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Table of Contents
Page

Introduction 1

Lesson 1: Different terms related in Food and Nutrition 2

Lesson 2: The Functions and sources of Nutrients 17

Lesson 3: The Process of Absorption, transportation and storage of nutrients 31

Lesson 4: Identify the different types of nutrients and their functions in the body 46

Lesson 5: The National Requirements in the terms of recommended dietary

allowances to nutrition and health 63

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INTRODUCTION:

Choosing foods, reading newspaper articles on food, perusing cookbooks, preparing and
cooking foods, checking out new restaurants, and, of course, eating foods. Why are we so
interested in food? Of course, eating is fun, enjoyable, and satisfying, especially when we are
eating with other people whose company we like.

Beyond the physical and emotional satisfaction of eating, we often are concerned about
how food choices affect our health. Our choice of diet strongly influences whether we will get
certain diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke—No doubt eating right contributes to
health and quality of life, and this is reflected in growing consumer awareness of eating healthy.

Restaurants are responding by removing super-sized menus and offering fruit and milk
instead of cookies and soda, for example. This explains why we choose the foods we eat.

The link between good nutrition and healthy weight, reduced chronic disease risk, and
overall health is too important to ignore. By taking steps to eat healthy, you'll be on your way
to getting the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy, active, and strong.

Your food choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the
future.

Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical
activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of
chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and promote your overall health.

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Lesson 1: Different terms related in Food and Nutrition
Lesson Overview:

Unhealthy eating habits have contributed to the obesity all over the world. Even for
people at a healthy weight, a poor diet is associated with major health risks that can cause illness
and even death. These include heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes,
osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer.

By making smart food choices, you can help protect yourself from these health problems.

The link between good nutrition and healthy weight, reduced chronic disease risk, and
overall health is too important to ignore. By taking steps to eat healthy, you'll be on your way to
getting the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy, active, and strong.

As with physical activity, making small changes in your diet can go a long way, and it's
easier than you think!

It is important to know what are the different nutrition that our body needed. If what are they
for, if it is good for someone’s health or maybe it will just worsen the case. So its really
necessary which nutrient, what is that nutrition for so that it will be more appropriate on what the
body needed.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. Discuss Food and Nutrition

2. Define the different terms related to food and nutrition terminology

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PRETEST:
Choose the letter of the correct answer in the box below. Write your answer
on the space provided before each number.
a. Nutrition b. Macronutrient c. Glucose d. Food e. Micronutrient

___1. Also called blood sugar — is the main sugar found in the blood and the main source of
energy for your body.

___2. The word "micro" means small, so you need smaller amountsof essential nutrients.

___3. Any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for an organism.

___4. This field of study focuses on foods and substances in foods that help animals (and plants)
to grow and stay healthy.

___5. The nutrients that give your body energy to perform essential functions. The word "macro"
means large, and these nutrients are needed in large quantities.

PRESENTATION:

Food & Nutrition:

The effective management of food intake and nutrition are both key to good health. Smart
nutrition and food choices can help prevent disease. Eating the right foods can help your body
cope more successfully with an ongoing illness. Understanding good nutrition and paying
attention to what you eat can help you maintain or improve your health.

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What Is Good Nutrition?

Food and nutrition are the way that we get fuel, providing energy for our bodies. We need to
replace nutrients in our bodies with a new supply every day. Water is an important component of
nutrition. Fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are all required. Maintaining key vitamins and
minerals are also important to maintaining good health. For pregnant women and adults over 50,
vitamins such as vitamin D and minerals such as calcium and iron are important to consider
when choosing foods to eat, as well as possible dietary supplements.

A healthy diet includes a lot of natural foods. A sizeable portion of a healthy diet should consist
of fruits and vegetables, especially ones that are red, orange, or dark green. Whole grains, such
as whole wheat and brown rice, should also play a part in your diet. For adults, dairy products
should be non-fat or low-fat. Protein can consist of lean meat and poultry, seafood, eggs, beans,
legumes, and soy products such as tofu, as well as unsalted seeds and nuts.

Good nutrition also involves avoiding certain kinds of foods. Sodium is used heavily in
processed foods and is dangerous for people with high blood pressure. The USDA advises adults
to consume less than 300 milligrams (mg) per day of cholesterol (found in meat and full-fat dairy
products among others). Fried food, solid fats, and trans fats found in margarine and processed
foods can be harmful to heart health. Refined grains (white flour, white rice) and refined sugar
(table sugar, high fructose corn syrup) are also bad for long-term health, especially in people
with diabetes. Alcohol can be dangerous to health in amounts more than one serving per day for
a woman and two per day for a man.

There are many high-quality, free guidelines available for healthy eating plans that give more
details on portion size, total calorie consumption, what to eat more of, and what to eat less of to
get healthy and stay that way.

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Nutritional Deficiencies:

Even if you are getting enough to eat, if you are not eating a balanced diet, you may still be at
risk for certain nutritional deficiencies. Also, you may have nutritional deficiencies due to certain
health or life conditions, such as pregnancy, or certain medications you may be taking, such as
high blood pressure medications. People who have had intestinal diseases or had sections of
intestines removed due to disease or weight loss surgery also may be at risk for vitamin
deficiencies. Alcoholics are also at high risk of having nutritional deficiencies.

One of the most common nutritional deficiencies is iron deficiency anemia. Your blood cells
need iron in order to supply your body with oxygen, and if you don’t have enough iron, your
blood will not function properly. Other nutritional deficiencies that can affect your blood cells
include low levels of vitamin B12, folate, or vitamin C.

Vitamin D deficiency may affect the health of your bones, making it difficult for you to absorb
and use calcium (another mineral that you may not be getting enough of). Although you can get
vitamin D by going out in the sun, many people with concerns about skin cancer may end up
with low levels of vitamin D by not getting enough sun.

Other nutritional deficiencies include:

 beriberi: low levels of vitamin B1 (found in cereal husks)

 ariboflavinosis: low levels of vitamin B2

 pellagra: low levels of vitamin B3

 paresthesia: low levels of vitamin B5 leading to a “pins and needles” feeling

 biotin deficiency: low levels of vitamin B7, which can be common in pregnancy

 hypocobalaminemia: low levels of B12

 night blindness: low levels of Vitamin A

 scurvy: low levels of vitamin C

 rickets: severe vitamin D and/or calcium deficiency

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  vitamin K deficiency

 magnesium deficiency: occurs with certain medications and medical problems

 potassium deficiency: occurs with certain medications and medical problems

Eating a balanced diet can help prevent these conditions. Vitamin supplements may be necessary
for certain people, such as pregnant or nursing mothers and people with intestinal conditions.

Diseases and Conditions:

For other diseases and conditions, the type or quantity of food can influence the progress of the
disease. Diabetes mellitus, for example, which results in the inability of the body to regulate
blood sugar, is drastically affected by the types and quantities of food eaten. Carbohydrate intake
has to be carefully monitored if you suffer from diabetes, or blood sugar can rise to dangerous
levels. Other conditions affected by food and nutrition include:

 hypertension: Salt intake affects blood pressure.

 heart disease/high cholesterol: Fatty foods and partial hydrogenated oils can create plaque
in arteries.

 osteoporosis: Low calcium, low vitamin D and excess fat can result in fragile bones.

 certain cancers: A poor diet and obesity are associated with increased risk of breast, colon,
endometrial, esophageal, and kidney cancers.

Your food choices and nutritional status can influence your overall health over the entire course
of your life.

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Definitions of Health Terms:

Nutrition:

Nutrition is about eating a healthy and balanced diet. Food and drink provide the energy and
nutrients you need to be healthy. Understanding these nutrition terms may make it easier for you
to make better food choices.

Amino Acids:

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The body produces many amino acids and
others come from food. The body absorbs amino acids through the small intestine into the blood.
Then the blood carries them throughout the body.

Blood Glucose:
Glucose — also called blood sugar — is the main sugar found in the blood and the main source
of energy for your body.

Cholesterol:

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body. Your body needs
some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your
body makes all the cholesterol it needs. However, cholesterol also is found in some of the foods
you eat. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of heart disease.

Dehydration:

Dehydration is a condition that happens when you do not take in enough liquids to replace those
that you lose. You can lose liquids through frequent urinating, sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting.
When you are dehydrated, your body does not have enough fluid and electrolytes to work
properly.

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Diet:

Your diet is made up of what you eat and drink. There are many different types of diets, such as
vegetarian diets, weight loss diets, and diets for people with certain health problems.

Dietary Supplements:

A dietary supplement is a product you take to supplement your diet. It contains one or more
dietary ingredients (including vitamins; minerals; herbs or other botanicals; amino acids; and
other substances). Supplements do not have to go through the testing that drugs do for
effectiveness and safety.

Digestion:

Digestion is the process the body uses to break down food into nutrients. The body uses the
nutrients for energy, growth, and cell repair.

Electrolytes:
Electrolytes are minerals in body fluids. They include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and
chloride. When you are dehydrated, your body does not have enough fluid and electrolytes.

Enzymes:

Enzymes are substances that speed up chemical reactions in the body.

Fatty Acid:

Fatty acid is a major component of fats that is used by the body for energy and tissue
development.

Fiber:

Fiber is a substance in plants. Dietary fiber is the kind you eat. It's a type of carbohydrate. You
may also see it listed on a food label as soluble fiber or insoluble fiber. Both types have

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important health benefits. Fiber makes you feel full faster, and stay full for a longer time. That
can help you control your weight. It helps digestion and helps prevent constipation.

Gluten:

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It can also be in products such as vitamin and
nutrient supplements, lip balms, and certain medicines.

Glycemic Index:

The glycemic index (GI) measures how a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar.

HDL:

HDL stands for high-density lipoproteins. It is also known as “good” cholesterol. HDL is one of
the two types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol throughout your body. It carries the
cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver removes the cholesterol
from your body.

LDL:

LDL stands for low-density lipoproteins. It is also known as “bad” cholesterol. LDL is one of the
two types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol throughout your body. A high LDL level leads to
a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries.

Metabolism:

Metabolism is the process your body uses to get or make energy from the food you eat.

Monounsaturated Fat:

Monounsaturated fat is a type of fat is found in avocados, canola oil, nuts, olives and olive oil,
and seeds. Eating food that has more monounsaturated fat (or "healthy fat") instead of saturated
fat (like butter) may help lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk. However,
monounsaturated fat has the same number of calories as other types of fat and may contribute to
weight gain if you eat too much of it.

