Nutrition Test 2 Review

LIPIDS

Lipids: a family of compounds that includes triglyceride (fats and oils), phospholipids, and sterols

Triglycerides: account for 95% of the lipids we consume (chief form of fat in foods), made up of
glyceride backbone and 3 fatty acids; major storage form of fat of fat in the body

Fats: lipids that are solid at room temperature

Oils: lipids that are liquid at room temperature

Phospholipids: water soluble compounds, form in which lipids are able to travel around the
blood; account for less than 5% of lipids we consume

Sterols: found in food and synthesized in the body; most common form is cholesterol

Cholesterol: can be made by the body so it’s not an essential nutrient. It can be made
from carbohydrates (glucose) or fat (fatty acids) in the body; after being made, it leaves
the liver two ways

1. May be made into bile, stored in the gallbladder, and delivered to the intestine
(Excretion of bile reduces amount of cholesterol in the body)
2. May travel via the blood stream to all the body’s cells
(High levels can cause build up in the walls of arteries called atherosclerosis)

Functions of fat:

Energy: 30-70% of our energy when at rest comes from fat, 1g of fat carries 9 Kcalories; storage
site of fat is adipose tissue

Insulation: against temperature extremes

Protection: padding for body’s vital organs

Transportation: transports fat-soluble vitamins, a low fat diet can lower availability of fat
soluble vitamins to us; this is why we take vitamins with food

Constituent of cell membranes: helps make them flexible; regulates transportation of

substances in and out of cells

Satiety: makes us feel full after a meal

Flavor: provides flavor and texture in food

Fatty acids:

Saturated: carries the most possible number of hydrogen atoms (no points of unsaturation)

Monounsaturated: contains one point of unsaturation

Polyunsaturated: contains two or more points of unsaturation

Hydrogenation: chemical process by which hydrogens are added to monounsaturated and

polyunsaturated fats to reduce the number of double bonds, making the fats more saturated (solid) and
more resistant to oxidation (protecting against rancidity); produces trans-fatty acids

Essential fatty acids: readily stored when taken in; body cannot make on its own; is essential in growth
and development and the prevention and treatment of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis,
and cancer

Omega-6 (linoleic acid): found in vegetable and nut oils, corn, safflower and peanut oil which is
converted by the body to arachidonic acid which helps regulate BP and blood clotting

Omega-3 (linolenic acid): found in green leafy vegetables, flax seed oil, soy oil and fish; contain
EPA and DHA which help improve vascular function, reduce inflammation, blood clotting, blood
pressure, and cardiac arrhythmias and plasma triglycerides

Impact on health: high intake of saturated fat and high trans-fat contributes to elevated blood LDL
cholesterol. LDL cholesterol indicates a risk for heart disease because high LDL concentrations promote
uptake of cholesterol in blood vessel walls

LDL: composed primarily of cholesterol, lipoproteins which carry cholesterol and triglycerides
from the liver to cells of the body; derived from VLDL as cells remove triglycerides from them
(brings cholesterol to the blood; increased LDL increases build up on artery walls with WBC’s)

HDL: composed primarily of protein, lipoproteins which transport cholesterol back to the liver
from peripheral cells (takes cholesterol away from blood, can help lower cholesterol)

Artificial fats: zero-energy replacers that are chemically synthesized to mimic the sensory and cooking
qualities of naturally occurring fats but are totally or partially resistant to digestion; are not absorbed by
the body

Foods high in…

Saturated fat: bacon, butter, cheese, chocolate, coconut, cream, lard, meat, shortening, sour cream
Trans-fat: commercial baked goods, cakes, cookies, pies, fried foods, margarine
Omega-3: fish, flaxseed, nuts
Cholesterol: meats, eggs, poultry, dairy products

DRI for fat:

30% from fat: 2,000 kcal diet: 45-77g fat
7-10% from saturated fat: 2,000 kcal diet: 15-20g sat fat
PROTEINS

Proteins: chemical compounds made from strands of amino acids composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, and
Oxygen, and Nitrogen

Functions of proteins:

Enzymes: proteins facilitate chemical reactions

Fluid and Electrolyte balance: proteins help to maintain the distribution and composition of
various body fluids

Acid-base balance: proteins help maintain the acid-base balance of body fluids by acting as
buffers

Antibodies: proteins act against disease agents to fight diseases

Hormones: proteins regulate body processes. Some, but not all hormones are made of protein

Transportation: proteins transport substances such as lipids, minerals and oxygen around the
body

Growth and maintenance: proteins form integral parts of most body structures such as skin,
tendons, ligaments, membranes, muscles, organs, and bones. As such, they support the growth
and repair of body tissues

Energy: proteins provide some fuel for the body’s energy needs

Essential amino acids: amino acids that the body cannot synthesize in amounts sufficient to meet
physiological needs

RDA for proteins=0.8 g/kg

10%-35% of energy intake

50g protein (based on 10% of 2000 Kcal diet)

Health risks for consuming too much protein:

The higher a person’s intake of protein-rich foods such as meat and milk, the more likely that
fruits, vegetables, and grains will be crowded out, making the diet inadequate in other nutrients

Increases the work of the kidneys and may accelerate decline of working kidneys, however does
not appear to cause kidney disease

Increases urinary calcium excretion

Complementary proteins: two or more proteins whose amino acid assortments complement each other
in such a way that the essential amino acids missing from one are supplied by the other

Incomplete protein: any protein lacking one or more essential amino acids, found in many plant foods
such as beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and grain

Complete protein: a protein containing all of the essential amino acids, found only in few animal foods
such as eggs, shellfish, poultry, milk, cheese, and meat, and in plant foods; soybeans

Protein needs for athletes: 1.2-1.4g per kg, 12-20% of total calories

Soy proteins: storage protein held in discrete particles called protein bodies