food nutrition and health

• Mineral: Calcium

  • 700mg
  • function: ensure good bone and tooth health, bones able to reach peak bone mass growth in children, clot blood after injury, promotes nerves and muscles to work properly
  • sources: milk, dairy, green leafy veg
  • excess: rare but can stop kidneys working
  • deficiency: rickets in children, osteoporosis in adults
  • works with phosphorus and vitamin D
• Mineral: Iron

  • 11mg boys, 15mg girls
  • function: supports production of haemoglobin, required to absorb vitamin C
  • sources: red meat, lentils, egg yolk, green leafy veg, chocolate
  • excess: stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, constipation
  • deficiency: anaemia
  • haem iron: easily absorbed
  • non-haem iron - difficult to absorb
• Mineral: Sodium

  • 6.5mg
  • function: maintains water balance, important for conduction of nerve impulse
  • sources: table salt, tinned foods, smoked cured meats
  • excess: high blood pressure, heart failure/ stroke, kidney damage
  • deficiency: muscle cramp, swelling
• Mineral: Fluoride

  • 3.5mg
  • function: build and strengthen tooth enamel
  • sources: saltwater fish, tea, toothpaste
  • excess: brittle tooth enamel
  • deficiency: tooth decay
  • added to drinking water 'fluoridation'
• Mineral: Iodine

  • 140mcg
  • function: build hormones in thyroid gland, controls metabolic rate
  • sources: seafood, red meat
  • excess: weight gain, change in metabolism
  • deficiency: swelling of thyroid - goitre
• Mineral: Phosphorus

  • 550mg
  • ensures proper bone and tooth health
  • sources: milk, dairy, bread, cereals
  • excess: tiredness, depression
  • deficiency: decalcification of bones, weak, brittle bones
  • works with calcium and vitamin D, essential for energy release
• Water

  • 2L a day
  • Functions: normal brain function, decrease risk of kidney problems, normal blood pressure, help bowel movements, regulate temperature and maintain hydration, make body fluids, remove toxins, provide important minerals
  • sources: drinking water, milk, tea, coffee
  • excess: toxic poisoning
  • deficiency: heat stroke, dehydration
  • people with increases water needs: active lifestyle, anyone suffering from vomiting or diarrhoea, lactating mothers, elderly,
  • lost by: breathing, body waste, sweating
• Vitamin A

  • beta-carotene - inactive form, found in plant foods
  • retinol - active form, found in animal-origin food
  • 600mcg
  • antioxidant
  • fat-soluble
  • functions: maintenance of normal vision and night vision, maintenance of skin and membranes, growth and development
  • sources: liver, whole milk, green leafy veg, carrots, margarine
  • excess: toxic, harmful to unborn babies
  • deficiency: night blindness, flaky dry sources
  • effects of cooking: loss of vitamins in heat, oxygen and light
• Vitamin D

  • 10mg
  • function: absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus, healthy bones and teeth
  • sources: sunlight exposure, oily fish, meat, eggs
  • excess: weakened bones, kidney damage
  • deficiency: osteoporosis, rickets, depression
• Vitamin E

  • 4mg
  • antioxidant
  • fat-soluble
  • functions: growth of baby in pregnancy, build sperm and red blood cells
  • sources: vegetable oils, seeds, nuts, egg yolk
  • excess: loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhoea
  • deficiency: anaemia, infertility, muscular dystrophy
• Vitamin K

  • 0.1mcg daily per kg body mass
  • fat-soluble
  • functions: normal clotting of blood, healing of wounds
  • sources: gut bacteria, green leafy vegetables, green tea
  • deficiency: bleeding, bruising
• Vitamin B1 (thiamin)

  • 1mg
  • function: release of energy from carbohydrates, nervous system function, normal growth in children
  • sources: eggs, dairy, meat, wholegrain products
  • deficiency: beri-beri
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

  • 15mg
  • function: energy release, healthy nervous system
  • sources: eggs, dairy, meat, wholegrain products
  • deficiency: skin problems, dry lips, poor growth
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

  • 15mg
  • release energy from carbohydrates
  • healthy skin and nerves
  • sources: meat, cereals, pulses
• Vitamin B9 (folate/ folic acid)

  • 200mcg
  • neural tube development in unborn babies
  • sources: green leafy veg, potatoes, beans and nuts
  • deficiency: spina bifida in newborns
• Vitamin B12

  • 1.5mcg
  • supports production of energy, build red blood cells
  • sources: meat, dairy, egg yolk, fish
  • deficiency: pernicious anaemia
• Vitamin C

  • 40mcg
  • antioxidant
  • functions: build connective tissues, healing of wounds, increase iron absorption
  • sources: potatoes, tomatoes, berries, currents, citrus fruits
  • excess: stomach pain, diarrhoea
  • deficiency: scurvy, impaired healing
• Proteins