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Food:

Food is any substance[1] consumed to provide nutritional support for an organism. Food is
usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such
as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by
an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells to provide energy, maintain life, or stimulate
growth.

Nutrient:

Nutrients are chemical compounds in food that are used by the body to function properly and
maintain health. Examples include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

Nutrition:

This field of study focuses on foods and substances in foods that help animals (and plants) to
grow and stay healthy. Nutrition science also includes behaviors and social factors related to
food choices. The foods we eat provide energy (calories) and nutrients such as protein, fat,
carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and water. Eating healthy foods in the right amounts gives
your body energy to perform daily activities, helps you to maintain a healthy body weight, and
can lower your risk for certain diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Macronutrients:

Macronutrients are the nutrients that give your body energy to perform essential functions. The
word "macro" means large, and these nutrients are needed in large quantities.

Micronutrients:

Micronutrients are also essential to your body, but you need smaller amounts. The word "micro"
means small, so you need smaller amounts of micronutrients than of macronutrients.

Polyunsaturated Fat:

Polyunsaturated fat is a type of fat that is liquid at room temperature. There are two types of
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs): omega-6 and omega-3. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in
liquid vegetable oils, such as corn oil, safflower oil, and soybean oil. Omega-3 fatty acids come
from plant sources—including canola oil, flax seed, soybean oil, and walnuts—and from fish and
shellfish.

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Saturated Fat:

Saturated fat is a type of fat that is solid at room temperature. Saturated fat is found in full-fat
dairy products (like butter, cheese, cream, regular ice cream, and whole milk), coconut oil, lard,
palm oil, ready-to-eat meats, and the skin and fat of chicken and turkey, among other foods.
Saturated fats have the same number of calories as other types of fat, and may contribute to
weight gain if eaten in excess. Eating a diet high in saturated fat also raises blood cholesterol and
risk of heart disease.

Sodium:

Table salt is made up of the elements sodium and chlorine - the technical name for salt is sodium
chloride. Your body needs some sodium to work properly. It helps with the function of nerves
and muscles. It also helps to keep the right balance of fluids in your body.

Sugar:

Sugars are a type of simple carbohydrate. They have a sweet taste. Sugars can be found naturally
in fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products. They are also added to many foods and drinks
during preparation or processing. Types of sugar include glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Your
digestive system breaks down sugar into glucose. Your cells use the glucose for energy.

Total Fat:

Fat is a type of nutrient. You need a certain amount of fat in your diet to stay healthy, but not too
much. Fats give you energy and help your body absorb vitamins. Dietary fat also plays a major
role in your cholesterol levels. Not all fats are the same. You should try to avoid saturated fats
and trans fats.

Trans Fat:

Trans fat is a type of fat that is created when liquid oils are changed into solid fats, like
shortening and some margarines. It makes them last longer without going bad. It may also be
found in crackers, cookies, and snack foods. Trans fat raises your LDL (bad) cholesterol and
lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol.

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Triglycerides:

Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. Too much of this type of fat may raise the
risk of coronary artery heart disease, especially in women.

Water Intake:

We all need to drink water. How much you need depends on your size, activity level, and the
weather where you live. Keeping track of your water intake helps make sure that you get enough.
Your intake includes fluids that you drink, and fluids you get from food.

CONSOLIDATE
In this lesson, you have learned the definition of food and nutrition, what is a good
nutrition that our body needed and why we need them, don’t also forget the nutritional
deficiencies and the disease and conditions that everyone should consider in every food intake.

Also, the different terminologies that are related to food and nutrition were defined and
identified because understanding this terms will help you to make better food choice.

POST-TEST
Exercise 1.

Multiple choice. Choose the correct answer on the box below. Write your answer on the
space provided before each number. Write letters only.

A. Sugar b. Sodium c. Trans-fat d. Saturated Fat e. Total Fat

___1. Are type of simple carbohydrate. They have a sweet taste

___2. A type of fat that is created when liquid oils are changed into solid fats, like shortening and
some margarine.

___3. Fat is a type of nutrient. You need a certain amount of fat in your diet to stay healthy, but
not too much

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___4. Table salt is made up of the elements sodium and chlorine.

___5. Is a type of fat that is solid at room temperature.

A. Cholesterol b. Dehydration c. Diet d. Dietary supplement e. Digestion

___6. Your diet is made up of what you eat and drink. There are many different types of diets,
such as vegetarian diets, weight loss diets, and diets for people with certain health problems.

___7. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body.

___8. Is the process the body uses to break down food into nutrients. The body uses the nutrients
for energy, growth, and cell repair.

___9. Is a condition that happens when you do not take in enough liquids to replace those that
you lose.

___10. It is a product you take to supplement your diet.

Exercise 2.

Enumerate at least 10 Nutritional Deficiency.

1. 6.

2. 7.

3. 8.

4. 9.

5. 10.

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Exercise 3.

Define the following terms. (5 points each)

1. Nutritional Deficiency

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Good Nutrition

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. Nutrients

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
Every student will be given a a topic under the different health terms and students will
explain it individually. (10 points)

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Lesson 2: The Functions and sources of Nutrients
Lesson Overview
Babies , young children and adolescents grow at a rapid rate, while in adults and the
elderly most growth has stopped and nutrients are mostly used for maintaining their bodies.

Your body cells must be able to grow and develop as you do, and food plays a major part in
this. Protein, for example, is the building block for every body tissue cell such as bone, teeth,
skin, and muscle. If a person is lacking protein in the diet, problems may occur such as stunted
growth.

Food provides the materials needed to build, repair and maintain body tissues. Proteins, fats
and minerals are the best nutrients for growth. Growing bodies need extra amounts of these
nutrients. Every person, whether growing or not, is going through a continual repair process of
replacing injured or dead cells. It is food that supplies the nutrients necessary for this process.

We all eat food because it provides the fundamental types of materials required to keep
our bodies functioning. So it’s important to know the function and sources of every food we eat.

Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Discuss the basic function and sources of food.

2. Differentiate macronutrients and micronutrients

3. Identify the effects of Malnutrition

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PRETEST
Identify what Vitamin are they rich in. Write your answers on the space provided before
each number.

___1. Ultra violet light from the sun

___2. Fresh Fruits

___3. Squash, Mangoes, Papaya

___4. Green Leafy Vegetables

___5. Milk, egg yolk, Whole grain cereals, meat, whole bread, fish, bananas

PRESENTATION
Nutrients and their Sources:

Classification of essential nutrients:

Based on the amount of the nutrients that each person needs to consume on a daily basis, these
nutrients are categorized into two groups. These are macronutrients, which should be consumed
in fairly large amounts, and micronutrients, which are only required in small amounts.

Macronutrients:

‘Macro’ means large; as their name suggests these are nutrients which people need to eat
regularly and in a fairly large amount. They include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fibre and water.
These substances are needed for the supply of energy and growth, for metabolism and other
body functions.

Metabolism means the process involved in the generation of energy and all the ‘building
blocks’ required to maintain the body and its functions. Macronutrients provide a lot of calories
but the amount of calories provided varies, depending on the food source. For example, each
gram of carbohydrate or protein provides four calories, while fat provides nine calories for each
gram.

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Micronutrients:

As their name indicates (‘micro’ means small) micronutrients are substances which
people need in their diet in only small amounts. These include minerals and vitamins.

Although most foods are mixtures of nutrients, many of them contain a lot of one nutrient
and a little of the other nutrients. Foods are often grouped according to the nutrient that they
contain in abundance (see Box 2.1).

Nutrient types and their names:

Foods that contain a lot of protein are called body-building foods or growing foods. Foods that
contain a lot of fat or carbohydrates and perhaps only a little protein are called energy-giving
foods.

Macronutrients in detail:
You are now going to look at the different macronutrients in more detail.

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates are referred to as energy-giving foods. They provide energy in the form
of calories that the body needs to be able to work, and to support other functions. Carbohydrates
are needed in large amounts by the body. Indeed, up to 65% of our energy comes from
carbohydrates. They are the body’s main source of fuel because they are easily converted into
energy. This energy is usually in the form of glucose, which all tissues and cells in our bodies
readily use.

For the brain, kidneys, central nervous system and muscles to function properly, they
need carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are usually stored in the muscles and the liver, where
they are later used for energy. The main sources of carbohydrates are bread, wheat, potatoes of
all kinds, maize, rice, cassava, ‘shiro’, pasta, macaroni, ‘kocho’, banana, sweets, sugar cane,
sweet fruits, and honey. Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds contain carbohydrates,
but in lesser amounts.

Classification of carbohydrates:

Based on the number of sugar units, carbohydrates are classified into three groups; these
are monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. You need to know the classes of

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carbohydrates to enable you to give relevant advice to patients with special needs
like diabetes (when someone has problems regulating the amounts of glucose in their body).

Monosaccharides and disaccharides are referred to as simple sugars or simple

carbohydrates that our body can easily utilise. For this reason, people with diabetes mellitus
shouldn’t eat too many of these carbohydrates. Examples include sugar, honey, sweet fruits and
sugar cane. Polysaccharides are called complex carbohydrates and they need to be broken
down into simple sugars to be used by our body. They can be consumed by diabetic patients
without restriction. Examples include starch and cellulose.

Proteins:
About 10–35% of calories should come from protein. Proteins are needed in our diets for
growth (especially important for children, teens and pregnant women) and to improve immune
functions. They also play an important role in making essential hormones and enzymes, in tissue
repair, preserving lean muscle mass, and supplying energy in times when carbohydrates are not
available.

Pregnant women need protein to build their bodies and that of the babies and placentas, to
make extra blood and for fat storage. Breastfeeding mothers need protein to make breastmilk.

Sources of protein:

The main sources of proteins are meats, chicken, eggs, breastmilk, beans, ground nuts,
lentils, fish, cheese and milk.

All animal foods contain more protein than plants and are therefore usually better sources
of body building foods. However, even though plant proteins (see Figure 2.1) are usually not as
good for body-building as animal proteins, they can become more effective nutritionally when
both are mixed with each other.

Fats and oils:

Fats and oils are concentrated sources of energy and so are important nutrients for young
children who need a lot of energy-rich food. Fats can also make meals more tasty and satisfying.
Fat is found in meat, chicken, milk products, butters, creams, avocado, cooking oils and fats,
cheese, fish and ground nuts.

