CHAPTER 6 NUTRITION

Learning objectives:
-

State the types of nutrition

Explain autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition
Classify organisms according to the types of nutrition

6.1 Types of Nutrition

1. Nutrition is the process in which organisms obtain energy and nutrients from food for
growth, maintenance and repair of damaged tissues.
2. Nutrients are used for energy and growth that includes proteins, carbohydrates, fats,
vitamins, minerals and water.
3. Nutrition includes the following processes:
a. Ingestion
i. Taking food into the body by mouth
b. Digestion
i. Breaking up ingested food mechanically and chemically into smaller
molecules to be absorbed
c. Absorption
i. Process which nutrients are absorbed via lining of intestinal tract into blood
capillaries and blood stream
d. Assimilation
i. Nutrients are absorbed into the cells for the use of metabolism
4. Nutrition is divided into two:
a. Heterotrophic nutrition: obtain nutrients by feeding on organic matter which
unable to produce own food
b. Autotrophic nutrition: synthesising nutrients from simple inorganic compounds.
Able to produce own food as such plants produce food from photosynthesis.
6.1.1 Autotrophic Nutrition
1. Autotroph are organisms that capable of synthesising their own organic substances from
inorganic compounds.
2. Types of autotroph:
a. Photoautotroph: organisms that carry out photosynthesis to produce organic
substances
b. Chemoautotroph: organisms carry out chemosynthesis which they use energy from
oxidation of inorganic substances
i. Sulphur bacteria use energy released from oxidation of hydrogen suphide to
form carbohydrates
ii. Nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas sp, Nitrococcus sp.) obtain energy by
oxidising ammonia to nitrate
iii. Nitrobacter oxide nitrates into nitrites
6.1.2 Heterotrophic Nutrition
1. Holozoic nutrition
a. Animals feed by ingesting solid organic matter
b. Specialised digestive system

c. Herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, detritivores

2. Saprophytic nutrition
a. Saprophytes carry out saprophytism nutrition that feed on dead and decaying
matter
b. Extracellular digestion secrete enzymes onto food and digest externally before
absorbing the nutrients
c. Saprophytic fungi and saprophytic bacteria
d. Also called decomposers
3. Parasitism nutrition
a. Feed on other organisms hosts
b. Digest hosts cells before absorbing them
c. Harm hosts: tapeworms, ticks, lice, fleas
Saprophytes vs Parasites
Saprophytes
Simple methods of nutrition: use variety of
food sources
Feed and obtain energy on dead, decaying
matter
Bacteria and fungi
Aerobic and anaerobic

Parasites
Highly adapted to obtain nutrients from hosts
Lives on or in the body of hosts and obtain
energy from them
Viruses, protozoans, fungi, bacteria,
Aerobic

6.2 Concept of Balanced Diet

Learning objectives
-

Explain necessity for balanced diet

Explain factors affecting daily energy requirement of human body
Determine energy value in food samples
Determine nutrient content in different food samples
Explain functions and sources of vitamins, roughage/dietary fibre and minerals in a diet to
maintain health
Explain function of water in body
Justify selection of appropriate balanced diet for specific target group

6.2.1 Classes of food

Carbohydrates
Protein
Lipids/fats
Vitamins
Minerals
Dietary fibre/roughage
Water

Supply energy
Provide materials for growth and repair
Provide energy and stores excess food
Dissolve fat soluble vitamins
Organic compound required in small amount
Inorganic substances required for teeth, bones,
muscles
Stimulates peristalsis and prevent constipation
Medium for all chemical reactions in cell,
transportation, excretion and body
temperature control

6.2.2 Factors affecting daily energy requirement

1. Carbohydrates and fats provide energy required for the body.
2. Energy required by the body is generated by the oxidation of molecules obtained from food
during cellular respiration.
3. Energy in food is measured in kilojoules (J).
4. Energy required are for body heat, maintain Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and energy for
physical activities.
5. BMR Basal: minimum background energy that needed to maintain vital life processes such
as heartbeat, nerve impulses, breathing, opt temperature, chemical changes, physical
posture.
6. Metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions in the body.
7. Factors affecting daily energy requirements:
Climate
Age
Size
Health condition

Gender
Occupation
Lifestyle
8. Dietary requirements

People live in cold countries need more

energy to maintain body temperature
Children and young adults need more
energy than old people
Bigger build person need more energy than
smaller build
Pregnant woman need more energy
Lactation energy requirement for breastfeeding mother increases
Men have higher metabolism than women
People with heavy and active work need
more energy
Active person need more energy

6.2.3 Energy content in food

1. Energy value amount of energy contained in unit weight of substance when it is
completely oxidised.
2. Energy value of food is measured in units of joule per gram (J/g) or kilojoules per gram
(kJ/g).
3. Cellular respiration releases energy.
4. Energy value of the main classes of food:
a. Carbohydrates: 16 kJ/g
b. Protein: 17 kJ/g
c. Fat: 38 kJ/g
5. Energy value of food is measured with bomb calorimeter.
a. A known mass of food is completely burnt in a bomb calorimeter
b. Heat released is transferred to a known volume of water
c. Temperature increase of water is measured by using thermometer
d. Amount of energy is calculated: Q = mct; where m is mass of water, c = 4.2 J/gC and
t is temperature
A cup of tea with milk
A piece of bread with butter
One fried egg
One serving of salad
One serving of curry chicken

150kJ
600kJ
650kJ
20kJ
300kJ

6.2.4 Vitamins
1. Play important role as organic compound in various enzymatic reactions and building and
maintaining body tissues.
2. Divided into two:
a. Fat-soluble vitamins (ADEK)
b. Water-soluble vitamins (BC)
3. The skin can synthesise vitamin D using sunlight.

6.2.5 Minerals
1. Minerals are essential inorganic elements needed in small quantities for chemical
reactions and building molecules in the body.
2. Minerals are grouped into:
a. Macro-minerals needed in bigger quantity which are calcium, magnesium,
potassium, phosphorus, sodium
b. Micro-minerals needed in small quantity are iodine, iron, copper, fluorine, zinc

6.2.6 Roughage
1.
2.
3.
4.

Dietary fibre reduce cholesterol level, reduce heart diseases and colon cancer.
Roughage is indigested plant matter that consist of cellulose.
Human alimentary canal has no cellulase enzyme to digest cellulose fibre.
Functions of roughage include:
a. Adds bulk to food and enables alimentary canal muscles to grip it and keep it moving
(peristalsis), especially in large intestine
b. Help retain water and absorb poisonous substances from gut
c. Softens faeces
5. Absence of roughage can cause constipation and increase risk of colon cancer.
6.2.7 Water
Functions of water:

6.3 Malnutrition
Learning Objectives
-

Definition of malnutrition
Effects of malnutrition by using examples
Describe ways to reduce chance of contracting health problems due to ones diet
Describe ways to reduce effects of certain health problems

1. A person suffers from malnutrition experience symptoms like:

a. Daily diet lacks such vitamins, mineral salts
b. Protein n diet is of poor quality
c. Body does not assimilate sufficient of digested food products due to intestinal
infection or worm infestations

Health problems
Cardiovascular disease
- Atherosclerosis
Overweight, obesity
Diabetes mellitus

Preventive steps
Reduce intake of saturated fats and salt
Reduce intake of carbohydrates and calories
Reduce intake of refined sugar

QUICK CHECKPOINT!
1. Name the diseases due to lack of vitamin D and iron. [2 marks]
2. Explain how an unbalanced diet may cause health problem to a person. [10 marks]