Republic of the Philippines

NORTHERN NEGROS STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Old Sagay, Sagay City, Negros Occidental
(034)722-4120, www.nonescost.edu.ph

COURSE Family and Consumer Life Skills

MODULE 1 (3HOURS) Lesson I : Nature of Food

COURSE
Maria May L. Daulong, M.Ed.-THE
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Maria May Lebiga Daulong
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Introduction

This lesson is focused on the nature of food and the relationship between food and nutrition.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Discuss the nature of food

2. Categorize the essential food nutrients
3. Explain the relationship between food and nutrition

Motivation

Why do people eat what they eat? (Students will reflect on the reasons for eating certain foods)

Presentation

Knowledge of food composition helps us to use food intelligently to fulfil our nutritional needs. This
lesson will help you understand what makes up food and how important it is to match the food that we eat with
that of our body’s needs.

I. TEACHING POINTS

What is food?

Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or
animal origin, and contains essential nutrients.

What are nutrients?

Nutrients are chemical substances or components of food that are released during digestion and
provide energy to maintain, repair or build body tissues. The body needs six types of nutrients from food:
protein, carbohydrates, fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals and water.

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 Nutrients are divided into macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat), which are needed in large
amounts, and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), which are needed only in small amounts.

Six (6) Essential Nutrients

1. Carbohydrates – the primary purpose of which is to provide energy for the body. These are made up of
groups of molecules, known as saccharides. Saccharides contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms in
different combinations.

Classes of Carbohydrates:
a. Simple carbohydrates – have one or two saccharides (mono and di-saccharides) linked together.
They are the sugars found in fruit, honey, milk (as lactose) and commercial sweeteners.
b. Starches or Complex carbohydrates – contain many saccharides (polysaccharides) and are known
as starches and fibers in vegetables, grains and legumes.

2. Fats – as a nutrient, fats are more concentrated energy source. Fats are characterized by their
appearance and greasy feel and its inability to mix with water.
Functions in the Body:
1. It provides substances needed for growth and healthy skin.
2. It enhances the taste and texture of food.
3. It is required to carry fat-soluble vitamins throughout the body.
4. It provides energy.

Types of Fats
a. Saturated fats – these foods include high fat dairy (cheese, whole milk, cream, butter and ice
cream) fatty fresh and processed meats and the skin and fat of poultry, lard, palm oil, and coconut
oil.
b. Trans fatty acids – these include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as hard
margarines and shortenings.
c. Unsaturated fats – these are present in vegetable oils, most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish
like salmon.

3. Proteins –These are organic substances with amino acids as the building blocks.

Functions in the body:

a. Providing energy to the body

b. Building, maintaining, and repairing body tissues

Three (3) groups of amino acids:

1. Essential amino acids – these cannot be made by the body, but must come from food.
Examples are histidine, lysine, and valine.
2. Non-essential amino acids –our bodies produce an amino acid, even if we do not get it from
the food we eat. Examples are aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and glycine.
3. Conditional amino acids – are usually not essential except in times of illness and stress.
Examples are proline and serine

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 4. Vitamins – are organic substance that is essential micronutrient which the body needs in small
quantities for the proper functioning of its metabolism. These are needed in very small amounts to
help regulate and support chemical reactions in the body. Deficiency diseases will develop in the
absence of vitamins in the body.

Two (2) Categories of Vitamins:

a. Water-soluble vitamins –are generally not stored in the body and include the B complex vitamins
and Vitamin C. These require water for absorption. These are easily absorbed and passed through
the body as waste.
b. Fat-soluble vitamins –are required during ingestion in order for absorption. It includes vitamins A,
D, E, K.

5. Minerals –the body uses this for many different jobs including keeping your bones, muscles, heart, and
brain working properly. They are important for making enzymes and hormones.

Kinds of Minerals:
a. Macrominerals –the body needs larger amount of these. Examples or these are calcium,
phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur.
b. Trace Minerals - these are needed by the body in smaller amounts. Examples are iron, manganese,
copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride and selenium.

