NN+Nutrition

1. What is the usual function of various carbohydrates in humans? **They provide short-term energy and fuel to the body** 2. What is the difference between a simple carbohydrate and a complex carbohydrate? DESCRIBE EXAMPLES **A simple carb has a low count of carbon atoms in the molecule (pentose has five carbons), and complex carbs have a high number of carbon atoms in the molecule (glucose).** 3. What is starch? What is the source of starch? **Starch comes from glucose, and has fewer branches then glucose.** 4. What is "fiber" and of what benefit is it in the diet? **Fiber has many nondigetsible carbohydrates from plants. Soluble fiber comes together with cholesterol to keep it from being absorbed into the blood stream, decreasing the risk of heart disease.** 5. Why does low-carb dieting work sometimes? But what are the risks? **A low-carb diet increases the risk of heart disease.** 6. What is the function of fats and oils? DESCRIBE EXAMPLES **It serves the purpose of storing long-term energy and providing cushioning for the organs.** 7. What are fats and oils composed of? **Fats are generally solid at room temperature and come from animal origins, but oils are from plants and are liquids at room temperature.** 8. What is the difference between a saturated and unsaturated fat? DESCRIBE EXAMPLES **Saturated fats do not have double bonds between the carbon atoms (butter). Unsaturated fats have double bonds between the carbon atoms, these include oils.** 9. What are the uses of phospholipids in the body? DESCRIBE EXAMPLES **They make up many of the cellular membranes.** 10. What are the uses of steroids in the body? DESCRIBE EXAMPLES **Helps to build muscles.** 11. Why do we need fat in our diet? DESCRIBE EXAMPLES **Unsaturated oils can help protect against cardiovascular disease.** 12. What are the major functions of proteins in organisms? DESCRIBE EXAMPLES **They are essential to the building the structure of cells. For example, enzymes help to make reactions and bodily functions move quicker.** 13. What is the subunit of a protein? How do they get their name? **The subunit of a protein is the amino acid, it gets its name from the chemicals that make it up, amino (NH2) and acid (COOH).** 14. How does the shape of a protein relate to its function? DESCRIBE EXAMPLES **A protein cannot perform its function if it is not in its usual shape.**