Chapter 6 Food and humans
Name: ( ) Class: Date:
6.1 Humans as heterotrophs
All organisms require food for energy and nutrients to stay
alive.
Plants make their own food by photosynthesis. They are
autotrophs.
Humans cannot make their own food. They feed on organic
matter. They are heterotrophs. This type of nutrition is called
heterotrophic nutrition.
6.2 Food requirements of humans
A. The importance of food
Food provides
energy to keep our body warm and support daily activities;
raw materials for growth and repair of body tissues; and
substances that keep us healthy.
B. What substances does food contain?
There are seven types of food substances:
carbohydrates
lipids
proteins
water
vitamins
minerals
dietary fibre
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1. Carbohydrates
Types Monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides
Food Glucose and fructose: fruits
sources Sucrose: sugar cane, table sugar
Lactose: milk
Starch: cereals, maize, potatoes, taros
Functions As a main source of energy
Glycogen acts as an energy storage in the liver and skeletal
muscles
Cellulose is a source of dietary fibres
In excess Stored as glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscles or
situation converted to lipid
Recall from…
Do you remember how carbohydrates are broken down in the body? (See Chapter 2)
maltase
maltose + water __________ + __________
sucrase
sucrose + water __________ + __________
lactase
lactose + water __________ + __________
amylase
starch + water __________
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2. Lipids
Type Saturated fats, which come mainly from animal sources,
tend to be solid at room temperature
Unsaturated fats, which come mainly from plants and fish,
tend to be oily at room temperature
Food Fatty meat, egg yolk, nuts, dairy products, butter, plant oils
sources
Functions As an energy reserve
Subcutaneous fat acts as an insulating layer to reduce heat
loss
Adipose tissues around internal organs act as a shock
absorber for protection
As a component of cell membranes and certain hormones
Involved in transporting and storing fat-soluble vitamins
In excess Stored as subcutaneous fat under the skin and adipose tissue
situation around some internal organs
Recall from…
Do you remember how triglycerides are broken down by hydrolysis? (See Chapter 2)
enzyme
triglyceride + water __________ + __________
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3. Proteins
Types of Non-essential amino acids, which can be made using other
amino acids compounds in the human body
Essential amino acids, which cannot be made in the human
body and must be included in the diet
Food Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, peas and soya beans
sources
Functions For growth and repair of body tissues
Form enzymes, antibodies and some hormones
As a source of energy when the body is short of
carbohydrates and lipids
In excess Excess amino acids are broken down in the liver through
situation deamination.
After deamination, the amino group is further converted to
urea and excreted out of the bodies in urine.
Recall from…
Do you remember how polypeptides are broken down and synthesized?
(See Chapter 2)
hydrolysis
polypeptide + __________ __________ ________
condensation
4. Vitamins
Vitamins are organic food substances. They have no energy value, but they
helps regulate various metabolic reactions in the body.
The human body requires only small amounts of vitamins to stay healthy.
However, a lack of vitamins causes deficiency diseases.
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Deficiency symptoms /
Food sources Functions
diseases
Vitamin A Liver, fish-liver For the formation of Night blindness
oil, milk, cheese, visual purple in the retina Thickening of the cornea
(fat-soluble) eggs, green
Maintains the healthy Dry skin and an
vegetables, state of the cornea of the increased risk of
carrots eyes, the skin, and the infection of the
lining of the alimentary respiratory system
canal and the respiratory
system
Vitamin C Fruits and green For the formation and Scurvy
vegetables repair of connective
(water- tissues
soluble) Helps heal wounds
Maintains healthy gums,
teeth and skin
Vitamin D Liver, fish-liver Helps the absorption of Rickets
oil, milk, cheese, calcium and phosphate Osteoporosis
(fat-soluble) egg yolk ions from the intestine
5. Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances.
They also have no energy value and are needed in small amounts.
Deficiency symptoms /
Food sources Functions
diseases
Calcium Milk, cheese, For the formation of Rickets
other dairy bones and teeth Osteoporosis
products, green For blood clotting and
vegetables muscle contraction
Iron Liver, beef, eggs, For the formation of Anaemia
green leafy haemoglobin
vegetables
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6. Dietary fibre
Dietary fibre consists mainly of cellulose from plant cell walls. It stimulates
peristalsis and makes faeces pass out of the body more easily. Insufficient
dietary fibre may cause constipation.
7. Water
Water has the following functions in our body:
Water acts as a solvent and provides a medium for chemical reactions
to take place.
It is a reactant in certain metabolic reactions.
Water in blood transports substances around the body.
Water also helps regulate body temperature.
Challenge yourself
Students W, X and Y suffer from deficiency diseases. Determine what food
substances each of them lacks, and which foods can help alleviate their
symptoms.
