CHAPTER 2: NUTRITION AND FOOD PRODUCTION

2.1 IMPORTANCE OF TAKING GOOD NUTRITION AND PRACTISING

GOOD EATING HABITS

NUTRITION

 Definition : Intake and use of food substances by living organisms

 Importance: 1. As source of energy
2. To grow
3. To build new cell
4. To repair damaged tissue
5. To maintain good health
 Nutrients can be found in the 5 basic classes of food

Class of food Example Main Importance

Carbohydrates Bread, Rice, Sugar Energy supplier
Proteins Meat, Fish, Egg “
Fats Butter, Cheese, Oils “
Body’s protection from
Minerals & vitamins Vegetables, Fruits
certain diseases
Dietary fibre “ Constipation prevention

CALORIFIC VALUES OF FOOD

 Energy contained in food is released through oxidation of food -- cell respiration

 Definition: Amount of energy released by one gram of food when it is completely
oxidized (digested)
 How to measure: By using food calorimeter
 Unit: kilojoules per gram (kJg-1)
 Different type of foods give different calorific values
 Food rich in fats have higher energy content than carbohydrates and protein
 Vitamin and minerals do not contain any calorific value.

Calorific value of food (kJg-1)= 4.2 x mass of water x Rise in temperature

Mass of food

4.2 joules of energy is required to raise the temperature of 1g of water by 1°C

1 calorie = 4.2J 1 kilojoule = 1000joule

Food Calorific values (kJ/g) Food Calorific values (kJ/g)

Bread 10.6 Milk 2.7
Butter 31.2 Mutton 10.1

Energy supplied = mass of food (in gram) * calorific values

 FACTORS AFFECTING THE CALORIE REQUIREMENT

Body size
Sex(gender)
Person who has big size need more
Male need more energy than female
energy than person who has small size

Physical activities
Age People who do hard job need more
Infants, children and teenager energy
need more energy than the aged than people who do easy job

State of health Temperature of surroundings

Normal person need more energy People who live in cold country need
than sick person more energy than people who live in
other places

HEALTH PROBLEMS RELATED TO POOR NUTRITION AND UNHEALTHY

EATING HABITS

Health problems related to nutrition

a) Malnutrition  (eating unbalanced diet)
b) Obesity  (more eating)
c) Anorexia nervosa (less eating)

a) Malnutrition,

Nutrient Disease Main symptoms

lacking
Protein Kwashiorkor Loss of appetite, failure to grow ,swallowed abdomen
Iron Anaemia Pale appearance, loss appetite, tired, fatigue
Iodine Goitre Large swelling at the neck
Calcium Osteoporosis Weak bones and teeth & back bone might be bent
Vitamin A Night Poor eye sight at night
blindness
Vitamin B Beri-beri Weakness of the legs, nervous system disorder
Vitamin C Scurvy Bleeding gums
Vitamin D Rickets Bent legs due to the weak bones
Dietary fibre Constipation Difficulty in getting rid of solid waste from the body
 b) obesity
 due to over eating for long period of time.
 the excess food is converted into fat and stored under skin (especially in the
abdomen).
 A person is considered obese if his body weight exceeds the ideal weight by 20% or
more.
 Diseases might be arising from obesity:
high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes mellitus.

c)anorexia nervosa,
 due to insufficient amount of food taking by person especially ladies since they want
to get slim body to look attractive.
 they will vomit the digested food and as a result, they will become thin, dehydrated
 social and psychological problem

Diseases due to unhealthy eating habits

Hypertension Stroke
- high blood pressure - occurs if artery of the brain bursts
- affect to the heart - can cause paralysis of the body
- happens due to taking too much salt

Tooth decay Diabetes mellitus

- due to excess sugar in food, - happen when body can’t produce enough
so bacteria inside the mouth change it hormon insulin to deal with excess glucose
into lactic acid that destroy
the tooth’s enamel.

Artheriosclerosis Heart attack

- happens due to excess of cholesterol - occur when the blood’s flow to the heart
in bloodstream stop and part of the heart die.
- makes artery becomes hard, less elastic
and resist blood’s flow

Good nutrition and good eating habit

Balanced diet
Diet which consists of all the classes of food, include water and dietary fibre, in the
right amount
 2.2 NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS OF PLANTS

PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN GREEN PLANTS

Definition: Synthesize of food process by green plants in presence of sunlight using

water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
sunlight
Water + Carbon Dioxide Glucose + Oxygen
chlorophyll
How photosynthesis occur:

Water Carbon dioxide Sunlight Glucose Oxygen

o Absorbed o Absorbed o Supply o Combination o Waste
through the from air energy for of hydrogen, product
roots through the this process carbon and o Released
o Transport stomata in oxygen from leaves
along leaves through
xylem to stomata
the leaves
Chlorophyll
o Absorb
sunlight

Importance of photosynthesis:

o Helps to maintain the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in atmosphere

o Supply foods to green plants, animals and human being

MACRONUTRIENTS

 Definition: Minerals required by plants in large amount for their healthy growth

 Mineral nutrients dissolved in water and absorbed through a plant’s roots.

Macronutrients and their functions:

Macronutrient Function
Carbon To form carbohydrates, proteins and fats
(C),Hydrogen(H)
Oxygen(O)
 Nitrogen (N) To form enzymes, proteins, nucleic acid and chlorophyll
To build cytoplasm
Phosphorus (P) To form proteins and nucleic acid
To build the plant cell membrane
Potassium (K) Metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and make new cells
To regulate opening and closing of stomata
To build up resistance for disease
Calcium (Ca) To form cell walls for growth
Magnesium (Mg) To form chlorophyll, To activate certain enzymes
Sulphur (S) To form certain amino acids

MICRONUTRIENTS

Definition: Minerals required by plants in very small amount for their healthy growth.
They also have known as trace elements.

Micronutrient
Boron (B)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Zinc (Zn)
Manganese (Mn)
Copper (Cu)
Iron (Fe)

Effects of Deficiency of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium on Plant Growth

Macronutrient Deficiency symptom

Nitrogen (N) Leaves are small, yellow and drop off easily
Phosphorus (P) Poor growth especially the roots.
Leaves appear dark green with purple or red spot
Leaves with curly brown edges
Potassium (K) Dead tissue at tip and edges of leaves\
Soft stem
Yellow patches on leaves
 2.3 NITROGEN CYCLE AND ITS IMPORTANCE

NITROGEN CYCLE

 Nitrogen is an important element for the formation of proteins and nucleic acids in
living organisms.
 Exist as gas and comprises 78% in atmosphere
 But plant are unable to use gaseous form of nitrogen, can only uses nitrogen in the
form of ions(nitrate ion) which are absorbed from soil by plants’ root.
 In nature, nitrogen gas in atmosphere is converted into nitrate ions in soil.
 In nitrogen cycle, nitrogen is continuously recycled from one form to another.
 The conversion of nitrogen gas into nitrate ions known as nitrogen fixation

IMPORTANCE OF NITROGEN CYCLE

o Maintain soil fertility
o Increasing production of crops
o Maintain the amount of nitrogen in atmosphere
o Maintain the balance of nature

Action of denitrifying
bacteria

Death, Decomposed by
bacteria and fungi
nitrogen fixing bacteria
in root nodules

Action of nitrifying
bacteria