Basic Nutrition Quiz

Question #1. Name the six basic nutrient categories.

Healthy Eating Quiz
Question #2. Name the 3 nutrient categories that provide calories.
Healthy Eating Quiz
Question #3. What are the five food categories found on the USDA MyPlate?
Healthy Eating Quiz
Question #4. Name 3 goals of a healthy eating plan?
Healthy Eating Quiz
Question #5. Does the 30-30-40 rule for nutrition refer to the measurements of a pear-
shaped woman?
Healthy Eating Quiz
Bonus Question: What category of foods, although not traditionally included in the list of
basic nutrient categories, is now often considered a separate nutrient due to its importance
in healthy eating?
Question #1. Name the six basic nutrient categories.
Answer: There are six nutrition categories that we need to consider when looking at a
healthy lifestyle. Each of these categories has a unique and important role to play in your
total health.
Protein... Carbohydrates... Fats... Vitamins... Minerals... Water...
It is important that you eat a variety of foods so that it is more likely that all of these
nutrition categories will be represented. If you eat the same food day after day, you may be
missing out on essential nutrients. It is also important to remember that one nutrition
category is not more necessary than another, since they all work together to keep you
healthy.
Answers to Basic Nutrition Quiz
Question #2. Name the 3 nutrient categories that provide calories.
Answer: Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats provide energy to your body. Another way of
saying this is that they have calories! In fact Protein and Carbohydrates provide 4 calories
per gram, and Fats provide 9 calories per gram.
In this age of calorie counting and ultra-thin role models, calorie has become a dirty word,
but it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that we do need energy (another word
for calories) to live, so eating these three, in moderate and proportionate amounts, is a
good thing.
In addition, each of these three nutrients has other important functions in the body,
including providing the necessary materials for making the body's tissues.
Basic Nutrition Quiz Answers
Question #3. What are the five food categories found on the USDA MyPlate placemat?
Answer: The MyPlate concept, designed by the USDA, divides food into Protein, Grains,
Vegetables, Fruits and Dairy . In this depiction of a healthy diet, the "plate" is divided into
sections for the first four groups with a side of Dairy.
Click here for more information on the USDA MyPlate.

Answers to Basic Nutrition Quiz

Question #4. Name 3 goals of a healthy eating plan?
Answer: The goal of all healthy eating plans should be (1) to eat a variety of foods that
taste good, (2) to eat all foods in moderate amounts, and (3) to limit foods that have no
real nutritional value.
Basic Nutrition Quiz Answers
Question #5. Does the 30-30-40 rule for healthy eating refer to the measurements of a
pear-shaped woman?
Answer: No, that shape would be more like a butternut squash than a pear! The 30-30-40
rule is one way to discuss the proportion of protein, fat and carbs in your diet. This rule says
that you should get approximately 30% of your calories from Protein, 30% from Fats and
40% from Carbohydrates. These percentages vary somewhat, depending on the source, but
the idea generally is to eat a balance of the three with a higher percentage from the
Carbohydrates category.
Basic Nutrition Quiz Answers
Bonus question: What category of foods, although not traditionally included in the list of
basic nutrient categories, is now often considered a separate nutrient due to its importance
in healthy eating?
Answer: There is one important dietary substance that is not usually listed in nutrition
guides as a separate nutrient, but in recent years, it has taken on the same importance, in
its own right, as the other nutrients. That substance is Fiber. With the change in the food
supply, to more processed food, the need for a sufficient amount of fiber in the diet has
become a critical issue. A lack of fiber in the diet has been associated with a rise in colon
cancer and other digestive disorders.
Protein Quiz
Question #1. The "building blocks of protein are called:
a. essential fatty acids
b. amino acids
c. fibrous tissues
d. complementary proteins
e. all of the above
Question #2. Most complete proteins come from:
a. animal sources
b. beans, peas and lentils
c. Canada
d. cleaning your plate
e. all of the above
Question #3 These foods are significant sources of protein:

