Module 1
Chapter 1- An overview of nutrition
1.1- Food choices
What determines food choices?
- Preferences
- Habits
- Ethnic heritage and regional cuisines
- Social interactions
- Marketing
- Availability, convenience, economy
- Positive and negative associations with foods
- Emotions
- Values (like religion)
- Body weight and health
- Nutrition
1.2- The nutrients
- The ongoing growth, maintenance and repair of the body’s tissues depends
on the energy and nutrients received from foods.
- Our bodies can get all the energy, structural materials and regulating
agents we need from food.
- The nutrients that foods must supply are called essential nutrients.
Energy-yielding nutrients (aka macronutrients/organic):
- Carbohydrates
- Fat
- Protein
Non-energy yielding nutrients:
- Vitamins (micronutrient/organic)
- Minerals (micronutrient)
- Water
Calorie values of energy nutrients:
- Carbohydrates: 4kcal/g
- Fat: 9kcal/g
- Protein 4kcal/g
, - Alcohol (not a nutrient) 7kcal/g
Only 16 minerals are known to be essential in human nutrition.
- Minerals are indestructible
1.3- The science of nutrition
- Foundation of nutrition depends on biology, biochemistry and physiology.
- Nutritional genomics- the science of how nutrients affect the activities of
genes and how genes affect the interactions between diet and disease.
1.4- Dietary reference intakes
DRI- Dietary reference intake
EAR- Estimated Average Requirements
- The requirement for a nutrient, how much is needed in the diet.
- The average amount of a nutrient that appears sufficient for half of the
population.
RDA- Recommended Dietary Allowances
- Recommendations are set higher than the EAR to meet the needs of
most healthy people.
- Small amounts greater than the daily requirement do no harm but
amounts less than the requirement may lead to health problems.
- Consistent nutrient deficiencies over time lead to poor health.
AI- Adequate Intakes
- The average amount of a nutrient that a group of healthy people
consumes
- AI is for some nutrients where there in insufficient scientific evidence
to determine an EAR (which is needed to set an RDA)
- May be used as an intake goal for individuals
UL- Tolerable Upper Intake Levels
- A point where a nutrient is likely to become toxic
- Best to view nutrient intake as falling in a range with marginal danger
zones at each end
EER- Estimated Energy Requirement
Chapter 1- An overview of nutrition
1.1- Food choices
What determines food choices?
- Preferences
- Habits
- Ethnic heritage and regional cuisines
- Social interactions
- Marketing
- Availability, convenience, economy
- Positive and negative associations with foods
- Emotions
- Values (like religion)
- Body weight and health
- Nutrition
1.2- The nutrients
- The ongoing growth, maintenance and repair of the body’s tissues depends
on the energy and nutrients received from foods.
- Our bodies can get all the energy, structural materials and regulating
agents we need from food.
- The nutrients that foods must supply are called essential nutrients.
Energy-yielding nutrients (aka macronutrients/organic):
- Carbohydrates
- Fat
- Protein
Non-energy yielding nutrients:
- Vitamins (micronutrient/organic)
- Minerals (micronutrient)
- Water
Calorie values of energy nutrients:
- Carbohydrates: 4kcal/g
- Fat: 9kcal/g
- Protein 4kcal/g
, - Alcohol (not a nutrient) 7kcal/g
Only 16 minerals are known to be essential in human nutrition.
- Minerals are indestructible
1.3- The science of nutrition
- Foundation of nutrition depends on biology, biochemistry and physiology.
- Nutritional genomics- the science of how nutrients affect the activities of
genes and how genes affect the interactions between diet and disease.
1.4- Dietary reference intakes
DRI- Dietary reference intake
EAR- Estimated Average Requirements
- The requirement for a nutrient, how much is needed in the diet.
- The average amount of a nutrient that appears sufficient for half of the
population.
RDA- Recommended Dietary Allowances
- Recommendations are set higher than the EAR to meet the needs of
most healthy people.
- Small amounts greater than the daily requirement do no harm but
amounts less than the requirement may lead to health problems.
- Consistent nutrient deficiencies over time lead to poor health.
AI- Adequate Intakes
- The average amount of a nutrient that a group of healthy people
consumes
- AI is for some nutrients where there in insufficient scientific evidence
to determine an EAR (which is needed to set an RDA)
- May be used as an intake goal for individuals
UL- Tolerable Upper Intake Levels
- A point where a nutrient is likely to become toxic
- Best to view nutrient intake as falling in a range with marginal danger
zones at each end
EER- Estimated Energy Requirement
