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.
Carbohydrate provides about 4 kcal of energy per gram.
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 103 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
Which food is a good source of vitamin C?
- •Cheese
- •Fish
- •Milk
- ✓Peppers
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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