Human Nutrition

Food
Food is made up of three main components:

1. nutrients,
2. water,
3. fibre.
1. Nutrients we eat to
There are five groups of nutrientsthat we should include in the food
maintain good health. They are:
(a) carbohydrates,
fats,
(c) proteins,
(d) vitamins,
(e) minerals.
Carbohydrates,fats and proteinshave to be broken down by enzymes before

they can be used by the body. They all contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Proteins
contain nitrogen as well.
Carbohydratesand fats in food give us energywhile proteins in food are mainly
needed for building and repairing tissues.
(a) Carbohydrates
nanaaö
O
Fig. 5.2 Carbohydrates

in food give
us energy
What are they
Illadeup of?
000
0-0
simple units two simple sugar

called simple thousandsof
units join to glucose units
sugars, e.g. form complex
glucose join to form
sugars, e.g. starch
sucrose,
maltose and
lactose
Where can we sweet fruits sugar cane, cereals, potatoes

find them? and honey milk, tapioca, fruits,
malted cereals vegetables,
and germinating dried peas
grains and beans
Why do we to give us energy

needthem? • to form part of the nucleus of the cells as well as
other body components
What happens ' we will become fat because excesscarbohydrates will

if we eat too be converted to fat and stored in the body
much?
Whathappens • we will be very weak and will not grow well

if we eat too
little?
Table 5.1 Carbohydrates
53
Vgt.s
arc they fatty acid

made up of? fatty acid
glycerol glycerol
fatty acid
fatty acid fatty acid

fatty acid
simple units called a fat molecule

fatty acids and glycerol
yolk
Where can we • in animal fats — meat, lard, butter and egg
findthem? • in plant fats — oils in nuts and seeds
Why do we • to give us energy

need them? e to form part of the cell membrane
e to help absorb certain vitamins
e to improvethe flavour of food
stored
What happens e we will become very fat because excess fats will be
if we eat too in the body
much?
What happens e we willbe weak and unable to grow well

if we eat too
little?
Table 5.2 Fats
54
Proteins
O o
Fig. 5.3 Proteins in food are mainly

for buildingtissues
What are they

made up of?
simple units called a protein molecule

amino acids
Where can we • in animal proteins — lean meat, fish, eggs and milk
find them? • in plant proteins — peas, beans, nuts and beancurd
Why do we • to enable the body to grow by making new cells

need them? to repair and replace damaged and worn-out tissues
• to make enzymesand hormones
to give energy
What happens if • our muscles will be poorly developedand we will be very

weeat too little? weak
• children will not grow well
Tabie 5.3 Proteins
small quantities by the body for normal,

in
Vitaminsand minerals are required minerals can lead to various deficiency
healthydevelopment. A lack of vitamins and
diseases.
important vitamins and minerals
of the more
The sources and functions of some related to them.
aredescribedhere, as well as deficiency diseases
55
(d) Vitamins
Sitnmin C
Otamin is destroyed by cooking
If
(heating). mincing and grating.
foods containing sitatnin C arc soaked
in "ater for too long, the vitamin C
leaches out.
Main sources: fruits and green

sx-gctables
Function: necessary for healthy skin,

gums and lining of the blood vessels
Deficiency disease: scurvy swollen

bleeding gums, loosening of teeth and
poor healing of wounds
Scurvy
Vitamin D
This vitamin can be made in the body
by sunlight acting on pigmentsin the
skin.
Main sources: sunlight, fish liver oil,

butter, cheese and eggs
Function: necessary for the absorption

of calcium for the healthy growth of
bones and teeth
Deficiency disease: rickets poor

teeth and weak bones
The child on the right has rickets
Fig. 5.4 Vitamins

(c) Minerals
C*lcium
Mainsources: milk, cheese, small
caten N\ith bones, peas, beans fish owdered
vegetables
and
Milk
Functions:• necessaryfor the MILK

forma-
tion of strong bones VFJ
teeth and
WARDIN S
necessary for the
clotting
of blood
Deficiencydisease: rickets
Calcium-richfoods
Iron
Main sources: liver, kidney,
meat,
fish, egg yolk, peas and beans
Function: necessary for the produc-

tion of haemoglobin in red blood
cells
Deficiency disease: anaemia — pale
features, feeling of tiredness and weak-
ness. This is the result of too little
Iron-rich foods haemoglobinin the red blood cells or a
lack of red blood cells.
Fig. 5.5 Minerals
2. Water
Alllivingorganisms need water to live. People can survivefor weekswithout food but
Onlyfor a few days without water. About 70% of our body is water. We lose a lot of
waterwhen we sweat, urinate and breathe. Therefore we should drink about six to eight
glassesOf fluid daily to maintain the water balance. All kinds of •food contain some
Water.Fresh fruits and vegetables, for example, contain 90% water.
57
We need water
help form the cytoplasm and nucleus in our cells.
(a) to of transport for substances such as digested
(b) to act as a solvent and means
food, oxygen and waste materials. in the body.
reactions
(c) to take part in all chemical Sweating cools the body.
(d) to help control body temperature.
3. Fibre
Fig. 5.6 Fruits and vegetables contain fibre
Fibre is present in all plant food like grains, fruits and vegetables. Fibre is a food
component that we cannot digest. This is because of its structure. We also do not have
the enzymes to digest it.
Fibre forms a bulky mass that stimulates the muscles of the large intestineto
move the waste along. Fibre also absorbs water, making the waste matter soft and easy
to expel.
Food without fibre does not stimulate the muscles very
much. It also forms hard,
dry lumps of waste which are difficult to expel,
causing constipation (see page 65),
We need fibre to prevent constipation.
58

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Food

Food is made up of three main components:

Carbohydrates,fats and proteinshave to be broken down by enzymes before

Fig. 5.2 Carbohydrates

simple units two simple sugar

Where can we sweet fruits sugar cane, cereals, potatoes

Why do we to give us energy

What happens ' we will become fat because excesscarbohydrates will

Whathappens • we will be very weak and will not grow well

Table 5.1 Carbohydrates

arc they fatty acid

fatty acid fatty acid

simple units called a fat molecule

Why do we • to give us energy

What happens e we willbe weak and unable to grow well

Table 5.2 Fats

Fig. 5.3 Proteins in food are mainly

What are they

simple units called a protein molecule

Why do we • to enable the body to grow by making new cells

What happens if • our muscles will be poorly developedand we will be very

Tabie 5.3 Proteins

small quantities by the body for normal,

Main sources: fruits and green

Function: necessary for healthy skin,

Deficiency disease: scurvy swollen

Main sources: sunlight, fish liver oil,

Function: necessary for the absorption

Deficiency disease: rickets poor

The child on the right has rickets

Fig. 5.4 Vitamins

Functions:• necessaryfor the MILK

Function: necessary for the produc-

Fig. 5.5 Minerals

Fig. 5.6 Fruits and vegetables contain fibre

We need fibre to prevent constipation.

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