Introduction to Nutrition
Introduction to Nutrition
What is Nutrition?DEFINITION:
-the act or process of nourishing
OR
-providing our body with the needed ingredients tosustain life
AND prevent disease
Why is Nutrition Important?We need the correct ingredients and
just the right amount of those ingredients
or else
Our body becomes unbalanced
which renders the disease processWhat diseases are caused or
worsened by an unbalanced nutritional intake?What are the
Ingredients of
Life?Nutrients-Carbohydrates-Proteins-FatsVitaminsMineralsWater
We find all of these ingredients in our food and water!
Todays Ingredient Focus:NutrientsQ: How do we get body fuel so
we can move, think, and stay alive?
A: Nutrients-Carbohydrates-Proteins-FatsFueling ProcessCalorie
unit of energyFuels everything you do
Nutrients Building Blocks Calories Energy(carbs, fats, proteins)
(glucose, fatty acids, amino acids) (unit of energy) (sustained
life)How we get calories: CarbohydratesComplex Carbs (Disaccharides
& Polysaccharides)-multiple simple carbs linked together-ie:
sucrose & lactulose, -make up breads, pasta, rice, potatoes,
corn, grains, seeds, nuts-body has to break these down to the
simple carbs before they can be used
Simple Carbs (Monosaccharides) (Glucose)-ie: glucose (dextrose),
fructose, & galactose-smallest building blocks of carbs-make up
candy, cakes, pies (table sugar)
Role of CarbohydratesIntestines converts carbs into
glucoseGlucose is taken goes into bloodGlucose goes into cells to
be used as fuel or stored as glycogen in liver and musclesWhen
there is low glucose in the blood or cells need for fuel, the
glycogen is converted back to glucose and released for useIf you
take in more carbs than your body can use or store as glycogen your
body converts and stores it as FAT!
How we get calories: ProteinsProteins-made up of
polypeptidesPolypeptides-made up of different combinations of amino
acids
Amino Acids-smallest building block of proteins
Role of Proteins:Protein supplies amino acids that build and
maintain healthy body tissue.
There are 20 amino acids considered essential because the body
must have all of them in the right amounts to function
properly.
Twelve of these are manufactured in the body but the other eight
amino acids must be provided by the diet.Role of ProteinsBody uses
proteins to make enzymes, hormones, and antibodies
Excess protein is stored as FAT!
How we get calories: FatsA type of lipid- fatty substance that
does not dissolve in water
Saturated fat (fatty acids) is fats that are solid at room
temperature Animal fats and tropical oilsAssociated with heart
disease
Unsaturated fats (fatty acids)- olive oilLiquids at room
tempAssociated with reduced risk of heart disease
Role of fatsSource of stored energyTransport vitamins in the
bloodA, D, and KLinoleic acid- essential fatty acid- needed for
growth and healthy skinHelp satisfy hunger- b/c they take longer to
digestHow many calories do I get from nutrients?Carbs : 4 calories
per gramProtein: 4 calories per gramFats: 9 calories per gram (over
double!!!)
The balanceIf we take in too many or not enough calories, we
make ourselves prone to the disease process!!!
Every 3,500 calories NOT burned, You will gain 1
pound!!!ObesityTaking in more calories than we can use (in the
forms of carbs, protein & fat) means that we store those
nutrients we take in as FAT
If we continue to take in more calories than we use daily, then
we never use the stored energy from the previous day, we will we
become OVERWEIGHT and then OBESE.What two health factors either
cause or aid in causing most diseases in our bodies?Smoking &
ObesityWhat is Obesity?
Overweight: Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or higher.
Obesity: Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
Body Mass Index (BMI): A measure of an weight in relation to his
or her height
BMI=weight in kilograms divided by the square of his or her
height in meters.My BMI is __________________
Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1985(*BMI 30, or ~ 30
lbs. overweight for 5 4 person)No Data
