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SEHH2014
FOOD HYGIENE &
NUTRITIONAL HEALTH
Nutrient I
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Learning Outcomes
• Identify the basic structures and food sources of the major
carbohydrates— monosaccharides, disaccharides,
polysaccharides (e.g., starches), and fiber.
• List the functions of carbohydrate in the body and the
problems that result from not eating enough carbohydrate.
• Outline the beneficial effects of fiber on the body.
• State and calculate the recommended intake for
carbohydrate.
• List four classes of lipids (fats) and the role of each in
nutritional health.
• Differentiate among saturated, monounsaturated, and
polyunsaturated fatty acids in terms of structure and food
sources.
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Learning Outcomes
• List the function of lipids, including the two essential fatty
acids.
• State and calculate the recommended intake for lipids.
• Distinguish between essential and nonessential amino
acids.
• List the primary functions of protein in the body.
• Calculate the RDA for protein for an adult when a healthy
weight is given.
• Distinguish between high-quality and low-quality proteins,
identify examples of each.
• Describe how protein-calorie malnutrition eventually can
lead to disease in the body.
• Recall the health effects and energy level of alcohol
• Define “moderate intake” of alcohol
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Outline
• Nutrients
• Provide Energy (I)
• Carbohydrates (including dietary fibre)
• Lipids
• Proteins
• Alcohol*
• Cannot provide energy (II)
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Water

* Normally not regarded as “nutrient”

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Carbohydrates
• preferential source of energy for some cells
(nervous system & RBC)

• readily available fuel for all cells

• it can be stored in liver as glycogen (lasting ~6-8hrs)

• source of energy shift from breakdown of carbohydrate to

protein in starvation

• Protein sparing – addition of carbohydrates and fats to a

low-protein diet in order to reduce protein breakdown

• Energy per g:
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Carbohydrate Production
• Photosynthesis
6 carbon dioxide + 6 water → glucose + 6 oxygen

• carbon, hydrogen and oxygen

• simple form
• sugar
• larger, more complex form
• starch (digestible)
• dietary fibre (nondigestible)
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Carbohydrate
• Deficiency: Marasmus (due to energy
deficient), underweight, fatigue

• Excess: Overweight

• Food source: cereal, rice, pasta, potato,

bread and biscuit
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Recommendation for CHO intakes

• Increase intake of whole grains
• Reduce intake of added sugars
• Total CHO - Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
• 45-65% of total calories
• Added sugar -WHO recommends a reduced intake of free
sugars throughout the lifecourse

• In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the

intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake
• For a 2000 Kcal diet:
• WHO (2015) suggests a further reduction to below 5% or
roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day would provide
additional health benefits.
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Sugars Content of Prepackaged Non-

alcoholic Beverages in Hong Kong

Centre for Food Safety. (2009). Sugars Content of Prepackaged Non-alcoholic Beverages in Hong Kong. Retrieved from
http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_n_01_11.html
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Simple Carbohydrates

Monosaccharides Disaccharides
• Glucose • Sucrose
• blood sugar (glucose+fructose)
• primary source of energy • Sugarcane, honey
• starch & sucrose
• Lactose
• Fructose
(glucose+galactose)
• fruit sugar
• milk products
• Galactose
• Maltose (glucose+glucose)
• milk or milk product
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Complex Carbohydrates
• polysaccharides
• long carbohydrate chains with many monosaccharide
units, less sweet and water solubility
• grains, vegetables, fruits • long, straight chain of
glucose
• 20% of starch found in
vegetables, beans,
bread pasta & rice

• 80% of starch found Amylose

in vegetables
• many branches
• carbohydrate storage
in plant

• animal starch
• many branches
Amylopectin • carbohydrate Glycogen
storage in human
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Dietary Fibers
• made up of polysaccharides eg cellulose
• our GI tract cannot digest
• absorb water & hold onto it in the intestine

consume enough consume not enough

water retaining property

enlarge & soften stool small & hard stool

easy eliminating constipation

hemorrhoids
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Dietary Fibres

Food sources Actions in the body

Soluble, viscous, Oats, fruits, green • Lower blood cholesterol
more fermentable peas • Slow glucose absorption
• Slow transit of food through
upper GI tract
• Hold moisture in stools
• Increase satiety
Insoluble, Brown rice, • Increase fecal weight
nonviscous, less vegetables, wheat • Speed fecal passage through
fermentable brans colon
• Provide bulk and feelings
fullness
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One Way Fiber in Food May Lower

Cholesterol in the Blood
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Carbohydrate in Food
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Lipids
• insoluble in water/ immiscible with water
• Fatty acids
• Triglycerides
• Phospholipids
• Sterols
• fats (solid under room temperature)
• oils (liquid under room temperature)
• each gram of it produce 9 Kcal energy
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Lipids
• Deficiency: underweight and dryness of skin
• Excess: Overweight and hyperlipidaemia

• Food source: oil, fat, lard (pig fat), butter

• Fats & oils are mostly in the form of triglycerides
• Most of dietary fats are absorbed in the small intestine in
the form of triglycerides

Triglyceride
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• Saturated, mono-, polyunsaturated fat

Fatty Acids • Trans fat (usually formed after hydrogenation)

animal fats

 
olive oils
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Hydrogenation Yields Both Saturated and

