Principles of nutrition
What's covered
Key facts
Amylase is the digestive enzyme that begins breaking down starch in the mouth.
Butter is a source of saturated fat.
Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth.
Beans on wholemeal toast is a classic complete (HBV) plant-based pairing — pulse + cereal complement each other.
You cannot easily overdose on water-soluble vitamins because excess is excreted in urine.
Athletes need more fluid because they lose more water through sweat during exercise.
UK dietary advice is that carbohydrate should supply about half of daily energy.
Linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid are essential fatty acids — the body cannot make them.
Dark leafy greens such as spinach are a good plant source of iron.
Combining two LBV plant proteins to get all essential amino acids is called protein complementing (or complementation).
Sample questions
A taste of the 96 questions in this topic — answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
What's the body's main and most quickly-used source of energy?
- •dietary protein
- ✓glucose from carbohydrate
- •stored fat reserves
- •vitamins and minerals
Which fat raises bad (LDL) cholesterol most?
- •omega-3 fat
- •polyunsaturated fat
- ✓saturated fat
- •unsaturated fat
Which mineral is needed to make haemoglobin?
- •Calcium
- •Iodine
- ✓Iron
- •Sodium
Which is a high biological value (HBV) protein source?
- •beans
- ✓eggs
- •peanuts
- •rice
Vitamin A is needed for what?
- •bones
- •clotting
- •energy
- ✓vision
How much water should an adult drink daily?
- •1 litre
- •10 to 12 glasses
- •2 to 3 glasses
- ✓6 to 8 glasses
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