Nutrition Basics and Terminology Module 1 1 The

Nutrition Basics and Terminology Module 1. 1

The Field of Nutrition is: • Study of foods and nutrients http: //lancaster. unl. edu/food/images_fo odref/group_all_colors 300. gif • Chemical components of foods • Food interactions in the body • Food influences on health and disease • Involves many fields of scientific study: chemistry, physics, genetics, psychology, economics, philosophy, biology, epidemiology, agriculture, ethics

Molecules to Cells to Organisms in the Order of Life

Terminology Diet: The kind amount of food consumed each day. Food: Anything that nourishes the body. Nutrition: The study of how food keeps us nourished (alive). – ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation, and excretion of food. Nutritional Sciences: study of dietary components/metabolism. • Nutrient: Molecular substances that provide nourishment to cells- components of the human organism. – Essential: body unable to make certain nutrients, therefore must be consumed in food substances. Without an intake, specific deficiency signs and symptom occur. – Nonessential: body is able to generate these nutrients. Lack of intake would not cause nutritional deficiency • Energy Producing: A substance that can produce calories when metabolized by the body. (Ex: fruits, vegetables, meats) • Non-Energy Producing: Does not provide calories but has other important functions (Ex: vitamins and minerals, water)

What Nutrients Do: • Regulate body processes – All the reactions that occur in the body are called metabolism. • Nutrients speed up or slow down metabolic reactions – Ex: enzymes made of proteins • The proper regulation of metabolism is called homeostasis. – Water helps to regulate temperature. – Lipids and proteins regulate release and function of hormones • Form and maintain the shape and structure of the body. – Proteins form ligaments and tendons that hold bones together and attach muscles to bones. – At the cellular level, lipids and proteins make up the membranes that surround cells. – Provide cellular structure of the skin, bones, muscles – Integral component of the immune function (antibodies) – Function as protective mechanisms (fat-shock absorption)

Food and Energy • All living things abide by the laws of energy and thermodynamics. These laws conclude that energy is neither created nor destroyed but can only be transferred from one form to another. • Energy is transferred via nutrition from one substance (food) to the human body in order to sustain life. • In essence, we eat to live not live to eat! • Energy producing nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) are used to produce the chemical called ATP (ATP = Adenosine Tri. Phosphate) by the addition of a phosphate group to ADP. • The enormous amount of activity that occurs inside each of the approximately one hundred trillion human cells is shown by the fact that at any instant each cell contains about one billion ATP molecules. This amount is sufficient for that cell’s needs for only a few minutes and must be rapidly recycled. For each ATP “the terminal phosphate is added and removed 3 times each minute.

The Six Categories of Nutrients are divided into two categories: 1. Energy Producing Nutrients (Macronutrients) – Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins – Energy producing nutrients provide Calories • The kilocalorie is used in dietetics for stating the heat content of a food --the amount of heat energy that the food can yield as it passes through the body; in this context, the kilocalorie is usually called simply the calorie – Calorie = The unit used to measure energy - the capacity to do work » amount of heat energy required to raise one kilogram of water one degree Celsius (C) from 36 o-37 o. C (actually a kilocalorie, Kcal or Calorie denoted with a capitol “C”). 2. Essential Non-caloric Nutrients – Vitamins & Minerals (Micronutrients) – Water

Bomb Calorimeter • Used in measuring the heat of combustion of a particular reaction. • Electrical energy is used to ignite the fuel; as the fuel is burning, it will heat up the surrounding air, which expands and escapes through a tube that leads the air out of the calorimeter. Animation: https: //highered. mheducation. com/sites/9834 092339/student_view 0/chapter 48/bomb_calor imeter. html • When the air is escaping through the copper tube it will also heat up the water outside the tube. The change in temperature of the water allows for calculating calorie content of the fuel.

