Food Classification and Nutrition Quiz

• Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support.

• Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals.

• Different species of animals have different feeding behaviours that satisfy the needs of their unique metabolisms, often evolved to fill a specific ecological niche within specific geographical contexts.

• The food system has significant impacts on a wide range of other social and political issues, including sustainability, biological diversity, economics, population growth, water supply, and access to food.

• Food safety and food security are monitored by international agencies like the International Association for Food Protection, World Resources Institute, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, and International Food Information Council.

• Food is classified in various ways, either by related content or by how the food is processed.

• The number and composition of food groups can vary.

• Studies that look into diet quality often group food into whole grains/ceresals, refined grains/ceresals, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, eggs, dairy products, fish, red meat, processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages.

• The Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization use a system with nineteen food classifications: cereals, roots, pulses and nuts, milk, eggs, fish and shellfish, meat, insects, vegetables, fruits, fats and oils, sweets and sugars, spices and condiments, beverages, foods for nutritional uses, food additives, composite dishes and savoury snacks.

• Plants produce food through photosynthesis, converting light energy into glucose which is stored as an energy reserve.

• Humans are omnivores and need to eat both plants and animals to survive.

• Plants are divided into fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts.

• Fruits are botanically described parts of plants after grains, nuts, seeds and fruits used as vegetables are removed.

• Vegetables are any other part of the plant that can be eaten, including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, bark or the entire plant itself.

• Most vitamins are found from plant sources, with the notable exceptions of vitamin D and vitamin B12.

• Minerals are plentiful, although the presence of phytates can prevent their release.

• Vegetables are high in starch, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins and minerals.

• Animals are used as food either directly or indirectly.

• Animals are an important source of protein and are considered complete proteins for human consumption.

• One 4-ounce (110 g) steak, chicken breast or pork chop contains about 30 grams of protein.

• One large egg has 7 grams of protein, a 4-ounce (110 g) serving of cheese about 15 grams and 1 cup of milk about 8.

• Animals produce food products including milk produced by mammary glands, eggs laid by birds and bees, and blood sausage.

• Some cultures and people do not consume meat or animal food products for cultural, dietary, health, ethical, or ideological reasons.

• Vegetarians choose to forgo food from animal sources to varying degrees. Vegans do not consume any foods that are or contain ingredients from an animal source.

• Taste perception includes the five different types of tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

• Water, while important for survival, has no taste.

• Sugar is a simple sugar that is found in many foods.

• Sweetness is caused by a type of simple sugar.

• Sourness is caused by the taste of acids.

• Saltiness is the taste of alkali metal ions.

• Bitterness is a sensation often considered unpleasant characterized by having a sharp, pungent taste.

• Umami has been described as savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats.

• Foods that have a strong umami flavor include meats, shellfish, fish (including fish sauce and preserved fish such as maldive fish, sardines, and anchovies), tomatoes, mushrooms, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, meat extract, yeast extract, cheeses, and soy sauce.

Test your knowledge of food classification and nutrition with this quiz covering topics such as food origins, nutrient composition, food groups, taste perception, and cultural dietary practices.