  • 15% daily energy intake
  • functions: build enzymes and hormones, build cell membranes, repair and maintain tissues, defend the body, secondary source of energy
  • high biological value: meat, fish, dairy, eggs, soya, quinoa
  • low biological value: nuts, cereals, grains, beans, peas and lentils
  • excess: kidney and liver diseases
  • deficiency: kwashiorkor, slowing of growth rate, swelling
• Fats:

  • 35% of daily energy intake
  • functions: source of energy, insulation, dissolve vitamins, build hormones, build cell membranes
  • excess: obesity, hypertension, coronary heart disease, fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes
  • deficiency: weight loss, vitamin deficiency, heart disease, feeling cold
• Fats

  • Saturated: contain only single bonds, solid at room temperature. sources: meat, cheese, butter, cream
  • Unsaturated: contains one or more double bonds, liquid at room temperature. Monounsaturated: one double bond. Polyunsaturated: more than one double bond - Omega 3 in fish. sources: fish and fish oils, vegetable oils, spreads, avocados
• Cholesterol

  Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - 'bad' cholesterol

  High-density lipoprotein (HDL) - 'good' cholesterol
• Trans fats can be formed when oil goes through the process of hydrogenation to form a solid. This process occures as the molecules flip and rotate
• Carbohydrates

  • 50% of daily energy intake
  • functions: primary source of energy, store energy for later, build DNA
  • free sugar: sugar added to foods and sugar naturally present in honey and fruit juices. Should be no more than 5%.
  • intrinsic sugar: sugar naturally present in fruit and veg
  • excess: tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, weight gain and obesity, hyperglycaemia (very high blood sugar level)
  • deficiency: weight loss, lack of energy, tiredness, weakness, hypoglycaemia (very low blood sugar level)
• Carbohydrates - Sugars: Monosaccharides

  1. glucose - found in fruits, veg and muscles and liver cells
  2. Fructose - sweet sugar found in many fruits
  3. Galactose - less sweet, found in mammals' milk
• Carbohydrates - Sugars: Disaccharides

  1. Lactose - glucose and galactose
  2. Sucrose - glucose and fructose
  3. Maltose - glucose and glucose
• Carbohydrates: Polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates)

  • Digestible: Starch, Dextrin
  • Non-digestible (dietary fibre): Cellulose, Pectin
• Dietary fibre

  • Soluble: swells in stomach, slows down sugar ingestion and prevents high blood sugar levels
  • Insoluble: adds bulk to stool, regulates bowel movements, prevents bowel cancer
  • Sources: wholemeal products, fruit and veg, nuts, lentil and beans
  • excess: constipation or diarrhoea, impaired absorption of nutrients
  • deficiency: constipation or diarrhoea, increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, bowel cancer
• Lactose intolerance: common condition in which lactose cannot be digested, causing painful bloating, stomach pains, diarrhoea

  Lactose is a disaccharide present in milk.

  Milk and dairy should be avoided
• Coeliac disease

  • inborn disease characterised by intolerance to gluten causing inflammation and damage to intestines, impairing nutrient absorption and leading to malnutrition
• Vegetarians

  • Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy and eggs
  • Lacto vegetarians eat dairy
  • Ovo vegetarians eat eggs
  • Pesco vegetarians eat fish
• High-fibre diets

  • prevent obesity, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers
  • adults should eat 30g of dietary fibre daily to remain healthy
• Current Guidelines for a healthy diet

  1. base meals on starchy carbohydrates
  2. eat lots of fruit and veg
  3. eat plenty of fish
  4. cut down on saturated fat and sugars
  5. eat less salt - no more than 6g a day for adults
  6. get active and be a healthy weight
  7. don't get thirsty
  8. don't skip breakfast
• Babies:

  • Newborns should have only milk for the first 4-6 months of life
  • first milk - colostrum and is full of antibodies
  • human milk provides babies with all their nutritional requirements, except for iron.
  • introduction of solid foods 'weaning'
• Children

  • rapid growth = need well-balanced diet
  • very physically active and need good supply of fat
  • new healthy foods need to be introduced in an attractive and appealing way
• Teenagers

  • period of rapid growth - puberty
  • after menstruation begins, girls need more iron to replace blood losses. Iron-deficiency anaemia is common in teen girls
• Pregnancy

  • folate (folic acid) needed before and during for development of neural tube of the foetus
  • baby's bones need good supply of calcium from the mother's diet
  • pregnant mother needs iron for additional blood supply
  • constipation is common in pregnancy so a diet high in dietary fibre (NSP) is importatn
• Older People

  • energy requirements decrease
  • need to keep hydrated
  • osteoporosis
  • need calcium rich foods
• Daily Calorie intake

  • 2500kcal (Men)
  • 2000kcal (Women)
• Nutrition Amounts

  A) 15%

  B) 60g

  C) 35%

  D) 70g

  E) 11%

  F) 22g

  G) 24%

  H) 58g

  I) 50%

  J) 250g

  K) 5%

  L) 25g

  M) 45%

  N) 225g

  O) 30g

  
• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)


  Energy needed by the body to power your internal organs when completely at rest. Dependant upon age, gender and body size