Classification of fats:

Fats are classified into saturated and unsaturated fats. The classification is important to
enable you to advise your community about which fats can be consumed with less risk to
people’s health. Saturated fats are not good for a person’s health.

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Saturated fats are usually solid at cool temperatures. Eating too much saturated fat is not good
for a person’s health, as it can cause heart and blood vessel problems.

Unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature. These types of fats are healthy fats.
Examples include fats from fish, oil seeds (sesame and sunflower), maize oil and ground nut oil
and breastmilk.

As a general rule, plant sources of fats are better for a person’s health than the animal sources,
because animal fats contain more saturated fats.

Water:
People can live without solid food for a few weeks, but we cannot live without water for
more than a few days. An adult needs about 2–3 litres of water each day. That is why giving
drinks are so important when people lose a lot of water, such as when they have diarrhoea.

Water is essential for life. We need water for a number of reasons:

 For the body to make cells and fluids such as tears, digestive juices and breastmilk
 For the body to make sweat for cooling itself
 For essential body processes — most take place in water
 For keeping the lining of the mouth, intestine, eyelids and lungs wet and healthy
 For the production of urine, which carries waste from the body.

Fiber:
Fiber is a mixture of different carbohydrates which are not digested like other nutrients
but pass through the gut nearly unchanged. Foods rich in fiber are ‘kocho’; vegetables like
cabbage, ‘kosta’, carrots, cassava; fruits like banana and avocado; peas and beans; whole-grain
cereals like wheat flour and refined maize or sorghum.

Including fiber in the diet:

Fiber should be included in the diet for the following reasons:

 Fiber makes food bulky or bigger — this can help a person who is overweight to eat less
food
 Fiber makes the feces soft and bulky; this can help prevent constipation

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  Fiber slows the absorption of nutrients, so it helps nutrients to enter the blood stream slowly.
This is important for patients with diabetes mellitus.

Micronutrients in detail:
Vitamins:
Vitamins are groups of related substances present in small amounts in foodstuffs and are
necessary for the body to function normally. Vitamins are also called protective foods. They are
grouped together because, as their name implies, they are a vital factor in the diet.

Classifications of vitamins:

Vitamins are classified into two groups:

Fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) are soluble in fats and fat solvents. They are
insoluble in water. So these are utilized only if there is enough fat in the body.

Water soluble vitamins (vitamins B and C, and folic acid) are soluble in water and so they
cannot be stored in the body.

Vitamins Function Food sources

Vitamin A Night vision Breastmilk, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce, pumpkins

Healing epithelial cells Mangoes, papaya, carrots

Normal development of teeth and bones Liver, kidney, egg yolk, milk, butter, cheese cream
Vitamin D Needed for absorption of calcium from small Ultra violet light from the sun
intestines
Eggs, butter, fish
Calcification of the skeleton
Fortified oils, fats and cereals

Vitamin K For blood clotting Green leafy vegetables

Fruits, cereals, meat, dairy products

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B complex Metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats Milk, egg yolk, liver, kidney and heart

Whole grain cereals, meat, whole bread, fish, bananas

Vitamin C Prevention of scurvy Fresh fruits (oranges, banana, mango, lemons) and
vegetables
Aiding wound healing
Breastmilk
Assisting absorption of iron

The best sources of micronutrients in our diets are fruits and vegetables. These two food
groups contain essential vitamins and minerals. Animal sources of foods are also both good
sources of micronutrients. However, an adequate micronutrient intake can only be achieved
through sufficient intake of a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Functions and sources of vitamins.

Epithelial cells form the thin layer of tissue lining the gut, respiratory and genitourinary systems.

Calcification refers to the hardening of bones by calcium deposits.

Scurvy is a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency which leads to sore skin, bleeding gums and
internal bleeding.

Minerals:
Minerals are the substances that people need to ensure the health and correct working of their
soft tissues, fluids and their skeleton. Examples of minerals include calcium, iron, iodine,
fluorine, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, and sodium. Table 2.2 outlines the functions of
some of these important minerals and examples of sources of food for each of these.

Functions and sources of common minerals.

Minerals Function Food sources

Calcium Gives bones and teeth rigidity Milk, cheese and dairy products
and strength
Foods fortified with calcium, e.g. flour, cereals. eggs, fish cabbage

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Iron Formation of haemoglobin Meat and meat products

Eggs, bread, green leafy vegetables, pulses, fruits

Iodine For normal metabolism of cells Iodised salt, sea vegetables, yogurt, cow's milk, eggs, and cheese

Fish; plants grown in iodine-rich soil

Zinc For children to grow and Maize, fish, breastmilk, meat, beans
develop normally; for wound
healing

Fluorine Helps to keep teeth strong Water

A balanced diet:
You have already come across the term ‘balanced diet’ several times in this Module. In
this section we’ll discuss what a balanced diet is and the benefits of a balanced diet. It is
important that you know enough to be able to recommend a balanced diet for the people in your
community.

Eating a balanced diet means choosing a wide variety of foods and drinks from all the
food groups. It also means eating certain things in small amounts, namely saturated fat,
cholesterol, simple sugar, salt and alcohol. The goal is to take in all of the nutrients you need for
health at the recommended levels and perhaps restrict those things that are not good for the body.
To know if the diet is balanced and to plan a balanced diet you have to think about two things:
the mixture of foods and the amount of food a person eats.

Helping families to have good balanced diet:

The best way to help individuals in your community prepare a balanced diet is to learn
which foods people use, the amount of different foods available, and how they prepare their
meals. Then you can decide if people need help or further support or information to improve the
balance of things they eat.

Fat and added sugars come mostly from fats, oils and sweets, but can be part of or added
to food from the other food groups as well.

Food pyramid:

24
 A food pyramid helps us identify the food groups people should combine in order to
make a balanced diet. The food groups at the top of the pyramid should be eaten in moderation
(small amount) but food groups at the bottom of the pyramid should be eaten in larger amounts.

The mixture of foods to use:

The staple food is the common type of food that is consumed by the community. It should be
part of a balanced diet because it’s the main part of most meals. The staple diet may vary from
region to region. For example, ‘injera’ is the staple diet in many sites, maize in other areas, and
‘kocho’ in the southern part of the country. These foods are usually cheap, and provide most of
the energy, protein and fiber in a meal, as well as some vitamins.

Adding other foods to the staple food:

In order to have a good balanced diet, people in your community will need to eat other foods in
addition to the staple foods. The additional foods are important because they:

 Provide nutrients that may not be available in the staple food. For example, legumes such as
peas, beans and lentils add protein, iron and other minerals and fat; green and yellow
vegetables and fruits add vitamins A and C, folate, and fiber
 Make the food less bulky
 Make the diet more tasty and interesting to eat.
A diet which is composed of staples, legumes and vegetables or fruits is a good, balanced diet
because this combination of foods will provide most of the nutrients that the people in your
community need. The problem with the diet above is a lack of animal sources of food. Animal
sources are good because they contain plenty of protein, have high energy (due to the fats), and
the iron is easily absorbed compared with the iron sourced from plants. Therefore adding small
amounts of animal products like meat, milk and eggs to staples, legumes and vegetables will
improve the balanced diet.

Ways Malnutrition Can Impact Your Health and Steps to Prevent It:
Malnutrition may be a consequence of energy deficit or micronutrient deficiency. It is considered
the most relevant risk factor for illness and death, particularly in developing countries. In this
review we described the magnitude of this problem, as well as its direct effect on the immune
system and how it results in higher susceptibility to infections.

25
 A special emphasis was given to experimental models used to investigate the relationship
between undernutrition and immunity. Malnutrition is obviously a challenge that must be
addressed to health authorities and the scientific community.

Muscles and Bones:

Your body naturally loses muscle and bone as you age; however, malnutrition can accelerate these
losses and impact your independence and ability to be active.
1. Mobility: Weak muscles and bones can make it harder to do everyday tasks like walking, dressing,
and bathing. Regular physical activity and a diet high in protein, calcium, and vitamin D are critical to
help you maintain and rebuild muscle and bone.
2. Posture: Muscles and bones are needed to help keep you upright. If they are weak, you may strain
your neck, back, and shoulder muscles, causing you to feel pain.
3. Strength: Poor muscle strength may make it more difficult to do your favorite activities.
4. Falls: Bone and joint problems are major risk factors for falls—the leading cause of death and
injury among older adults.

Immune System and Healing:

When your body lacks nutrition, your white blood cell count can decrease, making it harder for your
body to heal and fight illnesses.
5. Healing: Your body’s nutrition influences your recovery, since wounds need energy, protein,
vitamins, and minerals to heal.
6. Cancer: If you are malnourished, it is more difficult to tolerate chemotherapy.
7. Illness: A poor immune system can increase your risk for illnesses and infections.
8. Eyes: Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can accelerate vision loss caused by glaucoma, cataracts,
and/or macular degeneration.
9. Brain: Nutrient deficiencies may speed up the rate at which your brain loses neurons, which can
impair your speech, coordination, and memory.
10. Kidneys: A deficiency of fluids and electrolytes can cause your kidneys to overwork and affect
their ability to function. This can lead to dehydration, joint pain, and heart issues.
11. Organs: Not having enough protein and other nutrients can harm your organs.

26
 6 Steps to Prevent Malnutrition:
The good news is that there are simple steps you can take to stay well-nourished. Here are some tips
to get started:
1. Understand what malnutrition is and isn’t. Malnourished individuals come in all sizes and can
even be obese.
2. Make smart food choices. Learn how to eat well after 50, including how to make a well-balanced
plate, identify foods highest in key nutrients like protein, and more.
3. Try an oral nutritional supplement. Supplements have protein, calories, and vital nutrients that
can help provide complete and balanced nutrition for individuals at any stage of life.
4. Take care of your teeth. Poor oral health can lead to gum disease and other dental problems that
may limit your ability to eat well or eat certain foods that are vital for good nutrition.
5. Consult your health care provider. Talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing unintentional
weight loss, poor appetite, difficulty chewing or swallowing, problems with ill-fitting dentures, or
other problems that affect eating.
6. Find help. If it’s difficult for you to drive, prepare, or purchase food, enlist a friend or family
member to help.

CONSOLIDATE
In this lesson, you learned about the basic function and sources of food nutrients, the
classification of macronutrient and micronutrients and how much the body will need to each of
them and their difference.

Also, the effects of malnutrition and some steps to prevent it as malnutrition is a big
problem in our society. Good nutrition is vital at every stage of life, but as you age, staying
well-nourished is even more important.

