HNF 150 FINAL EXAM -EKSTROM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 UPDATE
(nutrition basics) 1. Understand the concept of nutrient density and state how it can be
used to determine the healthfulness of foods - Answers - -foods rich in nutrients relative
to their energy content (calories), usually whole foods
-higher nutrients and lower calories=nutrient dense
2. Identify the six classes of nutrients. Recall the energy yield (kcal/gram) for
carbohydrate, protein, fat, and alcohol. Be able to do simple calculations using these
values. - Answers - 1.water
2.carbohydrates: 4kcal/g
3.fats: 9 kcal/g
4.proteins: 4 kcal/g
5.vitamins
6.minerals
-alcohol has 7kcal/g
3. Compare and contrast whole, processed, and enriched/fortified foods and recognize
examples of each. - Answers - Whole foods: "basic foods" Milk products, meats, fish,
vegetables, beans, fruits, grains
-Processed: food subjected to any process or alterations.
-Enriched: through processing food loss nutrients and then were "enriched" which adds
nutrients back
-Fortified: nutrients have been added that were not originally there.
-Functional: contain bioactive food components. Believed to provide health benefits
(reduced disease risk)
Whole Foods - Answers - foods that have not been stripped of their nutrition by
processing
-nutrient dense foods
enriched/fortified foods - Answers - nutrients are added to the food, a concentrated form
of sugar or fat
processed foods - Answers - products that have been preserved so they will not spoil as
quickly as fresh, whole foods
-higher sodium and lower potassium in processed foods
six classes of nutrients - Answers - 1. water
2. carbs
3.fats/lipids
4.proteins
5.vitamins
,6.minerals
essential nutrients - Answers - must be obtained from an external source because our
bodies can't make it or not enough of it
nutrient density - Answers - a measure of the nutrients in a food compared with the
energy the food provides
-higher nutrients and lower calories
energy-yielding nutrients/macronutrients - Answers - carbohydrates, fats/lipids, and
proteins (alcohol too but this is not a nutrient)
organic/inorganic nutrients - Answers - organic nutrients=carbohydrates, lipids, proteins,
and vitamins bc they contain carbon
inorganic nutrients=water and minerals bc they don't contain carbon
calorie - Answers - a measure of fuel or energy
(1 calorie=the amount of heat needed to raise the temp of 1 liter of water 1 degree
celsius)
registered dietitian - Answers - food and nutrition experts who have met certain RDN
credentials
(nutrition recommendations/how do we know what we know) 1. State how the DRI's
(RDA and EER) for energy and other nutrients are established - Answers - -the food
and nutrition board, institute of medicine, national academy of sciences, Washington,
DC Nutrition and Food Scientists review scientific studies of deficiencies, how much you
body stores of the nutrient, what can cause depletion of the nutrient, and what other
factors influence these factors and make the DRI based off of these indicators
-DHHS and USDA appoint an Advisory Committee to create an Advisory Report to be
submitted to the Secretaries of DHHS and USDAThe report is informed by:Systematic
reviews of scientific research (diet/health outcomes), Review of existing systematic
reviews, meta-analyses and reports by federal agencies or leading scientific
organizations, Data analyses of current food intakes, Food pattern modeling
2.Identify the purposes and differences in the nutrient standards: Dietary Reference
Intakes (DRI)-Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), Recommended Dietary
Allowances (RDA), Adequate Intakes (AI), Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL),
DailyValue (DV) and Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR). - Answers
- -DRI=acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDR) for macronutrients(the
