Essential Nutrients and Their Effects

Name: ______Date: ______Class: ______

It’s Essential

Essential nutrients are ones that the body cannot make on its own. These must be obtained from food that the organism eats. Nonessential nutrients are ones that the body can manufacture on its own. It does this through enzymatic, anabolic reactions.

Essential Nutrients and their Effects

Nutrient / Essential Status
(for humans) / Description / Disorder / Relationship to Diet
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) / Essential / Organic molecule; C6H8O6 / Scurvy / A lack of this nutrient causes this disorder, which can be prevented by eating citrus fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin D / Nonessential* (the human body can synthesize it, but only when exposed to sunlight) / Organic molecule; C27H44O / Rickets (in young age)
Osteomalacia (in adult age) / This vitamin is necessary to absorb the nutrients of calcium, phosphorous, and other elements. A lack of it can cause 2 bone disorders.
Calcium / Essential / Mineral; it is a metal element / Rickets (in young age)
Osteomalacia (in adult age) / A lack of this causes these 2 bone disorders. Even if Ca is in the diet, it might not be absorbed due to a vitamin D deficiency.
Phosphorous / Essential / Mineral; it is a nonmetal element / Rickets (in young age)
Osteomalacia (in adult age) / A lack of this causes these 2 bone disorders. Even if P is in the diet, it might not be absorbed due to a vitamin D deficiency.
Amino Acids / Both
·  9 are essential*
·  11 are nonessential*
*(the body can make some amino acids from others) / Organic molecules; monopeptides / Many, depending on the amino acid. An inability to break down phenylalanine leads to the disorder… / A lack of these nutrients effects the body’s normal production of hundreds to many thousands of different proteins. An excess can cause specific problems as well.
Cholesterol / Nonessential / Organic molecule; C27H46O / Hypertension and Coronary heart disease / An excess of this nutrient is correlated to two related heart diseases: one in which the coronary arteries are constricted, and the other where blood pressure rises.

Extremes in Caloric Intake and their Effects

Calories are a measurement of the amount of chemical energy in food. 1 calorie is defined as the energy needed to heat 1 gram of water by 1 degree C. They can be measured by literally burning (or combusting) a piece of food and measuring how much heat is given off. A machine that burns food and measures these calories is shown to the right.

Extremes in Caloric Intake and their Effects

Calories are a measurement of the amount of chemical energy in food. They can be measured by literally burning (or combusting) a piece of food and measuring how much heat is given off.

Amount of Calories / Disorders / Relationship to Diet
Excess Calories / Hypertension / Being overweight is correlated with this disorder, which is marked by an increase in blood pressure.
Excess Calories / Coronary Heart Disease / Being overweight is correlated with this disorder, which is marked an accumulation of plaques in the coronary arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.
Excess Calories / Type II Diabetes / Being overweight is correlated with this disorder, where the body develops a resistance to, and underproduction of insulin, which raises the blood sugar level.
Deficiency in Calories / Anorexia / This disease is brought about by a deliberate deficiency of nutrients of all types. It is especially damaging to the heart, and leads to heart palpitations and an irregular heartbeat.

Electron Micrographs of Stomach and Intestine Cells

Below is an electron micrograph of a transverse section of the small intestine. On this picture, label the villi and label exocrine gland cells. Label the muscle tissue (circular and longitudinal muscle), and label the mucosa layer of tissue and the epithelium. Label where undigested food would be found.

Name: ______Date: ______Class: ______

It’s Essential

Essential nutrients are ones that the body cannot make on its own. These must be obtained from food that the organism eats. Nonessential nutrients are ones that the body can manufacture on its own. It does this through enzymatic, anabolic reactions.

Essential Nutrients and their Effects

Nutrient / Essential Status
(for humans) / Description / Disorder / Relationship to Diet
Essential / Organic molecule; C6H8O6 / A lack of this nutrient causes this disorder, which can be prevented by eating citrus fruits and vegetables.
Nonessential* (the human body can synthesize it, but only when exposed to sunlight) / Organic molecule; C27H44O / This vitamin is necessary to absorb the nutrients of calcium, phosphorous, and other elements. A lack of it can cause 2 bone disorders.
Essential / Mineral; it is a metal element / A lack of this causes these 2 bone disorders. Even if Ca is in the diet, it might not be absorbed due to a vitamin D deficiency.
Essential / Mineral; it is a nonmetal element / A lack of this causes these 2 bone disorders. Even if P is in the diet, it might not be absorbed due to a vitamin D deficiency.
Both
·  9 are essential*
·  11 are nonessential*
*(the body can make some amino acids from others) / Organic molecules; monopeptides / Many, depending on the amino acid. An inability to break down phenylalanine leads to the disorder… / A lack of these nutrients effects the body’s normal production of hundreds to many thousands of different proteins. An excess can cause specific problems as well.
Nonessential / Organic molecule; C27H46O / An excess of this nutrient is correlated to two related heart diseases: one in which the coronary arteries are constricted, and another where blood pressure rises.

Extremes in Caloric Intake and their Effects

Calories are a measurement of the amount of chemical energy in food. 1 calorie is defined as the energy needed to heat 1 gram of water by 1 degree C. They can be measured by literally burning (or combusting) a piece of food and measuring how much heat is given off. A machine that burns food and measures these calories is shown to the right.

Extremes in Caloric Intake and their Effects

Calories are a measurement of the amount of chemical energy in food. They can be measured by literally burning (or combusting) a piece of food and measuring how much heat is given off.

Amount of Calories / Disorders / Relationship to Diet
Excess Calories / Being overweight is correlated with this disorder, which is marked by an increase in blood pressure.
Excess Calories / Being overweight is correlated with this disorder, which is marked an accumulation of plaques in the coronary arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.
Excess Calories / Being overweight is correlated with this disorder, where the body develops a resistance to, and underproduction of insulin, which raises the blood sugar level.
Deficiency in Calories / This disease is brought about by a deliberate deficiency of nutrients of all types. It is especially damaging to the heart, and leads to heart palpitations and an irregular heartbeat.

Electron Micrographs of Stomach and Intestine Cells

Below is an electron micrograph of a transverse section of the small intestine. On this picture, label the villi and label exocrine gland cells. Label the muscle tissue (circular and longitudinal muscle), and label the mucosa layer of tissue and the epithelium. Label where undigested food would be found.

M. R. Lawton 2017