POST-TEST
Exercise 1.
Answer the following questions. Write your answer on the space provided.

27
1) For the following nutrients, can you say why they are important and name one source? Are
these foods micronutrients or macronutrients? (3 points each)

1. Carbohydrates
________________________________________________________________________
2. Proteins
________________________________________________________________________
3. Fats and oils.
________________________________________________________________________

2) How important is it to include animal sources of food in a diet? (5 points)

__________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 2.

Give the 6 steps to Prevent Malnutrition

1. 4.

2 5.

3. 6.

Give atleast 5 impacts of Malnutrition to Health

1. 5.

4.

28
Exercise 3.

Identify the Functions and sources of the following: (3 points each)

1. Calcium

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Iron

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. Iodine

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. Zinc

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5. Fluorine

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY

Here are some questions members of your community might ask you. What answers would
you give?Explain briefly. (5 Points each)

a. A woman asks you which is better for her family; animal fats or fish and vegetable
oils?
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

29
 b. A child is brought to the health Centre with diarrhea. What is the most important
advice to give the mother?
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

c. A man complains of constipation. What foods should you tell him to include in his
diet?
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

d. A young boy has a wound which is not healing. You need to make sure that his diet
includes enough of one particular vitamin. Which vitamin is this and what foods will
provide it?
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

e. A mother says that her child doesn’t like dairy products. Does this matter? Give
reasons for your answer.

____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

30
Lesson 3: The Process of Absorption, transportation and storage of
nutrients
Lesson overview
Digestion begins even before you put food into your mouth. When you feel hungry, your
body sends a message to your brain that it is time to eat. Sights and smells influence your body’s
preparedness for food.

Smelling food sends a message to your brain. Your brain then tells the mouth to get ready,
and you start to salivate in preparation for a delicious meal.

Which organ is the most important organ in the body? Most people would say the heart or
the brain, completely overlooking the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). Though definitely not the
most attractive organs in the body, they are certainly among the most important. The 30 plus foot
long tube that goes from the mouth to the anus is imperative for our well being and our lifelong
health. A non-functioning or poorly functioning GI tract can be the source of many chronic
health problems that can interfere with your quality of life. In many instances the death of a
person begins in the intestines.

The old saying “you are what you eat” perhaps would be more accurate if worded “you
are what you absorb and digest.” Here we will be looking at the importance of these two
functions of the digestive system: digestion and absorption.

Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Discuss the Digestive Process

2. Recognize the cultural aspect of food and diet
3. Familiarize how to choose food.

31
PRETEST
Read and Write True if the statement is TRUE and False if it is not. Write your answer on
the space provided before each number.

___1. Digestion of food is a form of catabolism, in which the food is broken down into small
molecules that the body can absorb and use for energy, growth, and repair.

___2. When digestion is finished, it results in many simple nutrient molecules that must go
through the process of Mechanical Digestion.

___3. Chemical Digestion is a physical process in which food is broken into smaller pieces
without becoming changed chemically.

___4. Chemical digestion could not occur without the help of many different digestive enzymes.

___5. The processes of digestion include six activities: ingestion, propulsion, mechanical or
physical digestion, chemical digestion, absorption, and defecation.

PRESENTATION

Digestion:

Digestion of food is a form of catabolism, in which the food is broken down into small
molecules that the body can absorb and use for energy, growth, and repair. Digestion occurs
when food is moved through the digestive system. It begins in the mouth and ends in the small
intestine. The final products of digestion are absorbed from the digestive tract, primarily in the
small intestine. There are two different types of digestion that occur in the digestive system:
mechanical digestion and chemical digestion. The following diagram summarizes the roles
played by different digestive organs in mechanical and chemical digestion, both of which are
described in detail below.

Mechanical Digestion:

32
Mechanical digestion is a physical process in which food is broken into smaller pieces without
becoming changed chemically. It begins with your first bite of food (see photo below) and
continues as you chew food with your teeth into smaller pieces. The process of mechanical
digestion continues in the stomach. This muscular organ churns and mixes the food it contains,
an action that breaks any solid food into still smaller pieces.

Although some mechanical digestion also occurs in the intestines, it is mostly completed by the
time food leaves the stomach. At that stage, food in the GI tract has been changed to the thick
semi-fluid called chyme. Mechanical digestion is necessary so that chemical digestion can be
effective. Mechanical digestion tremendously increases the surface area of food particles so they
can be acted upon more effectively by digestive enzymes.

Chemical Digestion:

Chemical digestion is the biochemical process in which macro molecules in food are changed
into smaller molecules that can be absorbed into body fluids and transported to cells throughout
the body. Substances in food that must be chemically digested include carbohydrates, proteins,
lipids, and nucleic acids. Carbohydrates must be broken down into simple sugars, proteins into
amino acids, lipids into fatty acids and glycerol, and nucleic acids into nitrogen bases and sugars.
Some chemical digestion takes place in the mouth and stomach, but most of it occurs in the first
part of the small intestine (duodenum).

Digestive Enzymes:

Chemical digestion could not occur without the help of many different digestive enzymes.
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical reactions. Digestive enzymes are
secreted by exocrine glands or by the mucosal layer of the epithelium lining the gastrointestinal
tract. In the mouth, digestive enzymes are secreted by salivary glands.

The lining of the stomach secretes enzymes, as does the lining of the small intestine.
Many more digestive enzymes are secreted by exocrine cells in the pancreas and carried by ducts
to the small intestine. The following table lists several important digestive enzymes, the organs
and/or glands that secrete them, and the compounds they digest. You can read more about them
below.

Absorption:

33
 When digestion is finished, it results in many simple nutrient molecules that must go
through the process of absorption from the GI tract by blood or lymph so they can be used by
cells throughout the body. A few substances are absorbed in the stomach and large intestine. For
example, water is absorbed in both of these organs, and some minerals and vitamins are also
absorbed in the large intestine. However, about 95 percent of nutrient molecules are absorbed in
the small intestine.

Absorption of the majority of these molecules takes place in the second part of the small
intestine, called the jejunum. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, iron is absorbed
in the duodenum, and vitamin B12 is absorbed in the last part of the small intestine, called the
ileum. After being absorbed in the small intestine, nutrient molecules are transported to other
parts of the body for storage or further chemical modification. For example, amino acids are
transported to the liver to be used for protein synthesis.

The digestive system uses mechanical and chemical activities to break food down into
absorbable substances during its journey through the digestive system. Table 1 provides an
overview of the basic functions of the digestive organs.

Digestive Processes:

The processes of digestion include six activities: ingestion, propulsion, mechanical or physical
digestion, chemical digestion, absorption, and defecation.

The first of these processes, ingestion, refers to the entry of food into the alimentary canal
through the mouth. There, the food is chewed and mixed with saliva, which contains enzymes
that begin breaking down the carbohydrates in the food plus some lipid digestion via lingual
lipase. Chewing increases the surface area of the food and allows an appropriately sized bolus to
be produced.

Food leaves the mouth when the tongue and pharyngeal muscles propel it into the esophagus.
This act of swallowing, the last voluntary act until defecation, is an example of propulsion,
which refers to the movement of food through the digestive tract.

It includes both the voluntary process of swallowing and the involuntary process of
peristalsis. Peristalsis consists of sequential, alternating waves of contraction and relaxation of
alimentary wall smooth muscles, which act to propel food along. These waves also play a role in
mixing food with digestive juices. Peristalsis is so powerful that foods and liquids you swallow
enter your stomach even if you are standing on your head.

Digestion includes both mechanical and chemical processes. Mechanical digestion is a purely
physical process that does not change the chemical nature of the food. Instead, it makes the food
smaller to increase both surface area and mobility. It includes mastication, or chewing, as well
as tongue movements that help break food into smaller bits and mix food with saliva. Although
there may be a tendency to think that mechanical digestion is limited to the first steps of the

34
digestive process, it occurs after the food leaves the mouth, as well. The mechanical churning of
food in the stomach serves to further break it apart and expose more of its surface area to
digestive juices, creating an acidic “soup” called chyme. Segmentation, which occurs mainly in
the small intestine, consists of localized contractions of circular muscle of the muscularis layer of
the alimentary canal. These contractions isolate small sections of the intestine, moving their
contents back and forth while continuously subdividing, breaking up, and mixing the contents.
By moving food back and forth in the intestinal lumen, segmentation mixes food with digestive
juices and facilitates absorption.

In chemical digestion, starting in the mouth, digestive secretions break down complex food
molecules into their chemical building blocks (for example, proteins into separate amino acids).
These secretions vary in composition, but typically contain water, various enzymes, acids, and
salts. The process is completed in the small intestine.

Food that has been broken down is of no value to the body unless it enters the bloodstream and
its nutrients are put to work. This occurs through the process of absorption, which takes place
primarily within the small intestine. There, most nutrients are absorbed from the lumen of the
alimentary canal into the bloodstream through the epithelial cells that make up the mucosa.
Lipids are absorbed into lacteals and are transported via the lymphatic vessels to the bloodstream
(the subclavian veins near the heart). The details of these processes will be discussed later.

In defecation, the final step in digestion, undigested materials are removed from the body as
feces.

35
What Is Food Culture And How Does It Impact Health?

Food is the great unifier that connects us across cultures and generations. We have all had
those moments when we smelled something that reminded us of our childhood, or recreated
a dish that we had abroad that immediately brought us back to that foreign place.

Food can quite literally propel you to another time, another country, another culture without
even leaving your dinner table, which is why food culture is such an important way that we
as people are able to connect and relate to one another.

36
WHAT IS FOOD CULTURE?

Food culture (by definition) refers to the practices, attitudes, and beliefs as well as the
networks and institutions surrounding the production, distribution, and consumption
of food.

That’s a mouth full so let’s break it down — food culture is the connection, beliefs, and
experience we have with food and our food system. It incorporates our cultural heritage and
ethnicity, but is not limited to it.

Our food culture is as much about our ethnic cultural heritage, as it is about our
environmental culture and the way our surrounding impact the foods we eat and the way we
experience them.