Trans-Fatty Acids
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Lipid Intake Recommendations for Healthy

People
• Total fat
• RDA: 20-35% of daily energy intake

• Saturated fat
• < 10% of daily energy intake

• Trans fat
• < 1% of daily energy intake
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Fatty Acids
• Based on the nature of fatty acids present in the
greatest concentration
• Long chain usually with saturated bonds are solid at
room temp (RT)
• animal fats
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Fatty Acids
• Medium chain (6-10 carbon long) are liquid in RT
• coconut oil
• Short chain (<6 carbon long) are liquid in RT
• dairy fats

紅花油

葵花油
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Fatty Acid Composition of Common Food

Fats
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Other Lipids
Sterols
Phospholipid

• Exist in the body,

especially in brain
• Form important parts of
cell membrane
• eg lecithins (participant in
fat digestion in the
intestine)
• emulsifiers
• Multiringed structure
• Most common example:
cholesterol (form
hormones & bile acids,
participate in cell
structure)
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Fats & Oils in Foods

• Margarine
• 80% fat by weight
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Fats & Oils in Foods

• fat-dense food
• > 60% of total energy is fat

• cholesterol is found naturally only in those animal

origin (eggs is the primary source)
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Functions of Lipids
Essential fatty acids (-3 & -6)
• cannot synthesize by our body
• perform important roles in immune system function & vision
• form cell membranes
• produce hormone-like compounds related to inflammation

Cholesterol
• Raw material for hormones, bile and vit D

Triglycerides
• energy storage, reserve
• Insulation, padding
• transportation of fat-soluble vitamins
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Essential Fatty Acids

◼ Recommended intake of ~2 servings of fish per week

DHA: Docosahexaenoic acid; EPA: omega-3 fat eicosapentaenoic acid

Lipid Intake Recommendations (for Healthy People)

Recommended intake
Total fat RDA is 20-35% of daily energy intake
Saturated fat < 10% of daily energy intake
Replace saturated fat with healthier
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Cholesterol <300 mg/ day
Trans fat Avoid if possible,
or intake <1% of daily energy intake
 III.Protein
• Basic units of protein are amino acids
• Contain elements of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen & nitrogen
• Source of amino acids:
✓ Essential (cannot be synthesized in the body)

✓ Nonessential (can be synthesized in the body)

• each gram of protein contains 4Kcal of energy

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Importance of Amino Acid in Nutrition (Reference)

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Protein
• Polymer of amino acids (a.a.)
dipeptide (2 a.a.), polypeptide (few to tens of a.a.), protein
(few tens of a.a.)
• 9 essential amino acids, 11 non-essential amino acids

• Uses: protein synthesis (structural and enzymatical)

• Deficiency: Marasmus, Kwashiorkor
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Protein & Carbohydrate Deficiency

chronic
acute
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Protein
• Excess: Overload of kidney, dehydration if water
intake is low (has to excrete urea)
• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or
Dietary Reference Intake (DRI)= 0.8-1.0 g/Kg
body weight

• Acceptable intake range :10-30% of calories

• Food source: meat, dairy products, egg, beans, soy

& soya products
• Quality of protein
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Excess protein intake

overloads kidney
Deamination
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Dietary Consideration
Animal proteins
• ample amount of all nine
essential amino acids
• EXCEPT gelatin
• high quality protein
Plant proteins
• low amount of essential
amino acids (may be one
or two types only)
• EXCEPT soya protein
• lower-quality proteins

Denature: treatment with acid, alkaline, heat or

agitation can alter protein’s nature
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Functions of Protein
• producing vital body constituent
• growth, rebuild & repair
• forming hormones & enzymes
• contributing to immune function
• antibodies
• forming glucose/ provide energy during
starvation
• maintenance of body fluid
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Fluid Balance
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Alcohol
• ethanol
• each gram of it produces 7 Kcal energy (empty
calories= with calories but no other nutrients)
• require no digestion
• absorbed rapidly from GI tract by diffusion
• Reach brain within a minute
• the most efficiently absorbed of all energy
sources
• “Beer belly”
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Alcohol
• Food source: beer, wine, liqueur, brandy
• Alcohol is damaging to stomach, liver and brain, dehydrating
tissues
• moderate alcohol (a glass of wine or beer for men & less than
one drink for women)
• No RDA but advised not to exceed 10-20 g/day (a glass of
wine or a can of beer)
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What is a “Drink”?
• One drink:
• 12 oz beer or wine cooler
• 5 oz wine
• 3 oz sherry or liqueur
• 1.5 oz 80-proof distilled spirits

• Health benefits of alcohol is indirect or observational

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Summary
• Definition of nutrition & nutrient
• Four types of nutrient
• Carbohydrates (provide instant energy)
• Lipids (provide energy)
• Proteins (build body cell)
• Alcohol (risks more than benefits)
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References
• DeBruyne, L., & Pinna, K. (2023). Nutrition for Health and
Health Care. (8th ed.). Cengage.
• Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2020). Nutrition: Concepts and
Controversies. (15th ed.), Cengage Learning.
• Thompson, J. J. & Manore, M. (2018). Nutrition: An
Applied Approach. (5th ed.). Pearson.
• Wardlaw, G. M. & Smith, A. M. (2019). Wardlaw's
Contemporary Nutrition. (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill.