2.2 Human nutrition
● Humans are omnivores (雜食動物) (eat both plant and animal sources)
Composition of human diet
Component Food source Functions in human Diseases/
examples body symptoms/
conditions due to
insufficient supply
Carbohydrate ● Hypoglycemia (低
● Rice ● Energy released
(respiration) from sugars 血糖症) (due to low
● Pasta levels of blood
● Energy stored as
sugar)
● Potatoes glycogen (in muscles and
liver)
● Yams
● Maize (corn)
● Fruits {of
which
contain
sugars}
● Honey
Protein
● Meat ● Growth and repair of ● Poor growth and
body development
● Fish
● Forms cytoplasm in cells
● Eggs
● Builds structures like
● Dairy
muscles, tendons (肌
products
腱) and bones
(cheese)
● Legumes ● Make enzymes
(beans, ● Make hormones (e.g.:
lentils [扁 insulin)
豆])
● Make haemoglobin in red
blood cells
● Produce antibodies in
blood plasma
1
, Lipid (fats and ● Wolman’s disease
● Fatty foods ● Stores energy as droplets
oils) (absence of lipase)
in cells
● Oily foods
(fatty fish) ● Part of cell membranes
● Oil ● Insulation (prevents heat
loss of body)
● Nerve insulation (myelin
sheath)
● Make hormones (e.g.:
testosterone)
Vitamins A ● Night blindness
● Forms pigment important
● Meat in vision (in retina of eye)
● Fish liver oil ● Keep skin/hair healthy
● Eggs
● Dairy
products
● Green
vegetables
● Carrots
C
● Healthy skin ● Scurvy (壞血病)
● Citric fruits
● Helps wounds to heal
(oranges,
lemons)
● Green
vegetables
D
● Build bones ● Brittle bones
● Fish liver oil
● Rickets (佝僂病/疳)
● Dairy
products
(butter)
● [Sunlight on
skin]
Mineral ions Calcium ● Hypocalcemia (低
● Build bones and teeth
● Dairy 鈣血症)
● Essential for conduction
products
(milk, of electricity in nervous
system
2
● Humans are omnivores (雜食動物) (eat both plant and animal sources)
Composition of human diet
Component Food source Functions in human Diseases/
examples body symptoms/
conditions due to
insufficient supply
Carbohydrate ● Hypoglycemia (低
● Rice ● Energy released
(respiration) from sugars 血糖症) (due to low
● Pasta levels of blood
● Energy stored as
sugar)
● Potatoes glycogen (in muscles and
liver)
● Yams
● Maize (corn)
● Fruits {of
which
contain
sugars}
● Honey
Protein
● Meat ● Growth and repair of ● Poor growth and
body development
● Fish
● Forms cytoplasm in cells
● Eggs
● Builds structures like
● Dairy
muscles, tendons (肌
products
腱) and bones
(cheese)
● Legumes ● Make enzymes
(beans, ● Make hormones (e.g.:
lentils [扁 insulin)
豆])
● Make haemoglobin in red
blood cells
● Produce antibodies in
blood plasma
1
, Lipid (fats and ● Wolman’s disease
● Fatty foods ● Stores energy as droplets
oils) (absence of lipase)
in cells
● Oily foods
(fatty fish) ● Part of cell membranes
● Oil ● Insulation (prevents heat
loss of body)
● Nerve insulation (myelin
sheath)
● Make hormones (e.g.:
testosterone)
Vitamins A ● Night blindness
● Forms pigment important
● Meat in vision (in retina of eye)
● Fish liver oil ● Keep skin/hair healthy
● Eggs
● Dairy
products
● Green
vegetables
● Carrots
C
● Healthy skin ● Scurvy (壞血病)
● Citric fruits
● Helps wounds to heal
(oranges,
lemons)
● Green
vegetables
D
● Build bones ● Brittle bones
● Fish liver oil
● Rickets (佝僂病/疳)
● Dairy
products
(butter)
● [Sunlight on
skin]
Mineral ions Calcium ● Hypocalcemia (低
● Build bones and teeth
● Dairy 鈣血症)
● Essential for conduction
products
(milk, of electricity in nervous
system
2
