Module 1: Nutrition and nutrients

Lecture 1
Nutrients and food choices

Chapter 1 and 2
 What is Nutrition?
• Nutrition: how compounds in foods nourish and affect body
functions and health
• Nutrients: components of the food, water, carbohydrates,
protein, fat, vitamins and minerals
• Nutrition: study of nutrients in food AND in the body
• Understanding how nutrients interact with your body and
how to build a nutritious diet
• By the time you are 65 years old, you have consumed over
70,000 meals
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 Why is good Nutrition important?
• Nutrients are used to build the body (skin, muscle,
blood)
 They support growth, maintenance, and repair
• Deficiencies, excesses, and imbalances of nutrients
bring on the diseases of malnutrition
• Nutrition profoundly affects health and can strongly
affects some diseases (cancers..)
 Good nutrition plays a role in reducing the risk of
many diseases

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You are what you eat

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 Nutrition and Health

• Personal life choices and genetics also affect

health for the better or worse
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 What are the nutrients?

• A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to

live and grow or a substance used in an organism
• Nutrients come from food
• They can provide energy (measured in Kcalories)
• They can provide building blocks
• They can maintain body cells function
(help with enzymatic reaction)

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 DEFINITION Enzymes..
Enzyme: molecule that accelerates or catalyzes a chemical
reaction
The molecule they act on is /are called substrates . The substrate binds to
the enzyme at a location called the active site before the reaction
catalyzed by the enzyme takes place
They are for example involved in breaking down the foods we eat so the
body can use them
The names of enzymes usually end in the suffix -ase

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 The six classes of nutrients
A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow
or a substance used in an organism

• Carbohydrates (also called carbs / saccharides / sugars)

• Fats (also called lipids / fatty acids)
Ca
• Proteins
A
Mg
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Water B1
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 The elements in the nutrients
Carbon Oxygen Hydrogen Nitrogen Minerals
Carbohydrates X X X  
Fats X X X    
Proteins X X X X  
Vitamins X X X    
Minerals         X
Water   X X    

• Nutrients containing carbon are organic compounds

• Proteins are the only nutrient containing nitrogen
• Vitamins are organic compounds, Minerals are inorganic

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 Nutrients and their functions
• The six classes of nutrients are all important in the
diet
• Macronutrients: energy-yielding nutrients needed in
higher amounts
– Carbohydrates
– Fats (lipids)
– Proteins

Alcohol provides energy but is not a nutrient (not

needed to live and grow) !

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 Nutrients and their functions
• Micronutrients: non energy-yielding nutrients
Vitamins
• Organic Compounds
• Needed in small quantities
• Assist in body processes
• Vulnerable to destruction
• Cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities, must
be obtained from the diet

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 Nutrients and their functions
• Micronutrients: non energy-yielding nutrients
Minerals
• Inorganic Elements, required other than C,O,H and N
• Consumed in varying quantities
• Structural component
• Indestructible

Vitamins and minerals = essential for metabolism

Many assist enzymes

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 Nutrients and their functions
• Water is vital for many processes in your
body
– Part of fluid medium inside and outside of
cells
– Lubricant for joints, eyes, mouth, intestinal
tract
– Protective cushion for organs
– Helps chemical reactions, such as those
involved in energy production
Water = Copious
– Key role in transporting nutrients and amounts daily !
oxygen to cells and removing waste products

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 Macronutrients and Calories
What is a Calorie?
• A measurement of energy
• “The amount of heat it takes to raise the
temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree
Celsius”
• Energy contained in food is measured in
kilocalories (kcal) – often just referred as calories

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 Kcalorie values of macronutrients

• Carbohydrates 4 kcal/g
• Fats (lipids) 9 kcal/g
• Proteins 4 kcal/g

Alcohol = 7 Kcal/g is not a nutrient as it does

not support growth

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 Kcalorie values of micronutrients

• Vitamins 0 kcal/g
• Minerals 0 kcal/g
• Water 0 kcal/g

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 DEFINITION Also in your food..

• Essential nutrients= nutrients the body cannot make itself, are found
in all classes of nutrients
• Phytochemicals: non-nutrient compounds of vegetal origin that confer
color, taste, or other characteristics. Some are bioactive food
components and contribute to health (carotenoids, antioxidants..)

• Bioactive foods: non-essential molecules present in foods that can

modulate one or more metabolic processes, promoting health

• Fibers: non-nutrient -indigestible portion of plant foods, contribute to

health
– Fibers bring 0 Kcal /g
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 Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
• The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) are intake
standards set for nutrients (including water) but also
fibers and energy
• Includes:
– Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)
– Adequate Intakes (AI)
– Estimated Average Requirements (EAR)
– Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL)

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 Nutrient consumption
This graph represents the need for a given
nutrient in a specific population (not everyone
Number of people

10 has the same need)

• Person A needs amount 1
• 5 people have the same need
5 • Person B needs amount 2 > amount 1
A B
• 10 people have the same need

1 2 3 4 5 • Consuming amount 3 covers the need of

Amount of nutrient
everyone on the yellow line
• 50% of the population

• Consuming amount 4 covers the need of pretty much the whole population
• Consuming amount 5 is consuming more than anyone in the population needs = too
much !