For most people food is cultural, not nutritional. A plant or animal may be considered edible in
one society and inedible in another. Probably one of the most important things to remember in
connection with the cultural factors involved in food habits is that there are many combination of
food which will give same nutritional results.
Culture consist of values, attitudes, habits and customs, acquired by learning which starts with
the earliest experiences of childhood, much of which is not deliberately taught by anyone and
which so thoroughly internalized that it is unconscious but ‘goes deep’ (Fathauer.G.H,1960).
Food habits are among the oldest and most deeply entrenched aspects of many cultures and
cannot, therefore, be easily changed, or if forcibly changed, can produce a series of unexpected
and unwelcome reactions. Food and food habits as a basic part of culture serve as a focus of
emotional association, a channel of love, discrimination and disapproval and usually have
symbolic references. The sharing of food symbolizes a high degree of social intimacy and
acceptance.

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD AND CULTURE FOR GLOBAL WELL-BEING:

To break it down even further food cultures, no matter where in the world, all encompass a
few key components:

 They involve sharing food with community and family

 They value the needs of the land over the convenience driven desires of people
 They use food to celebrate religious and community events

37
 They focus on local and seasonal ingredients, and use them to create unique and
distinguishable flavors
 They value their food experiences and then move on with their day
 Food is not something to be manipulated, it is meant to be shared and celebrated

This is where we begin to be able to clearly see how our food is meant to support the land it
is grown on, nourishing both our bodies and our environment, as well as something that we
are meant to live in balance with, not control.

HOW FOOD CULTURE IMPACTS HEALTH?

But what does food culture have to do with ones health? Well — everything.

Without a strong food culture food becomes something that we manipulate for personal
gain. It stops being something that we respect, and instead becomes something that we aim
to control, and the more we aim to control our food the less we truly value and experience
it.

Because food cultures are deeply routed parts of our natural history that have evolved and
developed overtime, they are essential parts of how we support our overall health and
nourish our bodies. However, over the past half century, commercially processed foods and
the insurgence of supermarkets and marketed diet culture have disconnected many people
with their traditional food culture to the point where they may not even recognize it
anymore.

For so many, the phrase food culture doesn’t mean much. Food is something that comes
packaged, that is counted and manipulated, and overall disconnected from any real meaning.
At some point we decided to remove the culture from our food and our health began to
suffer.

All you have to do is take a look at the blue zones of the world (the areas of the world
researched to have the happiest and longest lifespans) to understand that our food culture is
as much a part of our personal and societal well-being, as our food is itself.

38
Choosing Healthy Food:

Having a healthy diet has a lot of benefits. It can help you lose weight or maintain your desired
weight. It also can lower your cholesterol and prevent certain health conditions. In general, a
healthy diet keeps your body running on a daily basis.

Path to improved health:

The choices you make about what you eat and drink matter. They should add up to a balanced,
nutritious diet. We all have different calorie needs based on our gender, age, and activity level.
Health conditions can play a role too, including if you need to lose weight.

Choose food from all five groups and follow the tips below.

Grains:

39
Choose products that list whole grains as the first ingredient. For example, whole grain breads or
whole-wheat flour. Whole grains are low in fat and high in fiber. They also contain complex
carbohydrates (carbs), which help you feel full longer and prevent overeating. Avoid products
that say “enriched” or contained with other types of grains or flours. They do not have the same
nutrients.

Hot and cold cereals usually are low in fat. However, instant cereals with cream may contain
high-fat oils or butterfat. Granola cereals also may have high-fat oils and extra sugars. Look for
low-sugar options instead.

Try not to eat rich sweets, such as doughnuts, rolls, and muffins. These foods often contain
calories made up of more than 50% fat. Lighter options, such as angel food cake, can satisfy your
sweet tooth without adding fat to your diet.

Fruits and Vegetables:

Fruits and vegetables naturally are low in fat. They provide flavor and variety to your diet. They
also contain necessary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Try not to add unneeded fats to vegetables
and fruits. This means avoiding margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and sour cream. You can use
yogurt, healthy oils, or herbs to season instead.

40
Protein:

Beef, pork, veal, and lamb

Select low-fat, lean cuts of meat. Lean beef and veal cuts have the words “loin” or “round” in
their names. Lean pork cuts have the words “loin” or “leg” in their names. Trim off the outside
fat before cooking it. Trim any inside, separable fat before eating it. Use herbs, spices, and
low-sodium marinades to season meat.

Baking, broiling, grilling, and roasting are the healthiest ways to prepare these meats. Lean cuts
can be pan-broiled or stir-fried. Use either a nonstick pan or cooking spray instead of butter or
margarine. Avoid serving your protein with high-fat sauces and gravies.

Poultry:

Chicken breasts are a good choice because they are low fat and high in protein. Only eat duck
and goose once in a while, because they are high in fat. Remove skin and visible fat before
cooking. Baking, broiling, grilling, and roasting are the healthiest ways to prepare poultry.
Skinless poultry can be pan-broiled or stir-fried. Use a nonstick pan or cooking spray instead of
butter or margarine.

Fish:

Most seafood is high in healthy polyunsaturated fat. Omega-3 fatty acids also are found in some
fish, such as salmon and cold-water trout. Try to eat seafood twice a week. Fresh fish should
have a clear color, a clean smell, and firm, springy flesh. If good-quality fresh fish isn’t available,
buy frozen fish. To prepare fish, you should poach, steam, bake, broil, or grill it.

41
Non-meat proteins:

Non-meat options include dry beans, peas, and lentils. They offer protein and fiber without the
cholesterol and fat of meats. These are staple foods for people who are vegetarian or vegan. You
can swap beans for meat in recipes, like lasagna or chili.

Dairy:

Choose skim or non-dairy milk, like soy, rice, or almond milk. Try low-fat or part-skim cheeses
in recipes. Skim ricotta can replace cream cheese on a bagel or in a vegetable dip. Use 1%
cottage cheese for salads and cooking. String cheese is a low-fat, high-calcium snack option.

Nonfat or Greek yogurt can replace sour cream in many recipes. Try mixing them with fruit for
dessert. Skim sherbet and soft-serve frozen yogurt is lower in fat than ice cream.

Fats, oils, and sweets:

Too many high-fat foods add excess calories to your diet. This can lead to weight gain and
obesity, or increase your risk for certain issues. Heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and
osteoarthritis have all been linked to diets high in fat. If you consume high amounts of saturated
and trans fats, you are more likely to develop high cholesterol and coronary heart disease.

It is important that you stay hydrated for your health. However, sugar-sweetened drinks contain
lots of sugar and calories. This includes fruit juices, soda, sports and energy drinks, sweetened or
flavored milk, and sweet tea. Substitute water and other zero-calorie drinks.

Things to consider:

42
Being healthy is more than a diet — it’s a lifestyle. Combine healthy food choices with regular
exercise and smart habits. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week.
Children and teens should get at least 60 minutes of exercise every day. If you smoke, you
should quit. You also should limit your alcohol intake. Women should have no more than one
drink per day. Men should have no more than two drinks per day.

CONSOLIDATE

In this lesson, you learned about Digestion in which the food is broken down into small
molecules that the body can absorb and use for energy, growth, and repair , and also the digestive
process

Defined Food culture which refers to the practices, attitudes, and beliefs as well as
the networks and institutions surrounding the production, distribution, and consumption
of food.

And finally on choosing the right and healthy food that should be taken to keep the
body running in daily basis.

POST-TEST

Exercise 1.

Direction: Answer the following Questions. Write your answer on the space provided.
(5 Points each on items 1 to 6)

1. Define digestion. Where does it occur?

__________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Identify two organ systems that control the process of digestion by the digestive system.
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What is mechanical digestion? Where does it occur?

43
 _______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. Describe chemical digestion.
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the role of enzymes in chemical digestion?
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
6. What is absorption? When does it occur?
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
7. a. Where does most absorption occur in the digestive system?
_______________________________________________________________________

b. Why does most of the absorption occur in this organ and not earlier in the GI tract?

_______________________________________________________________________

8. Name two digestive enzymes found in saliva and identify which type of molecule they
digest. _____________________________________________
9. a. Where is bile produced?

_______________________________________________________________________

b. What are some functions of bile?

________________________________________________________________________

10. True or False. Pepsin digests cellulose. _______

11. True or False. Glucose can be absorbed by the body without being further broken down.
_________
12. The pH of the stomach ___________ .

A. is neutral B. is alkaline C. is acidic D. depends only on what you eat

13. Lymph absorbs __________ .

A. fatty acids B. sugars C. amino acids D. vitamin C

Exercise 3.

44
Give atleast 5 importance of Food and Culture for Global well-being

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Discuss the following. write your answer on the space provided. (5 points each)

1. Food Culture

______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

2. Why do we need to choose healthy foods

______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY

Draw the Digestive system and identify the parts of it and their functions. (20 points)

THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Functions

45
Lesson 4: Identify the different types of nutrients and their
functions in the body

Lesson overview
A person’s body cannot produce everything that it needs to function. There are essential
nutrients that people need to consume through dietary sources to maintain optimal health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) note that essential nutrients are crucial in
supporting a person’s reproduction, good health, and growth. The WHO divide these essential
nutrients into two categories: micronutrients and macronutrients.

Nutrients are compounds in foods essential to life and health, providing us with energy,
the building blocks for repair and growth and substances necessary to regulate chemical
processes.

A person needs to consume all types of essential nutrients to ensure the best possible
health. These nutrients support vital functions, including growth, the immune, the central
nervous system, and preventing disease.

Typically, a person who eats a healthful, balanced diet that includes lean proteins,
vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates, and water will get the nutrients they need.

Lesson Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Identify the types of Carbohydrates and Protein

2. Identify the types of Fats and Vitamins

46
PRETEST

Fill in the Blanks. Write your answer on the space provided.

1. There are 2 types of Carbohydrates. They are _______ and __________.

2. The main functions of_________ in the body are to build, strengthen and repair or replace
things, such as tissue.

3. There are 2 types of Fats. They are _______ and ________.

4. ________ are a group of substances that are needed for normal cell function, growth, and
development.

5. There are ______ essential vitamins. This means that these vitamins are required for the body
to work properly.

PRESENTATION

Types of Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates can be divided into two main types: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates
are made up of just one or two sugar units, whereas complex carbohydrates are made up of many
sugar units. We'll look at each of these in turn.

Simple carbohydrates:
Simple carbohydrates are sometimes called "sugars" or "simple sugars." There are 2 types of
simple carbohydrates: monosaccharides and disaccharides.

Monosaccharides contain just one sugar unit, so they're the smallest of the carbohydrates. (The
prefix "mono-" means "one.") The small size of monosaccharides gives them a special role in
digestion and metabolism. Food carbohydrates have to be broken down to monosaccharides

47
before they can be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, and they also circulate in blood in
monosaccharide form.

