Download Nutrient Why we need it Too much /not enough?

Understanding the
Nutritional Properties of
Food
Don’t Panic – You have
been learning this
since Y7 
What nutrients do foods give us?
Nutrient
Why we need it
Where it is found (sources)
Protein
To build and repair muscle
Meat, fish, pulses, eggs,
quorn, lentils, oats, peas, tofu,
nuts
Fats
To keep us warm and to help absorb
vitamins A and D
Butter, margarine, meat, fish,
oils, nuts, cream, seeds
Carbohydrates
To give us fuel, keep us going. 2 types, sugars Pasta, Rice, Potatoes, Cous
and starches.
cous, flour, bread (starchy),
sugar, fruit, vegetables (sugar).
Fibre (NSP).
Vitamins
A = Healthy Eyes and Bones
B = Releases energy from food
C = Helps us absorb iron
D= Strong teeth and bones
Liver, egg yolk, carrots
Wholegrain, yeast, meat
Citrus fruits, green veg
Cereal, sunlight, margarine
Minerals
Calcium – strong bones / teeth & blood
Iron – transports oxygen round body
Dairy, bones in fish, green veg
Meat, cocoa, green veg
Current Advice / Guidelines
Do research on / check your knowledge of
Go to www.nhs.co.uk for
information.
High Fibre diets. NSP
means Non Starch
Polysaccharide and is
just a way of saying high
fibre. A low fibre diet
causes constipation and
potentially bowel
cancer or diverticulitis
What happens if we eat too much or too little?
Nutrient
Why we need it
Too much /not enough?
Protein
To build and repair muscle
Too much: Is used for energy
or stored as fat
Fats
To keep us warm and to help absorb some
vitamins
Can cause obesity, stroke or
coronary heart disease
Carbohydrates
To give us fuel, keep us going. 2 types, sugars Can cause obesity if not
and starches.
burned off because they are
stores as fat. Too much sugar
can also cause dental decay
Vitamins
A = Healthy Eyes and Bones
B = Releases energy from food
C = Helps us absorb iron
D= Strong teeth and bones
Not enough can cause
A: vision problems, dry skin
B: beri beri
C: scurvy / slow healing
D: rickets / osteoporosis
Minerals
Calcium – strong bones / teeth & blood
Calcium: Rickets, weak teeth,
muscle and nerve problems
Iron: Anaemia
Iron – transports oxygen round body
You might need to explain or show how recipes can be adapted
to meet the needs of the following target markets:
Special Diet
Reason for diet
Food to be avoided
Vegetarians
Moral, ethical, religious, health
Meat, fish, gelatine, a vegan
would avoid eggs and even
wine or beer filtered over
fish bones. Meat alternatives
like pulses, soya, quorn and
tofu will be eaten.
Diabetics
Health, insulin produced not enough
to control glucose level in blood
High salt, sugar, fat. Diet
should be high in fruit,
vegetables and starchy carbs.
Coeliacs
Allergic to gluten
Wheat and wheat products
Calorie controlled
Need to lose or control weight
High fat and high sugar –
portion control important
Nut allergies
Allergic to nuts
Any food possibly in contact
with nuts
Lactose intolerance
Allergic to dairy (lactose is a sugar in
dairy food)
Milk, butter, yoghurt, etc.
May use soya milk as an
alternative.
Now go to
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/design
/foodtech/compositionpropertiesrev1.shtml
To check your knowledge
Be confident – you already know this!