Essential Nutrients
Which macronutrient is the body’s primary and preferred source of energy?
Carbohydrates
On an FDA Nutrition Facts label, ingredients are listed in descending order by what measurement?
Weight (from heaviest to lightest)
What does BMR stand for, and what does it measure?
Basal Metabolic Rate; the minimum number of calories your body needs to maintain basic life-sustaining functions at rest.
What popular diet concept focuses on listening to your internal biological cues (eating when you are physically hungry and stopping when you are comfortably full) rather than following strict external rules or counting calories?
Intuitive Eating
What is the common term for the sudden drop in energy, focus, and mood you feel an hour or two after consuming a high-sugar drink or snack?
A "Sugar Crash"
Vitamins are divided into two categories based on how they are absorbed and stored. What are these two categories?
Fat-soluble and water-soluble
According to the "5/20 Rule," a Percent Daily Value (%DV) of what percentage or less is considered low? And what percentage or more is considered high?
5% or less is low; 20% or more is high.
According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, what happens to excess food energy consumed that is not expended through metabolic processes or movement?
It is stored in the body (primarily as adipose tissue/fat or glycogen).
What is the fundamental difference between a vegan diet and a standard vegetarian diet?
A vegan diet eliminates all animal products and byproducts (including dairy, eggs, and often honey), whereas a vegetarian diet only eliminates animal flesh (meat, poultry, seafood).
What mineral supports the reuptake and absorption of Vitamin C in the body?
Iron (Fe)
How many calories per gram do carbohydrates, proteins, and fats provide, respectively?
Carbohydrates: 4 Protein: 4 Fat: 9
A bag of chips lists 150 calories per serving and says "Servings Per Container: 3.5." If you eat the entire bag, roughly how many calories did you consume?
525 calories (150 times 3.5)
For every liter of oxygen processed through the body, ____ calories of energy are burned
5
A diet promises you can "lose 10 pounds in 5 days by eating only grapefruit and soup." What term describes this type of restrictive, short-term dietary trend?
A Fad Diet
What percentage of the body is made up of water?
70%
What makes a protein considered a "complete protein," and what is one plant-based and one non-plant based source that fits this definition?
Soy (tofu/edamame), quinoa, or buckwheat. Eggs, Chicken breast, Fish (like salmon or tuna). Dairy (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk)
Why is the food label "Natural" misleading?
Doesn't mean the food is natural, but instead that the manufacturer at one point worked with "natural" food sources.
No Formal FDA Definition: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no legally binding definition or certification process for the word "natural" on general food products. It only maintains an informal, non-binding policy suggesting that no artificial or synthetic ingredients were added.
Does Not Ban GMOs or Pesticides: Many shoppers mistakenly assume "natural" means the food is free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or antibiotics. In reality, the FDA policy does not restrict farming or production methods like pesticide use or GMO ingredients.
No Nutritional Guarantee: A "natural" label does not mean a product is healthy. Items like snack chips, ice cream, or sugary drinks can carry the label simply because they lack artificial colorings, even if they remain high in fat, sodium, or added sugar.
Processing Loopholes: The label does not account for how a food is manufactured, processed, or thermally treated (such as high-heat pasteurization or industrial refining).
Confused with "Organic": Unlike "natural," the term Organic Food Labeling is strictly regulated and independently audited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Why can teenagers often eat large amounts of food without gaining body fat, and what warning does the passage give regarding adulthood?
Growing and developing requires extra fuel/calories; once growth stops in adulthood, those same eating habits can lead to obesity.
Why is eating a whole apple nutritionally superior to drinking an equivalent serving of 100% apple juice with no added sugar?
The whole apple contains intact structural dietary fiber, which slows gastric emptying and glucose absorption into the bloodstream, preventing the sharp blood sugar and insulin spikes caused by juice.
About how many hours does it take for a healthy body to clear out just half of the caffeine consumed from an energy drink or coffee?
Around 4 to 6 hours (5 hours on average)
Name 6 Essential Minerals/ vitamins
OR
Name 3 Essential Minerals/ vitamins AND their functional use
Iron: Transports oxygen in the blood (hemoglobin) and supports energy production.
Zinc: Aids in immune function, cell division, and wound healing.
Copper: Helps form red blood cells and assists with iron metabolism.
Selenium: Acts as an antioxidant and supports thyroid health.
Iodine: Required to produce thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism.
Manganese: Involved in bone formation and the metabolism of nutrients.
Chromium: Helps regulate blood sugar and supports lipid metabolism.
Fluoride: Strengthens teeth and helps prevent dental cavities.
Molybdenum: Assists enzymes in breaking down toxins
Vitamin A (supports vision and immune function)
Vitamin D (supports bone health and calcium absorption)
Vitamin E (acts as an antioxidant)
Vitamin K (essential for blood clotting and bone health)
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid): Boosts the immune system, acts as an antioxidant, and helps build collagen for skin and wound healing.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Helps convert food into energy and supports nerve function.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Supports energy production, red blood cell formation, and cellular function.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Aids in digestion, skin health, and energy metabolism.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid): Needed to synthesize and metabolize fats, proteins, and coenzymes.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Supports brain health, immune function, and red blood cell creation.
Vitamin B7 (Biotin): Helps convert food into energy and supports healthy hair, skin, and nails.
Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic acid): Crucial for DNA synthesis and red blood cell production.
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): Supports nerve tissue health, brain function, and red blood cell formation.
Why should packaging claims be questioned?
MISLEADING INFORMATION ON MANY FOOD ITEMS. Take singular ingredient, and list benefits (but has other negative "things" in it. ETC.
Calculate the total energy in a meal containing 10 grams of fat, 20 grams of protein, and 30 grams of carbohydrates. How many total calories does this meal supply?
Fat: 10 x 9 = 90
Protein: 20 x 4 = 80
Carbs: 30 x 4 = 120
Total: 90 + 80 + 120 = 290
Identify three classic "red flags" that indicate a diet is likely a commercial fad diet (rather than evidence based diet)
Promising rapid weight loss, eliminating entire food groups, requiring proprietary supplements/products, relying on single-study testimonials, or claiming to "detoxify" without medical necessity
What is the main reason drinking a soda leaves you feeling thirsty again shortly after, unlike drinking a glass of water?
High amounts of sugar and sodium in soda draw fluid out of tissues to help process them, triggering thirst.