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Recommended Dietary allowances (RDA)

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 Recommended Dietary allowances (RDA) and
Adequate Intakes (AI)

• RDA and AI are recommended

intake values

Number of people
97%
• RDA = meet the needs of almost all
healthy people in a population (97%)
• When insufficient evidence to create
RDA, AI is established Amount of RDA
nutrient AI
• AI based on estimates of intakes that
appear to maintain nutrition status

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RDA and AI vary with age, sex and physiological status (pregnancy for example)

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 They are
recommended
intake (AI) for
water and fibers

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 Estimated Average Requirements (EAR)

50%
• Population-wide average

Number of people
nutrient requirements
• Intake value to meet the
requirement of 50% the
healthy individuals in a EAR
Amount of nutrient
population (particular life
stage a of a given sex)
• EAR is used for caloric needs

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 Understanding the DRI
• RDA or AI
RDA (or AI) and EAR
– Covers the need of 97% of given
population (specific life stage and sex)
– Vitamins and minerals (micronutrients)
– Water and fibers
– Amount to ensure adequate intake and
prevent deficiencies and chronic diseases
• EAR
– Covers the need of 50% of a population
– Use for caloric needs to prevent over-
nutrition
• Females ~ 2000 Kcal/day
• Males ~ 3000 Kcal/day

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 One more DRI: Tolerable Upper Intake Level
(UL)
• Highest level of usual daily nutrient intake likely to
pose no risk of adverse health effects
• Not a goal, but a ceiling
– Helps assess:
• Supplements
• Excess amounts of fortified foods

– Not enough information to set UL for all

nutrients

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Example UL and vitamin D

Vitamin D
• UL for adults
50ug/day
• 1IU = 0.025ug
50ug = 2000 IU

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 Too much!!

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 Using DRI in Dietary Assessment

For vitamins, minerals, water

and fibers (non energy yielding)

Use for
caloric needs

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 Another acronym: Acceptable Macronutrient
Distribution Ranges (AMDR)
• EAR is used for caloric needs
• Carbs, fats and proteins are caloric
yielding nutrients
• BUT EAR are not commonly used for
specific intake of Carbs, Fats or Proteins
• AMDR: distribution ranges of intakes
recommended, associated with reduced
risk of chronic disease
– Carbohydrates: 45-65% total energy
– Protein: 10-35% total energy
– Fat: 20-35% total energy

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 Daily needs
Carbs Proteins Fats
AMDR 45-65% 10-35% 20-35%
Example 50% 20% 30%
Kcal /g 4kcal/g 4kcal/g 9Kcal/g
Men 1500 kcal 600 kcal 900 kcal
3000 kcal 375 g 150 g 100 g

Women 1000 kcal 400 kcal 600 kcal

2000 kcal 250 g 100 g 67 g

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 Last but not least: The Daily Value (DV)

Found on food labels, one set of values that

applies to everyone
• The Daily Value (DV) reflect the needs of
an “average” person – someone eating
2,000 kcal/day
• About right for moderately active
women, teenage girls and sedentary men
• Helps consumers tell whether or not a
food has a lot or little of a nutrient
• Makes it easier to compare brands

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THE MAIN POINTS FROM THIS
LECTURE
 Nutrition and Nutrients
• Nutrition = Study of nutrients in food AND in the body
• Nutrition can affect long term health (cancer, strokes,
diabetes)
• Nutrients provide energy, building block, and help
maintaining body function
• Six types of nutrients
– Carbohydrates - Vitamins
– Fats - Minerals
– Proteins - WATER

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 The Nutrients
• Nutrients containing carbon are organic compounds
– Carbs, fats, proteins, vitamins

• Inorganics nutrients
– Mineral, water

• Proteins contain nitrogen

• Macronutrients: energy-yielding nutrients needed in higher
amounts
– Carbohydrates 4Kcal/g
– Fats (lipids) 9Kcal/g
– Proteins 4Kacl/g
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 The Nutrients
Micronutrients: non energy-yielding nutrients: vitamins and minerals
Vitamins
• Organic Compounds
• Needed in small quantities
• Assist in body processes
• Vulnerable to destruction
• Cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities, must be obtained from the
diet
Minerals
• Inorganic Elements
• Consumed in varying quantities
• Structural Component
• Indestructible
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 The Nutrients

• Water is vital for many processes in your body

• Phytochemicals, fibers are also present in the food

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 Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
• The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) are nutrients
intake standards set. They change with age, sex,
physiological conditions
• Includes:
– Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)
– Adequate Intakes (AI)
– Estimated Average Requirements (EAR)
– Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL)

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 Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
• RDA or AI • UL
– Covers the need of 97% of given – Is a ceiling not a goal
population (specific life stage and sex) – Highest level of intake
– Vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) that poses no risk
– Water and fibers
– Amount to ensure adequate intake and
prevent deficiencies and chronic diseases

• EAR
– Covers the need of 50% of a population
– Use for caloric needs to prevent over-
nutrition
• Females ~ 2000 Kcal/day
• Males ~ 3000 Kcal/day

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Other intake recommendations: AMDR and DV

• AMDR: For energy yielding nutrients

Ranges of intakes recommended, associated with reduced risk of
chronic disease
– Carbohydrates: 45-65% total energy
– Protein: 10-35% total energy
– Fat: 20-35% total energy

• On a food label, one set of values that applies to everyone

The Daily Value (DV) reflect the needs of an “average”
person – someone eating 2,000 kcal/day

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 Samples questions..

• Can nutrition affect certain cancers?

• What are the functions of the nutrients?
• What are the six nutrients?
• What are the organic nutrients and their caloric
values?
• What are the DRI?
• What is use for vitamins recommended intakes?

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