a. broccoli, spinach, carrots, green beans
b. chicken, cheese, eggs, beans
c. apples, bananas, oranges, grapes
d. honey, molasses, maple syrup
e. all of the above
Question #4. A standard 3 oz. serving of meat is about the size of:
a. a Kennedy half dollar
b. an Apple iPad
c. a regulation softball
d. a deck of playing cards
e. all of the above
Question #5. Protein is necessary for:
a. making hormones, enzymes and antibodies
b. maintaining fluid balance
c. clotting of blood
d. transporting oxygen
e. all of the above
Bonus Question: Essential amino acids are called "essential because:
a. they are more important than the other amino acids
b. they must be supplied by the food you eat
c. they are more expensive than the other amino acids
d. they can only be found in animal foods
e. all of the above

Question #1. The "building blocks of protein are called:

Answer: b. amino acids


Scientifically speaking, proteins are organic compounds made up of building blocks called
"amino acids, There are about 20 common amino acids. Nine of them are considered
"essential because the body cannot make them, and therefore, they must be supplied by
the food you eat. This information is important to you only because, if your diet does not
contain enough of these essential amino acids, you may suffer the effects of protein
deficiency.
Protein Quiz Answers
Question #2. Most complete proteins come from:
Answer: a. animal sources

Foods that contain all of the essential amino acids are called "complete proteins. These
complete protein foods are generally animal foods. Plant foods do not, as a rule, have
complete proteins, but by eating combinations of plant foods, called "complementary
proteins, you can obtain a complete protein. For example, when you eat pinto beans with
rice, such as is often found in Mexican cuisine, you are obtaining a complete protein. The
beans and rice complement each other, in that each has some of the essential amino
acids and when eaten together, they provide all of the essential amino acids.
Vegetarians and Vegans, in particular, need to be aware of the importance of the
essential amino acids. If you are interested in this subject, please click on the Vegetarian
link for more information.
Protein Quiz Answers
Question #3. These foods are significant sources of protein:
Answer: b. chicken, cheese, eggs, beans

When we talk about protein in our diets, we are mostly talking about meat, eggs and dairy
products. Another way of saying this is that generally, most of the protein in our meals
comes from the main course.
$teak. Hamburger. Roast Beef. Pork chops. Ham. Bacon. $ausage. Hot dogs. Lamb
chops. Chicken. Turkey. Duck. Capon. Fish. $hrimp. Lobster. Crab. $callops.
Venison. Omelets. Egg $alad.
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt are also good sources of protein.
In addition, there are some plant foods that are significant sources of protein. These are the
legumes, grains, some vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Lentils. $plit peas. Kidney beans. Pinto beans. Black beans. $oybeans. Garbanzo
beans. Navy beans. Peanuts. Peanut Butter. Rice. Wheat.. Barley. Oats. Peas. Kale.
Okra. Walnuts. Brazil Nuts. Almonds. Pumpkin $eeds. $esame $eeds..
Many of the foods you eat have some protein in them, but those foods listed above, are a
significant source that will make it easier for you to fulfill your daily protein requirements.
Protein Quiz Answers
Question #4. A standard 3 oz. serving of meat is about the size of:
Answer: d. a deck of playing cards.

The usual guideline for visualizing meat servings is that the portion should be the size of a
standard deck of playing cards. (Just imagine how many servings are represented by that
platter-sized prime rib served at your favorite restaurant!)
For non-meat protein sources, a serving, which is 1 large egg, cup beans or rice, or 2
Tablespoons of seeds, nuts or peanut butter, is equivalent to only about 1/3 of the protein
in a serving of meat. Tofu can also be included in this group with a serving size of about
4oz.
In addition, most health experts recommend that, whenever possible, choose a leaner or
low-fat version of the significant protein sources.
Protein Quiz Answers
Question #5. Protein is necessary for:
Answer: e. all of the above