energy-providing nutrients)
-DV=nutrient standards used on food labels, in grocery stores, and on some restaurant
menus, allows comparisons among foods with regard to their nutrient content
-AI=nutrient intake goals for individuals, set when scientific date are insufficient to
establish RDA
-RDA=nutrient intake goals for individuals
, -EAR=population wide average nutrient requirements use in nutrition research and
policymaking. form basis for RDA's
-UL=suggested upper limit for potentially toxic nutrients. ongoing intakes above the UL
are likely to cause illness from toxicity
-AMDR=provide adequate total energy and nutrients while preventing chronic disease
3.For the following nutrition labeling terms, state the definition, know who sets them,
how, why and/or for whom: the DRI's, Nutrition Facts Labels, DV, RDA, AI, EAR,
UL,nutrient and health claims - Answers - • Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
o Purpose/Definition: to decide how much and what foods we should eat
o Who sets it: Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Sciences
o How it is set: research conducted by nutrition and food scientists
• Estimated Average Requirements (EAR)
o Purpose/Definition: population-wide average nutrient requirements use in nutrition
research and policy making
o Purpose: forms the basis for RDA's
o How it is set: information taken from a study
• Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)
o Purpose/Definition: nutrient intake goals for individuals/what you should think about in
your diet
• Adequate Intakes (AI)
o Purpose/Definition: nutrient intake goals for individuals
o How it is set: when scientific data are insufficient to establish RDA's
o Ex: calcium, it is very difficult to research
• Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL)
o Purpose/Definition: suggested upper limit for potentially toxic nutrients
o Intakes above the UL are likely to cause illness from too much toxicity
• Daily Value (DV)
o Purpose/Definition: nutrient standards used on food labels, in grocery stores, and on
some restaurant menus
o Allows comparisons among foods with regard to their nutrient content
• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR)
o Purpose/Definition: provide adequate total energy and nutrients while preventing
chronic diseases
o For Energy Nutrients
♣ Carbohydrates: 45-65% of calories
♣ Fat: 20-35% of calories
♣ Protein: 10-35% of calories
4.Identify which foods the current Dietary Guidelines classify a healthy dietary pattern
as being HIGHER in and which foods a healthy dietary pattern is LOWER in - Answers -
-higher in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low or non fat dairy, seafood, legumes, and
nuts; moderate in alcohol among adults
-lower in red and processed meats; sugar-sweetened foods and drinks; and refined
grains
ANSWERS 2026 UPDATE
(nutrition basics) 1. Understand the concept of nutrient density and state how it can be
used to determine the healthfulness of foods - Answers - -foods rich in nutrients relative
to their energy content (calories), usually whole foods
-higher nutrients and lower calories=nutrient dense
2. Identify the six classes of nutrients. Recall the energy yield (kcal/gram) for
carbohydrate, protein, fat, and alcohol. Be able to do simple calculations using these
values. - Answers - 1.water
2.carbohydrates: 4kcal/g
3.fats: 9 kcal/g
4.proteins: 4 kcal/g
5.vitamins
6.minerals
-alcohol has 7kcal/g
3. Compare and contrast whole, processed, and enriched/fortified foods and recognize
examples of each. - Answers - Whole foods: "basic foods" Milk products, meats, fish,
vegetables, beans, fruits, grains
-Processed: food subjected to any process or alterations.
-Enriched: through processing food loss nutrients and then were "enriched" which adds
nutrients back
-Fortified: nutrients have been added that were not originally there.