6. Water – chemically, water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. It is needed for
the transport of hormones, nutrients, and sugar to all parts of the body. It is invariably present in all
food items.
Functions in the body:
a. Water carries nutrients to cells and carries waste from the body
b. Regulates body temperature
c. Dissolves vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients
d. Lubricate joints

Malnutrition – occurs when food intake does not match the body´s needs. The lack, excess, or imbalance of
nutrients in the diet may result in malnutrition. It includes both undernutrition and overnutrition.

Basic Causes of Malnutrition

1. Economic and political structures and policies that do not prioritise health care and food security for
vulnerable populations

2. Insufficient resources allocated to health care or food security

3. Inadequate knowledge and understanding of good nutrition

Nutrition is the intake of food and drink and the chemical and physical processes that break down the food and
release nutrients needed for growth, reproduction, immunity, breathing, work and health.

Undernutrition – is a state of insufficient supply of essential nutrients to the body. Undernutrition may develop
because people cannot obtain or prepare food, have a disorder that makes eating or absorbing food difficult, or
have a greatly increased need for calories.

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Undernutrition includes a range of conditions:

a. Acute malnutrition is caused by a decrease in food consumption and/or illness, resulting in bilateral
pitting oedema or wasting. Wasting is defined by low mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) or low
weight-for-height z-score (WHZ).

b. Chronic malnutrition is caused by prolonged or repeated episodes of undernutrition starting before

birth, resulting in stunting. Stunting is defined by low height-for-age.

c. Micronutrient deficiencies are a result of reduced micronutrient intake and/or absorption. The most
common forms of micronutrient deficiencies are related to iron, vitamin A and iodine deficiency.

Supplementary foods

Supplementary foods are food products specially designed to manage moderate acute
malnutrition. They include mainly fortified-blended food (FBF) such as corn-soya blend. Supplementary
food should be eaten at home in addition to the normal diet to compensate for deficiencies in energy,
protein and micronutrients. Supplementary foods are not the same as nutrient supplements, which are
nutrients (e.g., vitamins, minerals, amino acids) in tablet, drop or injection form to prevent or treat one
or more nutrient deficiencies. Supplementary foods are not the same as fortified foods, which are
staple foods for the general population that have micronutrients added to prevent deficiencies.

Overnutrition – is the result of excessive intake of nutrients, which disturbs normal body function.

Nutrition is important for good health!

Good nutrition can:

 Help people feel strong physically and mentally and look healthy
 Strengthen the immune system to fight infection
 Help people stay productive and able to do physical activities
 Help prevent wasting
 Improve drug adherence and effectiveness
 Help manage common symptoms of illness and drug side effects

Poor nutrition can:

 Weaken the immune system

 Increase vulnerability to infections
 Reduce the body’s ability to recover from infection

Assessment

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Instruction: Explain the following in three sentences. The rubric for scoring is provided below. The highest point
you can get for each number is ten (10) points.

Criteria 5 4 3 2 1
Appropriateness The response The response The response The response The response
given answers given answers given is given barely given does not
the question the question slightly answers the necessarily
befittingly but with a appropriate to question answer the
little deviation the question question
from the
concept
Clarity The response Most of the The response The response The response
given isclear response given given is given is most given is not
and not is clear slightly of the time clear
confusing unclear unclear

Essay

1. Why do we need water in health sustenance?

_____________________________________________________________________________.
_____________________________________________________________________________.
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2. How are macrominerals and trace minerals similar? How are they different?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
3. How important are nutrients to our body?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.

References:
1. Abaigar, R. (2015). Food Chemistry with Basic Nutrition. Unlimited Books Library Services & Publishing
Inc. Intramuros, Manila
2. Brown, Amy (2005). Understanding Food. Thomson Learning Asia. Singapore

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Unauthorized copying and / or editing is prohibited. (For Classroom Use Only) Prepared by: MARIA MAY L. DAULONG, Med-THE