Protein has a number of functions in the body. The one that most people know about is that
protein is the building material for our skin, bones, muscles and other tissues in the body.
Whenever there is any damage to any of our tissues, either due to normal wear and tear, or
to injury, protein is necessary to rebuild that tissue. It is also necessary to build new tissue,
which makes it very important to children and pregnant women.
In addition, protein is a major component of enzymes, antibodies, and hormones. These are
chemicals that play a major role in many processes in the body that, among other things,
digest your food, keep you well and allow you to enjoy a healthy sex life.
Proteins also function as regulators of fluid balance and acid-base balance, which help keep
you from swelling up, drying up, and/or becoming toxic, any of which could be life-
threatening. Protein is also involved in the clotting of blood, which keeps all your blood from
leaking out when you cut yourself.
Proteins also act as transporters in the body, carrying important nutrients. These nutrients
can get on the protein "bus and travel to places in the body where they are needed. For
example, hemoglobin, a protein in the blood, carries the oxygen from your lungs to your
cells.
Finally, protein can be used by your body for energy. Needless to say, this is not the best
use of protein, since it has so many uniquely important functions, as listed above, but
absent another source, your body can convert protein to energy.
Protein Quiz Answers
Bonus question: Essential amino acids are called "essential because:
Answer: b. they must be supplied by the food you eat

As mentioned above, there are about 20 common amino acids. Nine of them are considered
"essential because the body cannot make them, and therefore, they must be supplied by
the food you eat. This information is important to you only because, if your diet does not
contain enough of these essential amino acids, you may suffer the effects of protein
deficiency.
Carbohydrate Quiz
TRUE or FALSE Question #1. Starches, Sugars and Fibers are all types of carbohydrates.

TRUE or FALSE Question #2. Fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates.

TRUE or FALSE Question #3. Table sugar is a complex carbohydrate.

TRUE or FALSE Question #4. Most carbohydrate foods come from plants.

TRUE or FALSE Question#5. Carbohydrate foods should be eliminated from your diet if
you want to lose weight.
TRUE or FALSE Bonus Question: A low-carb diet may give you halitosis (bad breath).

TRUE or FALSE Question #1. Starches, Sugars and Fibers are all types of carbohydrates.
Answer: TRUE.
Carbohydrates are organic compounds that can be divided into three groups-starches,
sugars, and fiber. Sugars can be monosaccharides ("one sugar) or, when they are
composed of two monosaccharides, they are called disaccharides ("two sugars). Starches
are polysaccharides ("many sugars) and are composed of long chains of monosaccharides.
Carbohydrates Quiz Answers
TRUE or FALSE Question #2.Fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates.
Answer: True.
Fruits, vegetables and grains are all carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates Quiz Answers
TRUE or FALSE Question #3. Table sugar is a complex carbohydrate.
Answer: FALSE.
Table sugar is a simple carb, as are most sweeteners. Complex carbs are starches and
fibers. They can be called polysaccharides ("many sugars) and are composed of long
chains of monosaccharides, (sugars) that can either be straight or branched. They are called
complex carbohydrates, because of their more complex chemical structure compared to
simple carbs.
Carbohydrates Quiz Answers
TRUE or FALSE Question #4. Most carbohydrate foods come from plants.
Answer: TRUE
Carbohydrate foods are the plant foods that you eat. There are the healthy carbs, such as:

Foods from whole grains: Breads. Rolls. Pasta. Cereal. Bagels. Rice.

Fruits: Apples. Oranges. Pears. Bananas. Grapes. Berries. Peaches. Watermelon.
Pineapple. Kiwi. Grapefruit.

Vegetables: Lettuce. Broccoli. Carrots. Potatoes. Peas. Corn. Onions. Beans.
Spinach. Squash.

and there are less healthy (some would say un-healthy) choices, such as:

French fries. Doughnuts. Chips. Pies. Cakes. Cookies. Products made from all white
flour.

It is important that you choose most of your foods from the first list rather than from the
second. In addition to being poor carbohydrate foods, the foods in the second list are
generally loaded with fat, particularly saturated fat and trans-fats, which have been
implicated as bad actors in the rise of heart disease and cancer.