There are 3 monosaccharides:

1 – Glucose:
You're already familiar with glucose, because it's the main product of photosynthesis.
Plants make glucose as a way of storing the sun's energy in a form that it can use for growth and
reproduction.

In humans, glucose is one of the most important nutrients for fueling the body. It's
especially important for the brain and nervous system, which aren't very good at using other fuel
sources. Muscles, on the other hand, can use fat as an energy source.

Food sources of glucose: Glucose is found in fruits and vegetables, as well as honey, corn
syrup, and high fructose corn syrup. (All plants make glucose, but much of the glucose is used to
make starch, fiber, and other nutrients. The foods listed here have glucose in its monosaccharide
form.)

2 – Fructose:
Fructose is special because it is the sweetest carbohydrate. Plants make a lot of fructose
as a way of attracting insects and animals, which help plants to reproduce. For example, plants
make nectar, which is high in fructose and very sweet, to attract insects that will pollinate it.
Plants also put fructose into fruit to make it tastier. Animals eat the fruit, wander away, and later
poop out the seeds from the fruit, thereby sowing the seeds of the next generation. Animal gets a
meal, and the plant gets to reproduce.

Food sources of fructose: Fruits, vegetables, honey, high fructose corn syrup

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3 – Galactose:
Food sources of galactose: Galactose is found in milk (and dairy products made from milk), but
it's almost always linked to glucose to form a disaccharide (more on that in a minute). We rarely
find it in our food supply in monosaccharide form.

The second type of simple carbohydrates is disaccharides. They contain two sugar units bonded
together.

There are 3 disaccharides:

Maltose (glucose + glucose)

Sucrose (glucose + fructose)

Lactose (glucose + galactose)

1 – Maltose:

Maltose is made of two glucose molecules bonded together. It doesn't occur naturally in
any appreciable amount in foods, with one exception: sprouted grains. Grains contain a lot of
starch, which is made of long chains of glucose (more on this in a minute), and when the seed of
a grain starts to sprout, it begins to break down that starch, creating maltose. If bread is made
from those sprouted grains, that bread will have some maltose.

Maltose also plays a role in the production of beer and liquor, because this process
involves the fermentation of grains or other carbohydrate sources. Maltose is formed during the
breakdown of those carbohydrates, but there is very little remaining once the fermentation
process is complete.

You can taste the sweetness of maltose if you hold a starchy food in your mouth for a
minute or so. Try this with a simple food like a soda cracker. Starch is not sweet, but as the
starch in the cracker begins to break down with the action of salivary amylase, maltose will form,
and you'll taste the sweetness!

2 – Sucrose:

Sucrose is made of a glucose molecule bonded to a fructose molecule. It's made by plants
for the same reason as fructose -- to attract animals to eat it and thereby spread the seeds.

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 Sucrose is naturally-occurring in fruits and vegetables. (Most fruits and vegetables
contain a mixture of glucose, fructose, and sucrose.) But humans have also figured out how to
concentrate the sucrose in plants (usually sugar cane or sugar beets) to make refined table sugar.
We also find sucrose in maple syrup and honey.

3 – Lactose:

Lactose is made of a glucose molecule bonded to a galactose molecule. It is sometimes

called "milk sugar" as it is found in dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese. These are the
only animal foods that have significant amounts of carbohydrate. Most of our carbohydrates
complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are also called polysaccharides, because they contain many sugars.
(The prefix "poly-" means "many.") There are 3 main polysaccharides:

 Starch
 Glycogen
 Fiber

All three of these polysaccharides are made up of many glucose molecules bonded
together, but they differ in their structure and the type of bond.

1 – Starch:

Starch is made up of long chains of glucose. If these chains are straight, they're called
amylose; if they're branched, they're called amylopectin.

Starch is the storage form of carbohydrate in plants. Plants make starch in order to store
glucose. For example, starch is in seeds to give the seedling energy to sprout, and we eat those
seeds in the form of grains, legumes (soybeans, lentils, pinto and kidney beans, for example),
nuts, and seeds. Starch is also stored in roots and tubers to provide stored energy for the plant to
grow and reproduce, and we eat these in the form of potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and
turnips.

2 – Glycogen:

Glycogen is structurally similar to amylopectin, but it's the storage form of carbohydrate
in animals, humans included. It's made up of highly branched chains of glucose, and it's stored in
the liver and skeletal muscle. The branched structure of glycogen makes it easier to break down
quickly to release glucose to serve as fuel when needed on short notice.

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 Even though glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles of animals, we don't find it in
meat, because it's broken down soon after slaughter. Thus, glycogen is not found in our food.
Instead, we have to make it in our liver and muscle from glucose.

3 – Fiber:

Fiber includes carbohydrates and other structural substances in plants that are indigestible
to human enzymes. Fiber is made by plants to provide protection and structural support. Think
about thick stems that help a plant stand upright, tough seed husks, and fruit skin that protect
what's growing inside.

In our food, we find fiber in whole plant foods like whole grains, seeds, nuts, fruits,
vegetables, and legumes.

One of the most common types of fiber is cellulose, the main component in plant cell
walls. The chemical structure of cellulose is shown in the figure below, with our simplified
depiction next to it. You can see that cellulose has long chains of glucose, similar to starch, but
they're stacked up, and there are hydrogen bonds linking the stacks.

When we eat fiber, it passes through the small intestine intact, because we don't have
digestive enzymes to break it down. Then, in the large intestine, our friendly microbiota -- the
bacteria that live in our colons -- go to work on the fiber. Some fiber can be fermented by those
bacteria.

What are proteins?

Share on Pinter Protein molecules are essential for the functioning of every cell in the body. The
body synthesizes some proteins foods we eat.

Proteins are long chains of amino acids that form the basis of all life. They are like machines that
make all living things, whether viruses, bacteria, butterflies, jellyfish, plants, or human function.

The human body consists of around 100 trillion cells. Each cell has thousands of different
proteins. Together, these cause each cell to do its job. The proteins are like tiny machines inside
the cell.

Amino acids and proteins:

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Protein consists of amino acids, and amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are
around 20 amino acids.

Types of protein:

We sometimes hear that there are three types of protein foods:

Complete proteins: These foods contain all the essential amino acids. They mostly occur in
animal foods, such as meat, dairy, and eggs.

Incomplete proteins: These foods contain at least one essential amino acid, so there is a lack of
balance in the proteins. Plant foods, such as peas, beans, and grains mostly contain incomplete
protein.

Complementary proteins: These refer to two or more foods containing incomplete proteins that
people can combine to supply complete protein. Examples include rice and beans or bread with
peanut butter.

What do proteins do?

Proteins play a role in nearly every biological process, and their functions vary widely. The main
functions of proteins in the body are to build, strengthen and repair or replace things, such as
tissue.

They can be:

 structural, like collagen

 hormonal, like insulin

 carriers, for example, hemoglobin

 enzymes, such as amylase

All of these are proteins.

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Keratin is a structural protein that strengthens protective coverings, such as hair. Collagen and
elastin, too, have a structural function, and they also provide support for connective tissue.

Most enzymes are proteins and are catalysts, which means they speed up chemical reactions.
They are necessary for respiration in human cells, for example, or photosynthesis in plants.

FATS:

Types of Fat:

Unsaturated fats:
Unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature, are considered beneficial fats because
they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms, and play a
number of other beneficial roles. Unsaturated fats are predominantly found in foods from plants,
such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.

There are two types of “good” unsaturated fats:

1. Monounsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in:

o Olive, peanut, and canola oils

o Avocados

o Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans

o Seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds

2. Polyunsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in

53
 o Sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils

o Walnuts

o Flax seeds

o Fish

o Canola oil – though higher in monounsaturated fat, it’s also a good source of
polyunsaturated fat.

Omega-3 fats are an important type of polyunsaturated fat. The body can’t make these, so they
must come from food.

 An excellent way to get omega-3 fats is by eating fish 2-3 times a week.

 Good plant sources of omega-3 fats include flax seeds, walnuts, and canola or soybean oil.

 Higher blood omega-3 fats are associated with lower risk of premature death among older
adults, according to a study by HSPH faculty.

Saturated Fats:
 All foods containing fat have a mix of specific types of fats. Even healthy foods like chicken
and nuts have small amounts of saturated fat, though much less than the amounts found in
beef, cheese, and ice cream. Saturated fat is mainly found in animal foods, but a few plant
foods are also high in saturated fats, such as coconut, coconut oil.

 Cutting back on saturated fat will likely have no benefit, however, if people replace saturated
fat with refined carbohydrates. Eating refined carbohydrates in place of saturated fat does
lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, but it also lowers the “good” HDL cholesterol and increases
triglycerides. The net effect is as bad for the heart as eating too much saturated fat.

The biggest sources of saturated fat (12) in the diet are

 Pizza and cheese

 Whole and reduced fat milk, butter and dairy desserts

 Meat products (sausage, bacon, beef, hamburgers)

 Cookies and other grain-based desserts

 A variety of mixed fast food dishes

Eating good fats in place of saturated fat can also help prevent insulin resistance, a precursor to
diabetes. So while saturated fat may not be as harmful as once thought, evidence clearly shows
that unsaturated fat remains the healthiest type of fat.

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 Vitamins:
Vitamins are a group of substances that are needed for normal cell function, growth, and
development.

There are 13 essential vitamins. This means that these vitamins are required for the body to work
properly. They are:

 Vitamin A  Vitamin B3 (niacin)

 Vitamin C  Pantothenic acid (B5)
 Vitamin D  Biotin (B7)
 Vitamin E  Vitamin B6
 Vitamin K  Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
 Vitamin B1 (thiamine)  Folate (folic acid and B9)
 Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Vitamins are grouped into two categories:

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body's fatty tissue. The four fat-soluble vitamins are
vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are absorbed more easily by the body in the presence of
dietary fat.
There are nine water-soluble vitamins. They are not stored in the body. Any leftover
water-soluble vitamins leave the body through the urine. Although, the body keeps a small reserve of
these vitamins, they have to be taken on a regular basis to prevent shortage in the body. Vitamin B12
is the only water-soluble vitamin that can be stored in the liver for many years.
Some “vitamin-like factors” are also needed by the body such as:

 Choline
 Carnitine

Function:
Each of the vitamins listed below has an important job in the body. A vitamin deficiency occurs
when you do not get enough of a certain vitamin. Vitamin deficiency can cause health problems.