Caloric Nutrients and calories they provide for energy § Carbohydrate provides 4 calories per gram § High Performance Fuel- most efficient for ATP synthesis § Protein provides 4 calories per gram § the building blocks for growth and repair § only use for energy under intense stress § produce toxic substances when metabolized (ammonia-urea) § Fat provides 9 calories per gram § Low Level Fuel - very slow to produce ATP § Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram § No nutrient value; very toxic to the body § The term "essential" means that if you remove an essential nutrient from your diet, there will be a deficiency that causes health problems. Alcohol would not fall under the category of an essential nutrient because not having it in your diet does not lead to any sort of deficiency.

Non-caloric Nutrients • No ability to generate ATP • No calorie value • Some non-caloric nutrients are essential for the body • Physiological failure or death occurs if the nutrient is withheld from the diet • Examples: • Minerals • Iron oxygen transport • Calcium – bone health, blood clotting, muscle contractions • Vitamins – Vitamin A- Retinal essential for night vision – Niacin – essential component for electron carriers to produce ATP

Nutrient Density 1 Large Potato vs 1 Small Order Fast Food Fries, both 210 Calories Values shown are % DRI for a moderately active adult woman • Food necessary for sustaining life. • The relationship between calories and nutrients is termed nutrient density: Refers to the amount of nutrients provided relative to the number of calories. Foods with high nutrient density are nutritious (potato) unlike lower density foods (fries)

Characteristics of a Sound Diet Calorie Control: An appropriate amount of calories are eaten to maintain a healthy body weight. Adequacy: Essential nutrients, fiber, and energy (calories) are present in the diet. Balance: Food types complement one another in the diet. Not any one nutrient or food type is overbearing. Moderation: The diet does not contain an excess of unwanted substances. Variety: Different foods used for the same purpose in the diet. • Result of a sound diet: – Health: The state of complete physical, mental, and social well -being; not just the absence of infirmity. • Result of a poor diet: – Malnutrition: Impairment of health resulting from deficiency, toxicity, or imbalance of nutrient intake or body utilization (includes over-nutrition and under-nutrition).

Empty Calories • Empty-calorie foods: a phrase used to indicate that a food supplies calories but negligible or few nutrients • Research indicates direct link between sugar and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hyperactivity in children or criminal behavior. • Sugars in milk and fruits not the same as concentrated refined sugar foods: table sugar, honey, and corn syrup. Concentrated sugars should be used in moderation. • .

Diet and Health: Over-nutrition Under-nutrition Nutrigenonmics - study of how diet affects genes and how gene variation impacts the affect of nutrients on individual health Copyright 2010, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Factors Affecting Health and Longevity Healthy lifestyle behaviors promote health, & unhealthy lifestyle behaviors promote disease. Absence of disease does not necessarily indicate an individual is healthy. Diet • Poor diets can lead to degenerative diseases/conditions such as: – cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, & obesity. Exercise (physical activity) • Positively influences body weight/composition, metabolism, bone density, cognitive function, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and the cardiovascular system. Recommendation: 60 minutes per day. Other Factors • Smoking / tobacco use leading contributor of American deaths • Habits (lack of sleep, alcohol & drug use, unsafe sex) • Chance (accidents) • Genetics

Deaths per 100, 000 Leading Causes of Death Diet Related Alcohol Related Non-Diet Related

Factors Affecting Food Choices 1. Hunger: The Physiological need for food. The physical body sends signals indicating a need for food. 2. Satiety: The Physiological feedback mechanisms that terminate food intake. 3. Appetite: The Psychological desire for food. The brain sends signals indicating a desire for food because of sensory input like seeing, smelling, or thinking about food. 4. Personal Preferences: Individual food likes and dislikes 5. Availability: Food supply, geographical area, climate, soil. 6. Social Factors: Family, friends, holidays, celebrations, etc. 7. Cultural Traditions: Beliefs, values, customs. – Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, 7 th Day Adventist 8. Economics: Social status and income. 9. Advertising: TV, radio, magazines, newspaper. 10. Other: Habits, feelings, knowledge, etc.

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