Alex Carl L.

Ng MS Chemistry
Nutritional Biochemistry

1. What is energy balance? Explain its physiological role in the prevention for risk of
obesity and chronic diseases.

Energy balance is the relationship between “energy in” (calories consumed)

and “energy out” (calories burned). This relationship is dictated by the laws of
thermodynamics; if the same amount of energy in and energy out, the weight stays the
same; if energy in is more than energy out in overtime, increase in weight; if energy in
is less than energy out in overtime, decrease weight. Obesity is a medical condition
that is happening when a person carries excess weight or body fat that might affect
their health. It is due to consuming too much calories, leading a sedentary lifestyle, not
sleeping enough, and medications.

Our body is creates energy in the mitochondria in the process of glycolysis and
oxidative phosphorylation. When human, intake too much food, some of it will be
metabolized to fulfill our body’s requirement for energy. If the requirement is satisfied
the remaining glucose and fat in our body will be stored as glycogen, and in the adipose
tissue respectively. Thus, the weight of a human increases. To prevent this from
happening, an energy homeostasis is needed. Only intake sufficient amount of food
that our body requires, so that our body will metabolized all of the glucose that we
intake in the form of energy with a same energy workout to have an energy balance in
our body.

2. Differentiate nutrients and non-nutrients, give examples and state their roles in body
functions.

Nutrients are compounds in foods essential to life and health, providing us with
energy, the building blocks for repair and growth and substances necessary to regulate
chemical processes. . Examples of nutrients are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins,
vitamins, minerals and water. Carbohydrates functions as a provider of energy and
regulation of blood glucose, breakdown of fatty acids and preventing ketosis. Lipids
functions also as a provider of energy and as a storage, it is also used as an insulation
and protection, digestion and absorption, for cell wall structure and for hormonal
production. Proteins functions as an antibody, enzyme, and messenger, it is also used
in structural components and for transport and storage. Vitamins perform hundreds of
roles in the body. They help shore up bones, heal wounds, and bolster your immune
system. They also convert food into energy, and repair cellular damage.

Non-nutrients are elements that are either made by the body or absorbed from food
and, though not strictly required by the body to function, may be required to maintain
good health. Examples of non-nutrients are dietary fiber and antioxidant. Dietary fiber
is important for digestion and maintaining good health. It helps move food through the
body, attracts water to the small and large intestines, and may help prevent some
epidemiological diseases. Antioxidants, also non-essential nutrients, are believed to
provide benefits not given by vitamins or minerals. Current theories suggest that
antioxidants help to absorb free radicals within the body.
3. State the physiological function of dietary fiber and resistant starch and its role in gut
health.

Dietary fiber are carbohydrate polymers with ten or more monomeric units,
which are not hydrolyzed by the endogenous enzymes in the small intestine of
humans. Dietary fibers make three primary contributions: bulking, viscosity and
fermentation. Different fibers have different effects, suggesting that a variety of dietary
fibers contribute to overall health. Fermentable fibers are consumed by the microbiota
within the large intestines, mildly increasing fecal bulk and producing short-chain fatty
acids as byproducts, these byproducts can be used to form acetate, propionate, and
butyrate that can be used by the bacteria in the colon. All of the short-chain fatty acids
are readily absorbed by the colonic mucosa, but only acetic acid reaches the systemic
circulation in appreciable amounts. Butyric acid appears to be used as a fuel by the
colonic mucosa as the preferred energy source for colonic cells.

Resistant starch is the starch that is not digested in the body, it also required
for the colon formation of acetate propionate and butyrate which is the food of the good
bacteria in the colon.

4. Differentiate macronutrients and micronutrients. Cite an example (1) of each and

discuss its significant function in the body.

Macronutrients are nutrients that required relatively large amounts by a living

organisms. Example of this are proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. Carbohydrates are
found in 3 places in the body – muscle, liver glycogen, and blood glucose. It serves as
the body’s fuel, its catabolic processes – has 3 major pathways; glycolysis, anaerobic
fermentation and aerobic respiration. This process converts glucose to energy. Also
the compounds formed during carbohydrate metabolism can be used in different
pathways such as pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and other processes. When
there is sufficient energy, the pyruvate formed can be converted back to glucose in the
process of gluconeogenesis. Sugars also serve as structural components in nucleic
acids, glycoproteins and glycolipids.

Micronutrients are nutrients that needed only in minuscule amounts, these

substances are important as it enables the body to produce enzymes, hormones and
other substances essential for proper growth and development. As tiny as the amounts
are, however, the consequences of their absence are severe. Example of these are
vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A can function as an antioxidant, carotenoids such as
β – carotene or lycopene can react with a radical oxygen. Free radicals can damage
cellular components, thus destroying the cell. It can be used in cell differentiation, it
can differentiates epithelial cells and goblet cells promoting immunity. Also the
important role of vitamin is that in vision, it helps maintain crystal-clear outer window,
cornea, and it participates in the conversion of light energy into nerve impulses at the
retina.