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THE FUNCTION OF NUTRITION

Nutrition is the sum of the interaction between an organism and the food it consumes (Christian and
Greger 1985, p.4.). In other words, nutrition is what a person eats and how the body uses it.
People require food or essential nutrients for the growth and maintenance of all body tissues and the
normal functioning of all body processes. Nutrients are the organic and inorganic chemicals found in foods and
are required for proper body functioning. An adequate food intake consists of a balance of essential nutrients:
water, carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Foods differ greatly in their nutritive value (the
nutrient content of a specified amount of food), and no one food provides all essential nutrients. Nutrients have
three major functions (Suitor and Hunter 1980, p.4):
1. They provide energy for body processes and movement.
2. They provide structural material for body tissues, e.g. bones and muscles.
3. They regulate body processes.
The amount of energy that nutrients or food supply to the body is their caloric value. A calorie is a unit
of heat energy. A small calorie is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water at 1
degree C. A large calorie (Calorie, kilocalorie, or kcal) is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of
1 kg of water 1 degree C and is the unit used in nutrition. The energy liberated from each gram of carbohydrate
and protein after it is metabolized is about 4 Kcal. The average North American receives approximately 45 %
of their energy from carbohydrates, 40 % from fat, and 15 % from protein (Guyton 1986,p.861). In most other
parts of the world, people derive far more energy from carbohydrates than from fats and proteins. People in
Mongolia, for example, derive 80 % to 85% of energy from carbohydrates (Guyton 1986, p.861).

Glossary
In other words : sebaliknya
Require (v) : memerlukan
Adequate (adj) : cukup
Approximately (adv) : kira-kira
Derive (v) : memperoleh

Exercise 1
Answer the question completely
1. What is meant by nutrition, according to Christian and Greger’s statement?
2. What are the differences between nutrition and nutrients?
3. Why do people need food and essential nutrients?
4. What kind of essential nutrients are from adequate food?
5. Do the functions of nutrients relate to the human body? Why?
6. Can you give an explanation about the ability of nutrients in regulating body processes?
7. What do you know about food that cannot provide all essential nutrients?
8. What is the caloric value?

Exercise 2
Choose the correct answer
1. The sum of the interactions between an organism and the food it consumes is called nutrition. This definition
is stated by ...
a. Guyton
b. Greger Christian
c. John Lock
d. Greger and Christian
2. The following are needed very much by the body, except ...
a. vitamin
b. nutrition
c. water
d. tea

3. People require food for the following statements, except ...

a. to grow up
b. to maintain of all body tissues
c. for a doctor’s instruction
d. for the normal functioning of all body processes

4. The meaning of Nutrients is ...

a. a balance of essential nutrients
b. the organic and inorganic chemicals found in foods and required for proper body functioning
c. the amount of energy that nutrients of foods supply to the body
d. water, carbohydrate. Proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

5. An adequate food intake consists of a balance of essential nutrients. One of the food components below is
not an essential nutrient needed ...
a. mineral
b. carrot
c. water
d. fat
6. The following statements are the functions of a nutrient, except ...
a. avoiding the fatality
b. providing energy for body processes and movement
c. providing structural material for body tissues
d. regulating body processes

7. A unit of heat energy is called

a. an essential nutrient
b. nutrition
c. a calorie
d. mineral

8. The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water 1 degree C is called ...
a. a large calorie
b. an essential nutrient
c. a small calorie
d. carbohydrate

9. A large calorie is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water 1 degree C ...
a. But not a unit used in the nutrition
b. And the unit used in the nutrition
c. When we need a vitamin
d. And the unit required in the nutrition

10. ... receives approximately 45 % of energy from carbohydrates, 40 % from fat, and 15 % from protein
a. North American
b. South American
c. Mongolian
d. Australian
Exercise 3
Choose true (T) if the statements are correct and false (F) if the statements are incorrect.
1. The growth and maintenance of all body tissues and the normal functioning of all body processes need
food and nutrition. ( T / F )
2. There are three major functions of Nutrients. ( T / F )
3. Water, carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals are significant contributors to the growth of
the body. ( T / F )
4. A unit of heat energy is called nutrition. ( T / F )
5. According to Guyton, The average North American receives approximately forty five % of energy from
carbohydrates, forty % from fat, and fifteen % from protein. ( T / F )