macro minerals
 Examples – iron, zinc

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Involved with all body processes, makes up basic part of blood, regulates body temperature, helps waste removal, cushions spinal cord and joints
Makes up approx. 70% of body mass
Can survive only a few days without water
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Dehydration : water content of body has dropped to an extremely low level
 Caused by a lack of water intake, dry environment, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, hot weather, exercise
Important to drink 6-8 12 oz. or more glasses of water a day
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Don’t substitute pop and caffeinated drinks – act as diuretics (product that increases the amount of urine excreted)

 Dizziness
 Fatigue
 Weakness
 Dry mouth
 Flushed skin
 Headache
 Blurred vision
 Difficulty swallowing
 Dry, hot skin
 Rapid pulse
 Frequent need to urinate