-Functional: contain bioactive food components. Believed to provide health benefits
(reduced disease risk)
Whole Foods - Answers - foods that have not been stripped of their nutrition by
processing
-nutrient dense foods
enriched/fortified foods - Answers - nutrients are added to the food, a concentrated form
of sugar or fat
processed foods - Answers - products that have been preserved so they will not spoil as
quickly as fresh, whole foods
-higher sodium and lower potassium in processed foods
six classes of nutrients - Answers - 1. water
2. carbs
3.fats/lipids
4.proteins
5.vitamins
,6.minerals
essential nutrients - Answers - must be obtained from an external source because our
bodies can't make it or not enough of it
nutrient density - Answers - a measure of the nutrients in a food compared with the
energy the food provides
-higher nutrients and lower calories
energy-yielding nutrients/macronutrients - Answers - carbohydrates, fats/lipids, and
proteins (alcohol too but this is not a nutrient)
organic/inorganic nutrients - Answers - organic nutrients=carbohydrates, lipids, proteins,
and vitamins bc they contain carbon
inorganic nutrients=water and minerals bc they don't contain carbon
calorie - Answers - a measure of fuel or energy
(1 calorie=the amount of heat needed to raise the temp of 1 liter of water 1 degree
celsius)
registered dietitian - Answers - food and nutrition experts who have met certain RDN
credentials
(nutrition recommendations/how do we know what we know) 1. State how the DRI's
(RDA and EER) for energy and other nutrients are established - Answers - -the food
and nutrition board, institute of medicine, national academy of sciences, Washington,
DC Nutrition and Food Scientists review scientific studies of deficiencies, how much you
body stores of the nutrient, what can cause depletion of the nutrient, and what other
factors influence these factors and make the DRI based off of these indicators
-DHHS and USDA appoint an Advisory Committee to create an Advisory Report to be
submitted to the Secretaries of DHHS and USDAThe report is informed by:Systematic
reviews of scientific research (diet/health outcomes), Review of existing systematic
reviews, meta-analyses and reports by federal agencies or leading scientific
organizations, Data analyses of current food intakes, Food pattern modeling
2.Identify the purposes and differences in the nutrient standards: Dietary Reference
Intakes (DRI)-Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), Recommended Dietary
Allowances (RDA), Adequate Intakes (AI), Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL),
DailyValue (DV) and Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR). - Answers
- -DRI=acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDR) for macronutrients(the
energy-providing nutrients)
-DV=nutrient standards used on food labels, in grocery stores, and on some restaurant
menus, allows comparisons among foods with regard to their nutrient content
-AI=nutrient intake goals for individuals, set when scientific date are insufficient to
establish RDA
-RDA=nutrient intake goals for individuals
, -EAR=population wide average nutrient requirements use in nutrition research and
policymaking. form basis for RDA's
-UL=suggested upper limit for potentially toxic nutrients. ongoing intakes above the UL
are likely to cause illness from toxicity
-AMDR=provide adequate total energy and nutrients while preventing chronic disease
3.For the following nutrition labeling terms, state the definition, know who sets them,
how, why and/or for whom: the DRI's, Nutrition Facts Labels, DV, RDA, AI, EAR,
UL,nutrient and health claims - Answers - • Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
o Purpose/Definition: to decide how much and what foods we should eat
o Who sets it: Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Sciences
o How it is set: research conducted by nutrition and food scientists
• Estimated Average Requirements (EAR)
o Purpose/Definition: population-wide average nutrient requirements use in nutrition
research and policy making
o Purpose: forms the basis for RDA's
o How it is set: information taken from a study
• Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)
o Purpose/Definition: nutrient intake goals for individuals/what you should think about in
your diet
• Adequate Intakes (AI)
o Purpose/Definition: nutrient intake goals for individuals
o How it is set: when scientific data are insufficient to establish RDA's
o Ex: calcium, it is very difficult to research
• Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL)
o Purpose/Definition: suggested upper limit for potentially toxic nutrients
o Intakes above the UL are likely to cause illness from too much toxicity
• Daily Value (DV)
o Purpose/Definition: nutrient standards used on food labels, in grocery stores, and on
some restaurant menus
o Allows comparisons among foods with regard to their nutrient content
• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR)
o Purpose/Definition: provide adequate total energy and nutrients while preventing
chronic diseases
o For Energy Nutrients
♣ Carbohydrates: 45-65% of calories
♣ Fat: 20-35% of calories
♣ Protein: 10-35% of calories
4.Identify which foods the current Dietary Guidelines classify a healthy dietary pattern
as being HIGHER in and which foods a healthy dietary pattern is LOWER in - Answers -
-higher in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low or non fat dairy, seafood, legumes, and
nuts; moderate in alcohol among adults
-lower in red and processed meats; sugar-sweetened foods and drinks; and refined
grains