Food substance Food
A. Vitamin A (i) Fish-liver oil
B. Vitamin C (ii) Fresh fruits
C. Vitamin D (iii) Liver
D. Calcium (iv) Soya beans
E. Iron
(a) Student W has scurvy. He lacks . He should eat
more .
(b) Student X has poor vision in dim night. This may be caused by deficiency
of . She should eat more .
(c) Student Y is anaemic. He lacks . He should eat
more .
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6.3 Food tests
The test for various food substances and the positive results:
Food substance Test Positive result
Glucose Using glucose test Make reference to the label on the bottle, a
strips distinctive colour change will be observed.
Clinistix paper Test paper changed from pink to purple when
dipped into the sample solution.
Reducing sugars Benedict’s test Brick-red precipitate forms.
Starch Iodine test Iodine solution changes from brown to blue-
black.
Lipids Grease spot test A translucent spot is left, which disappears
after adding an organic solvent.
Proteins Using protein test Make reference to the label on the bottle, a
strips distinctive colour change will be observed.
Albustix paper Test paper changed from yellow to green when
dipped into the sample solution.
Vitamin C Using DCPIP DCPIP solution is decolorized.
solution *Turns to colorless is not an accurate
description, as sometimes the sample solution
may contain color
Practical 6.1 Test for vitamin C using DCPIP solution
Results and discussion
When vitamin C solution is added to DCPIP solution, the DCPIP solution is decolorized.
In this reaction, DCPIP is reduced by vitamin C.
Distilled water does not decolorize DCPIP solution. It serves as a control.
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6.4 Balanced diet
A. What is a balanced diet?
A balanced diet contains all the food substances in the right amounts
and proportions. It provides us with enough energy and nutrients for body
functions and daily activities.
The food pyramid is a guide to help us achieve a balanced diet.
A food pyramid for adolescents
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B. Factors affecting our dietary requirements
The exact amounts of energy and nutrients required, i.e. dietary requirement, vary
from person to person. It depends on a number of factors:
1. Age
Children have a larger surface area to volume ratio than
adults. They have a higher energy requirement per unit
body mass.
Besides, large amount of energy is required for growth.
Their diet should include relatively large amounts of
energy-rich foods such as carbohydrates;
more proteins to form new body cells; more calcium and
vitamin D to form strong bones and teeth; and more iron to form red blood
cells.
2. Gender and body size
Males generally have a larger body size, more muscle mass and a higher
metabolic rate than females, so they need more energy and proteins than
females.
Females need more iron to compensate for the iron lost each month in
menstrual blood.
3. Level of physical activity
People who perform heavy physical activities (e.g. a construction worker or
a professional athlete) need a diet rich in carbohydrates to provide enough
energy for muscle contractions, and proteins for building muscles.
4. Body status
Pregnant women need more carbohydrates, proteins, and a range of vitamins
and minerals to support the growth and development of the foetus.
Breast-feeding mothers also need more nutrients for milk production.
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C. Health problems caused by an improper diet
An improper diet can result in malnutrition which causes many health problems.
1. Undernutrition
If our energy intake from food is less than our energy output, the glycogen and fat
stored in our body will be used. This causes weight loss.
With prolonged starvation and the absence of fat reserves, the body starts using muscle
proteins as a source of energy.
Severe protein deficiency can lead to kwashiorkor. Children with this disorder suffer
from stunted growth, anaemia, hair loss, and have a swollen belly because tissue fluid
accumulates in the abdomen.
2. Overnutrition
If we eat too much or lack sufficient physical activity, our energy intake from food will
be greater than our energy output. The excess energy will be stored as fats in our body,
causing weight gain.
Serious condition of overweight is called obesity. Obesity can lead to high blood
pressure, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, gallstones and serious damage to the joints.
Assessment focus:
In public exams, students are often asked to explain why certain habits or diets may lead to
weight gain or weight loss. In these scenarios, it is important to clearly state that the outcome
depends on the energy intake and energy output. If the energy intake is higher than the energy
output for a long period of time, there will be a net weight gain; vice versa, if the energy intake
is lower than the energy output, there will be a net weight loss.
Some students hold the misconception that alternative diets, such as a vegetarian diet or a
ketogenic diet, must lead to weight loss. This is incorrect because, after all, vegetables also
contain energy. If the energy intake from a vegetarian diet is higher than the energy output,
overweight may still occur.
Challenge yourself
Write ‘T’ for a true statement or ‘F’ for a false statement in each box provided.
(a) In order to achieve a balanced diet, we should avoid the intake of all fats. □
(b) Two persons having the same body mass. Their dietary requirement must be
the same. □
(c) In prolonged starvation, our body will break down the stored glycogen, fats
and then protein tissues. □
(d) We will gain weight if our energy output is greater than our energy intake. □
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