55
 Not eating enough fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains and fortified dairy foods may
increase your risk for health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and poor bone health
(osteoporosis).

Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucous membranes,
and skin.
Vitamin B6 is also called pyridoxine. Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and maintain
brain function. This vitamin also plays an important role in the proteins that are part of many
chemical reactions in the body. The more protein you eat the more pyridoxine your body requires.
Vitamin B12, like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism. It also helps form red
blood cells and maintain the central nervous system.
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums.
It helps the body absorb iron and maintain healthy tissue. It is also essential for wound healing.
Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin," since it is made by the body after being
in the sun. Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine 3 times a week is enough to produce the body's
requirement of vitamin D for most people at most latitudes. People who do not live in sunny places
may not make enough vitamin D. It is very hard to get enough vitamin D from food sources alone.
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. You need calcium for the normal development and
maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain proper blood levels
of calcium and phosphorus.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant also known as tocopherol. It helps the body form red blood cells
and use vitamin K.
Vitamin K is needed because without it, blood would not stick together (coagulate). Some
studies suggest that it is important for bone health.
Biotin is essential for the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, and in the production of
hormones and cholesterol.
Niacin is a B vitamin that helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. It also has
cholesterol-lowering effects at higher doses.
Folate works with vitamin B12 to help form red blood cells. It is needed for the production
of DNA, which controls tissue growth and cell function. Any woman who is pregnant should be sure
to get enough folate. Low levels of folate are linked to birth defects such as spina bifida. Many foods
are now fortified with folic acid.
Pantothenic acid is essential for the metabolism of food. It also plays a role in the
production of hormones and cholesterol.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth
and the production of red blood cells.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) helps the body cells change carbohydrates into energy. Getting
enough carbohydrates is very important during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is also essential for
heart function and healthy nerve cells.

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 Choline helps in normal functioning of the brain and nervous system. Lack of choline can cause
swelling in liver.
 Carnitine helps the body to change fatty acids into energy.

Food Sources:

FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS:
Vitamin A: Vitamin D:

 Dark-colored fruits  Fish (fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel,

herring, and orange roughy)
 Dark leafy vegetables
 Fish liver oils (cod liver oil)
 Egg yolk
 Fortified cereals
 Fortified milk and dairy products (cheese,
yogurt, butter, and cream)  Fortified milk and dairy products (cheese,
yogurt, butter, and cream)
 Liver, beef, and fish
Vitamin E: Vitamin K:

 Avocado  Cabbage
 Dark green vegetables (spinach, broccoli,  Cauliflower
asparagus, and turnip greens)
 Cereals
 Margarine (made from safflower, corn, and
sunflower oil)  Dark green vegetables (broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, and asparagus)
 Oils (safflower, corn, and sunflower)
 Dark leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, collards,
 Papaya and mango and turnip greens)
 Seeds and nuts  Fish, liver, beef, and eggs
 Wheat germ and wheat germ oil

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS:

Biotin:  Egg yolk

 Chocolate  Legumes

 Cereal  Milk

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 Nuts  Brewer's yeast
 Organ meats (liver, kidney)  Dried beans (cooked pinto, navy, kidney, and
lima)
 Pork
 Fortified cereals
 Yeast
 Green, leafy vegetables (spinach and romaine
lettuce)
 Lentils
 Oranges and orange juice
Folate:
 Peanut butter
 Asparagus and broccoli
 Wheat germ
 Beets
Niacin (vitamin B3):
 Avocado
 Eggs
 Enriched breads and fortified cereals
 Fish (tuna and salt-water fish)
 Lean meats
 Legumes
 Nuts
 Potato
 Poultry

Pantothenic acid:
 Avocado
 Broccoli, kale, and other vegetables in the cabbage family
 Eggs
 Legumes and lentils
 Milk
 Mushroom

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 Organ meats
 Poultry
 White and sweet potatoes
 Whole-grain cereals

Thiamine (vitamin B1):

 Dried milk
 Egg
 Enriched bread and flour
 Lean meats
 Legumes (dried beans)
 Nuts and seeds
 Organ meats
 Peas
 Whole grains

Pyroxidine (vitamin B6):

 Avocado
 Banana
 Legumes (dried beans)
 Meat
 Nuts
 Poultry
 Whole grains (milling and processing removes a lot of this vitamin)

Vitamin B12:
 Meat
 Eggs
 Fortified foods such as soymilk
 Milk and milk products
 Organ meats (liver and kidney)

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 Poultry
 Shellfish

NOTE: Animal sources of vitamin B12 are absorbed much better by the body than plant sources.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid):

 Broccoli
 Brussels sprouts
 Cabbage
 Cauliflower
 Citrus fruits
 Potatoes
 Spinach
 Strawberries
 Tomatoes and tomato juice

CONSOLIDATE
In this lesson, you learned about the types of Carbohydrates which are the simple and
complex carbohydrates. Also the types of Protein , complete and incomplete protein.

And the types of Fats, Saturated and unsaturated fat and finally, the types of vitamins
which are the fat soluble and water soluble.

POST-TEST

Exercise 1.

Which of the following carbohydrates can be classified as a simple carbohydrate?

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[mark  all correct answers]

a. Starch
f. Glycogen
b. Glucose
g. Maltose
c. Lactose
h. Sucrose
d. Fiber
i. Fructose
e. Galactose

Matching Type. Connect which defines the given words stated below.

A B

1. Glucose a. Not found in nature on its own, this monosaccharide pairs with
glucose to form lactose.
2. Fructose
b. This disaccharide is made of a glucose and fructose molecule bonded
3. Galactose together; it's found in fruits, vegetables, and refined sources such as
table sugar.
4. Maltose
c. Made by plants to provide protection and structural support, this
5. Lactose includes polysaccharides that are indigestible to human enzymes.

6. Sucrose d. The sweetest-tasting carbohydrate, this monosaccharide is found

especially in fruit.
7. Glycogen
e. This disaccharide is made of a glucose and galactose molecule bonded
8. Starch together; it's found in dairy products.

9. Fiber f. This polysaccharide is the storage form of glucose in animals.

g. This disaccharide is made of two glucose molecules and only found in

a few food sources, included sprouted grains.

h. This monosaccharide that is one of body's most important energy

sources, especially for the brain.

i. This polysaccharide is the storage form of glucose in plants.

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Exercise 2.
Enumerate the 13 essential Vitamins.

1. 8.

2 9.

3. 10.

4. 11.

5. 12.

6. 13.

7.

The 3 types of Proteins. The two types of Fats

1. 1.

2. 2.

3.

Two types of Vitamins

1,

2.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
The teacher will give each of the class a topic and you will discuss those
nutrients and should be able to tell some sources where that nutrient is rich in.
Each student will be graded individually. (20 points)

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Lesson 5: The National Requirements in the terms of recommended
dietary allowances to nutrition and health

Lesson Overview

Nutrition is the process of consuming, absorbing, and using nutrients needed by the body
for growth, development, and maintenance of life.

To receive adequate, appropriate nutrition, people need to consume a healthy diet, which
consists of a variety of nutrients—the substances in foods that nourish the body. A healthy diet
enables people to maintain a desirable body weight and composition (the percentage of fat and
muscle in the body) and to do their daily physical and mental activities.

If people consume too much food, obesity may result. If they consume large amounts of
certain nutrients, usually vitamins or minerals, harmful effects (toxicity) may occur. If people do
not consume enough nutrients, under nutrition may develop, resulting in a nutritional deficiency
disorder.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Recognize the Nutritional standards and guidelines

2. Discuss the Food Pyramid

3. Familiarize food label

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PRETEST
Identify the following statements. Write True if the statement is correct or False if not on
the space provide before each number.

____1. Nutrition labels will help you determine if it is a healthy food.

____2. The food pyramid have 5 food groups.

____3. The government requires to drink 6 to 19 glasses of Water a day.

____4. Check the expiry date of the goods before buying.

____5. Nutrition labels can help you choose between products and keep a check on the amount of
foods you're eating that are high in fat, salt and added sugars.

PRESENTATION
Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos: a prescription to good nutrition

The Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF) is a set of dietary guidelines based on the
eating pattern, lifestyle, and health status of Filipinos. The NGF contains all the nutrition
messages to healthy living for all age groups from infants to adults, pregnant and lactating
women, and the elderly.

The first NGF released in 1990 was composed of five messages called “Dietary
Guidelines for Filipinos.” In 2000, a revised nutritional guidelines composed of ten messages
was released and it was called the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.

In 2012, the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the revision of the NGF, led by the
Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology
(FNRI-DOST) developed a new set of the NGF, based on the 2000 edition. The 2012 NGF now
includes the basis and justification for each of the ten nutritional and health message.

Below are the new messages of the 2012 NGF:

 Eat a variety of foods every day to get the nutrients needed by the body.
 Breastfeed infants exclusively from birth up to six months and then give appropriate
complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding for two years and beyond for optimum
growth and development.

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 Eat more vegetables and fruits to get the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber for
regulation of body processes.
 Consume fish, lean meat, poultry, egg, dried beans or nuts daily for growth and repair of
body tissues.
 Consume milk, milk products, and other calcium-rich food such as small fish and shellfish,
every day for healthy bones and teeth.
 Consume safe foods and water to prevent diarrhea and other food-and water-borne diseases.
 Use iodized salt to prevent Iodine Deficiency Disorders.
 Limit intake of salty, fried, fatty, and sugar-rich foods to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
 Attain normal body weight through proper diet and moderate physical activity to maintain
good health and help prevent obesity.
 Be physically active, make healthy food choices, manage stress, avoid alcoholic beverage,
and do not smoke to help prevent lifestyle-related non-communicable disease.

The revisions were made based on the results of the 2008 National Nutrition Survey
(NNS) conducted by FNRI-DOST.

Based on the said survey, the Filipino household diet fell below the recommended levels
except for niacin, which is above the recommended. Furthermore, all nutrients and energy were
below the 100 percent adequacy levels. This was the basis of NGF messages no. 1, 3, and 4.
There is no single food that contains all the nutrients that our body needs so eating a variety of
food ensures that daily nutritional needs are met

There was also a decrease in consumption of fruits from 77 grams in 205 to 54 grams in
2008 and also a decrease in milk consumption from 44 grams to 42 grams. These results were the
basis of message no. 3 and 5, respectively.

Vegetables and fruits are the main sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while milk is a
good source of calcium. Low urinary iodine excretion is still a prevalent problem among
pregnant and lactating mothers, indicating to low iodine intake. Iodine is important during
pregnancy because it is needed for the brain development of the infant while lactating mothers
must have adequate supply of iodine in their breastmilk.

