Download Introduction to Nutrition

Introduction to Nutrition:
An Overview
-Michelle Perrone
-10/18/2012
NUTRITION
• Nutrition is the study of nutrients in foods
and in the body.
• In essence, nutrition is the science of how
food nourishes the body.
• When studying nutrition, you will learn
which foods serve you best and you can
work out ways of choosing foods, planning
meals, and designing your own diet wisely.
NUTRITION AND YOU
• The foods you choose to eat have a cumulative
effect on your body.
• Therefore, the best food items for you are ones
that provide energy, support growth and
maintenance of strong muscles and bones,
healthy skin, and sufficient blood and blood flow
(and more).
• This means you need foods that provide not only
energy but also sufficient nutrients.
NUTRIENTS
• Nutrients are components of food that are
indispensible to the body’s functioning.
They provide energy, serve as building
materials, help maintain or repair body
parts, and support growth.
• The nutrients include: water,
carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, and
minerals.
KEY NUTRIENTS
NUTRIENTS
WATER
CARBOHYDRATES
PROTEINS
VITAMINS
MINERALS
WATER

chemical composition: Oxygen and Hydrogen in a ratio
of H2O
 makes up approximately 60% of an adult person’s
weight (80lbs of water in a 130 lb person)
 used in chemical structures of compounds that form
cells, tissues, and organs
 transport vehicle for all of the nutrients and wastes
 universal solvent; aids in most chemical reactions in the
body
 aids in regulating body temperature and in the cleansing
of the body
 constantly lost from the body and must be replaced
CARBOHYDRATES
 chemical
composition: carbon, hydrogen,
and oxygen
 energy-yielding compound
 composed of a single sugar
(monosaccharide) or multiple sugars
(polysaccharide)
 found in food items in the Grains food
group such as breads, rice, and pasta
 4 calories/gram
FATS (LIPIDS)
 chemical
composition: carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen
 secondary energy-yielding compound
 organic compounds soluble in organic
solvents but not in water
 includes triglycerides (fats and oils),
phospholipids, and sterols
 good fats (such as oils) vs. bad fats (such
as “empty calories)
 9 calories/gram
PROTEINS
 chemical
composition: carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen
 energy-yielding compound
 provides materials that form structures and
working parts of the body tissues
 composed of strands of Amino Acids
 found in food items in the Proteins food
group such as poultry, beef, fish, eggs,
and beans
 4 calories/gram
VITAMINS
 chemical
composition: carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen
 do not provide energy to the body
 act as regulators, assisting in all body
processes (digestion, movement, waste
elimination, etc.)
 variety of vitamins found in most types of
food, found in high levels in fruits and
vegetables
MINERALS





major minerals: calcium, chloride, magnesium,
phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfate
do not provide energy to the body
act as regulators, assisting in all body processes
(digestion, movement, waste elimination, etc.)
few serve as parts of body structures (ex:
calcium and phosphorus: major constituents of
bone)
found in a variety of food items including those in
the Dairy food group
FOOD GROUPS
•
•
•
•
•
Fruits
Vegetables
Grains
Protein Foods
Dairy
• For more info on Food Groups visit:
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/
WORKS CITED
"ChooseMyPlate.gov." ChooseMyPlate.gov.
United States Department of Agriculture,
2010. Web. 16 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.choosemyplate.gov/>.
Sizer, Frances, and Ellie Whitney. Nutrition:
Concepts and Controversies. 11th ed.
Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2008.
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