Nutrition Basics Quiz

Nutrition

• Nutrition is the process of getting food into the body and using it for growth, energy, vitamins, and minerals to maintain health and proper function.

Two Classes of Nutrients

• Macronutrients: Relatively large quantities, essential components of all diets. Includes carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
• Micronutrients: Needed in smaller amounts. Vitamins and minerals are essential for body chemistry. They are calorie sources.

Basic Elements of Food

• Food is a natural substance found in plants and animals.
• Carbohydrates: Sources of energy (starch and sugar), rich in carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen.
• Fats: Essential for nerve tissues, provide body heat and shape.
• Proteins: Crucial for body functions, maintaining balance in bodily processes. Source of proteins are animal and plant products.
• Minerals: Regulating nutrients absorbed by plants, then consumed by animals, important for bone and tissue development.
  • Calcium: Essential for bone development. Deficiency can lead to soft or poorly formed bones and tooth decay.
• Vitamins: Essential for various bodily functions.
  • Fat-soluble vitamins: Absorbed with fats.
    • Vitamin A: Crucial for growth and vision (night blindness). Sources: fruits, vegetables, eggs, and milk.
    • Vitamin D: Prevents diseases like rickets. Sources: fish, milk.
  • Water soluble vitamins: Absorbed easily in water. Important for metabolic processes and body functions. Various groups of vitamin B and vitamin C

Water-Soluble Vitamins

• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Coenzyme in metabolic processes, crucial for converting nutrients into energy.
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Important for tissue and vision health.
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Critical for cellular functions and mental health.
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): Plays role in metabolism.
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Important for nervous system and regulating sodium/potassium.
• Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin): Helps with metabolic processes and red blood cell formation.
• Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): Essential for tissue repair, collagen formation, helping prevent scurvy.

Other Vitamins and Nutrients

• Vitamin E: Important for muscle and nervous system function.
• Vitamin K: Critical for blood clotting and bone health.
• Water: Essential non-food element. Helps with digestion processes and maintains body temperature.

Balanced Diet

• A balanced diet involves consuming the right types and amounts of food from three basic food groups.
• Energy Providing Foods (Go Foods): Provide carbohydrates and fats, giving energy. Includes rice, bread, pasta, and some oils.
• Body Building Foods (Grow Foods): Offer nutrients for building bones and teeth. Rich in protein. Includes meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
• Body Regulating Foods (Glow Foods): Essential for immune function, skin health, and digestion. Rich in vitamins, minerals, water, and fibers. Includes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Test your knowledge on the fundamentals of nutrition, including macronutrients and micronutrients. This quiz covers essential components of food and their roles in the body. Explore how carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and minerals contribute to health and wellness.