This is the message of NGF no. 7.

 The total cholesterol level among Filipino adults increased from 8.5 (mg/dL) in 2003 to 10.2
(mg/dL) in 2008.
 High cholesterol level may be attributed to the high consumption of sodium rich foods by
Filipinos.
 Salt and soy sauce were among the top 10 widely used miscellaneous food items used by
Filipinos.
 In addition, heart diseases ranked first among the causes of death based on the 2005
Department of Health survey. This is the reason behind no. 8 of NGF.
 Excessive intake of salt and soy sauce can result to high blood pressure especially to
salt-sensitive individuals. Persistent high blood pressure can result to cardiovascular
diseases.

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 There is also a decreasing trend of physical inactivity among Filipinos and also a large
percentage of Filipino smokers at 31.0% and drinkers at 26.9%. These situations were the
basis of messages no. 9 and 10 of the NGF.
 People are always encouraged to exercise at least thirty minutes a day, three to five times a
week.
 Limit alcohol drinking to one drink per day for women and two drinks for men is also
advised.
 One alcoholic drink is equivalent to one and half ounce distilled beverage such as gin or 12
ounces or a bottle of beer or four ounces wine or half glass wine or an ounce of 100 proof
whiskey.

The Food Guide Pyramid:

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 The Food Guide Pyramid builds on the former "basic four food groups." The Pyramid emphasizes foods
from five food groups, plus a category for fats, oils, and sweets. Each group provides some, but not all,
of the necessary nutrients.

Fat and added sugars are concentrated in foods from the Pyramid tip - Fats, Oils, and Sweets.
Foods in this category supply calories, but few vitamins and minerals. It is important to use these
foods sparingly, so that your diet supplies the vitamins and minerals you need without excess
calories.

You can see fat or sugar symbols in the food groups making up the Pyramid. They show how
some food choices in these food groups can also be high in fat or added sugars.

Fat:

This symbol represents fat in foods. Generally, foods that come from animals (milk and meat) are
naturally higher in fat than foods that come from plants (fruits, vegetables, and grains). Low-fat
dairy and lean meat choices are available, but low-fat preparation methods are important, too.

Added sugars:

This symbol represents sugars added to foods during processing, food preparation, or at the table. It
does not represent the sugars found naturally in fruits and milk. Added sugars provide calories but
few vitamins and minerals. For example, ice cream, sweetened yogurt, chocolate milk, canned or
frozen fruit packed in heavy sugar, and bakery products such as cakes and cookies represent foods
from various groups with added sugars. Foods in the Pyramid tip that contain added sugar include
soft drinks, candy, jams, jellies, syrups, and table sugar added to foods such as coffee or breakfast
cereal.

Tips to help you control the amount of fat and sugar in your diet:

 Choose lower fat foods from the food groups.

 Go easy on fats and sugars added to foods during cooking or at the table, such as butter,
margarine, gravy, salad dressing, sugar, and jelly.
 Choose fewer foods that are high in sugar, such as soft drinks, candy, and sweet desserts.

What is a serving?

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 The Pyramid shows a range of serving for each food group. The exact number of servings a person
should eat depends on how many calories are needed. That, in turn, depends on your:

 Age.
 Sex.
 Size.
 Physical activity level.

For most people, the servings listed should be used only as a general guide. While some people
feel this amount of food is too much for 10- and 11- year olds, this age group needs the same
variety of foods as older family members. Ten- and 11- year olds should have at least the lowest
number of servings shown on the Pyramid for the bread, fruit, vegetable, and meat groups.
However, to account for their special nutrient needs, 10- and 11- year olds need three servings of
milk each day.

Children in the 10- to 11- year old age group may be very self-conscious about appearance and
may decide that they need to lose weight. They need to understand that people do not have to be
the same size or shape.

Overweight children should not be encouraged to go on strict weight reduction plans. During a
health check-up, the physician will recommend a course of action. A safe approach to losing
weight is to encourage:

 Physical activity.
 Eating foods from the five food groups to maintain current weight along with fewer
choices from the Fats, Oils, and Sweets category.

Food labels:
Nutrition labels can help you choose between products and keep a check on the amount
of foods you're eating that are high in fat, salt and added sugars.

Most pre-packed foods have a nutrition label on the back or side of the packaging.

These labels include information on energy in kilojoules (kJ) and kilocalories (kcal), usually referred
to as calories.

They also include information on fat, saturates (saturated fat), carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt.

All nutrition information is provided per 100 grams and sometimes per portion of the food.

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Supermarkets and food manufacturers now highlight the energy, fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt
content on the front of the packaging, alongside the reference intake for each of these.

You can use nutrition labels to help you choose a more balanced diet.

For a balanced diet:

 eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day

 base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates – choose wholegrain
or higher fiber where possible
 have some dairy or dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts – choose lower-fat and
lower-sugar options
 eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein – aim for 2 portions of fish every
week, 1 of which should be oily, such as salmon or mackerel
 choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts
 drink plenty of fluids – the government recommends 6 to 8 cups or glasses a day

If you're having foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in small
amounts.

Try to choose a variety of different foods from the 4 main food groups.

Most people in the UK eat and drink too many calories, too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough
fruit, vegetables, oily fish or fiber.

Nutrition labels on the back or side of packaging:

Nutrition labels are often displayed as a panel or grid on the back or side of packaging.

This type of label includes information on energy (kJ/kcal), fat, saturates (saturated fat), carbohydrate,
sugars, protein and salt.

It may also provide additional information on certain nutrients, such as fiber. All nutrition information
is provided per 100 grams and sometimes per portion.

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 How do I know if a food is high in fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt?
There are guidelines to tell you if a food is high in fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar or not.

These are:

Total fat:
High: more than 17.5g of fat per 100g
Low: 3g of fat or less per 100g

Saturated fat:
High: more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g
Low: 1.5g of saturated fat or less per 100g

Sugars:
High: more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g
Low: 5g of total sugars or less per 100g

Salt:
High: more than 1.5g of salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium)
Low: 0.3g of salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium)

For example, if you're trying to cut down on saturated fat, eat fewer foods that have more than 5g of
saturated fat per 100g.

Some nutrition labels on the back or side of packaging also provide information about reference
intakes.

Nutrition labels on the front of packaging:

Most of the big supermarkets and many food manufacturers also display nutritional information on
the front of pre-packed food.

This is very useful when you want to compare different food products at a glance.

Front-of-pack labels usually give a quick guide to:

 energy

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  fat content
 saturated fat content
 sugars content
 salt content

These labels provide information on the number of grams of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt, and
the amount of energy (in kJ and kcal) in a serving or portion of the food.

But be aware that the manufacturer's idea of a portion may be different from yours.

Some front-of-pack nutrition labels also provide information about reference intakes.

Reference intakes:
Nutrition labels can also provide information on how a particular food or drink product fits into your
daily recommended diet.

Reference intakes are guidelines about the approximate amount of particular nutrients and energy
required for a healthy diet.

Red, amber and green colour coding:

Some front-of-pack nutrition labels use red, amber and green colour coding.

Colour-coded nutritional information tells you at a glance if the food has high, medium or low
amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt:

 red means high

 amber means medium
 green means low
In short, the more green on the label, the healthier the choice. If you buy a food that has all or mostly
green on the label, you know straight away that it's a healthier choice.

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Amber means neither high nor low, so you can eat foods with all or mostly amber on the label most of
the time.

But any red on the label means the food is high in fat, saturated fat, salt or sugars, and these are the
foods we should cut down on.

Try to eat these foods less often and in small amounts.

Ingredients list:
Most pre-packed food products also have a list of ingredients on the packaging or an attached label.

The ingredients list can also help you work out how healthy the product is.

Ingredients are listed in order of weight, so the main ingredients in the packaged food always come
first.

That means that if the first few ingredients are high-fat ingredients, such as cream, butter or oil, then
the food in question is a high-fat food.

Food shopping tips:

You're standing in the supermarket aisle looking at 2 similar products, trying to decide which to
choose. You want to make the healthier choice, but you're in a hurry.

If you're buying ready meals, check to see if there's a nutrition label on the front of the pack, and then
see how your choices stack up when it comes to the amount of energy, fat, saturated fat, sugars and
salt.

If the nutrition labels use colour coding, you'll often find a mixture of red, amber and green.

So when you're choosing between similar products, try to go for more greens and ambers, and fewer
reds, if you want to make a healthier choice.

But remember, even healthier ready meals may be higher in fat and energy than the homemade
equivalent.

And if you make the meal yourself, you could also save money.

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 Labelling terms and food safety:
To find out more about food labels, including what terms such as "light/lite" and "low fat" mean, and
the difference between "use by" and "best before".

CONSOLODATE
In this lesson, you learned about The Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF) is a set of
dietary guidelines based on the eating pattern, lifestyle, and health status of Filipinos.
Also, the food guide pyramid which shows how many servings should we intake in every
food groups. The go, grow and glow foods.
And finally, the importance of food label. On how to see the nutrition content by the
color coding and also to be able to understand the concept of nutrition label.

POST-TEST

Exercise 1.
Enumerate at least 5 new messages of the 2012 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipino’s (NGF)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Enumerate at least 5 messages of NGF no.7

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Exercise 2.
Draw and identify the Food Pyramid. 10 pts.

Exercise 3.
Fill in the blanks.read the statements carefully anw write your answers on the space
provided.
1. All nutrition information is provided per ____ grams and sometimes per portion of the food.
2. _______ can help you choose between products and keep a check on the amount of foods you're
eating that are high in fat, salt and added sugars.

3. Ingredients are listed in order of ______, so the main ingredients in the packaged food always
come first

4. _____ can also provide information on how a particular food or drink product fits into your
daily recommended diet.

5. Eat at least ___ portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day
6-8. Colour-coded nutritional information tells you at a glance if the food has high, medium or low
amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt: red means ____, amber means ______, green means
______.

9. drink plenty of fluids – the government recommends 6 to ____ cups or glasses a day.
10. Sugar is High if it has more than ___ g of total sugars per 100g.

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ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
The teacher will be assigning your groups for the kitchen laboratory wherein you will
be preparing a dish and you should be able to present it on class with what nutrients you
can get in consuming that dish, or what it is good for. There will be 7 groups. And you will
be graded individually. (50 points)

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