Although most carbohydrates come from plants, one animal product, milk contains the
carbohydrate lactose. There also is some carbohydrate found in liver, but it is not
considered a significant source.
Carbohydrates Quiz Answers
TRUE or FALSE Question#5. Carbohydrate foods should be eliminated from your diet if
you want to lose weight.
Answer: FALSE.
Considering the bad reputation that carbohydrates have gotten in recent years, you may
well ask, why do I need carbs? Thanks to the advent of the low-carb diets, many people
think of carbs as fattening and to be avoided. If thats how you feel, you may want to
change your thinking. Again, you can be healthy eating carbohydrates!
In addition to providing your body with fuel -glucose for brain function and muscle activity
-carbohydrate foods contain vitamins, minerals and fiber, along with other protective
phytochemicals, the value of which we have only just begun to realize. A carbohydrate-rich
diet, especially where whole grains, fruits and vegetables are emphasized, may protect you
from heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. In addition, the fiber in many
carbohydrate foods will contribute to a healthy colon and decreased exposure to harmful
toxins.
The question including carbohydrates in your diet should probably be about including the
right carbs. If you dont eat enough good carbs, you will not get the vitamins, minerals,
phytochemicals and fiber that carb food provides. Even if you take supplements, there are
trace chemicals and other substances that will not be in the pill you take.
Carbohydrates Quiz Answers
TRUE or FALSE Bonus Question: A low-carb diet may give you halitosis (bad breath).
Answer: TRUE.
If you have made the choice to go Low-Carb, and the carbs in your diet are too low in favor
of fat and protein, you will experience something called "ketosis," which upsets the acid-
base balance in your body and can cause nausea, fatigue, weakness and bad breath! In
addition, if your body does not get enough carbs for energy, it may resort to breaking down
(yes, digesting) your muscles.
Dietary Fats Quiz
Question #1. What are triglycerides?
Question #2. Why do you need fat in your diet?
Question #3. Do choosy moms choose Jif peanut butter?
Question #4. How many calories are provided by one gram of dietary fat?
Question #5. What is a MUFA (pronounced moo-fa) and how does it figure in a healthy
eating lifestyle?
Bonus Question: Name the three members of the lipid (also known as, fat) family.

Question #1. What are triglycerides?
Answer: Triglycerides are the fats in your food, the fats in your body, as well as the liquid
fats, a/k/a "oils. They are made up of glycerol and fatty acids and are the main source of
fat in your diet.
Question #2. Why do you need fat in your diet?
Answer: Fat provides flavor and satiety. Without it, many foods would lose their savor and
you would find yourself hungry all of the time.
One of the advantages of eating a meal or snack with some fat in it is that it takes more
time to get through your digestive system, which means you feel satisfied longer.
Aside from these gustatory advantages, fats, along with protein and carbs, provide energy,
both at the time the fats are eaten and later when released from storage in your body.
While the fat is in storage under your skin, it keeps you warm and cushions your body from
lifes bumps and shocks.
Fats also form an important part of the structure of cell membranes, facilitate the passage
of hormones and certain vitamins in and out of the cells, and are part of the make-up of
important compounds in the body such as bile acids and hormones.
Question #3. Do choosey moms choose Jif peanut butter?
Answer: This question refers to an old Jif peanut butter commercial where we were assured
that "Choosey moms choose Jif! The answer is thatchoosey moms choose peanut
butter with just peanuts and salt that has not been hydrogenated.
Hydrogenation is a process in which hydrogen is added to an unsaturated fat, in this case
peanut oil, to make it more stable, giving it a longer shelf life and a more pleasing texture.
Most peanut butters have been hydrogenated to make them more spreadable and able
to be stored without refrigeration. So-called "old fashioned peanut butter does not undergo
this process, so it has a less creamy texture and should be stored in the refrigerator.
The problem with hydrogenation is that it results in a type of fat called "trans-
fatty acids" or trans-fats. These are fatty acids that are arranged chemically in such a
way that they act more like a saturated fat than an unsaturated fat and seem to have
harmful effects on the body.
Another commonly hydrogenated food is margarine. Hydrogenated fats are often used in
commercial baked products to increase their shelf life.
Question #4. How many calories are provided by one gram of dietary fat?
Answer: At 9 calories/gram, fat provides more than twice the calories of protein and
carbs.
Question #5. What is a MUFA (pronounced moo-fa) and how does it figure in a healthy
eating lifestyle?
Answer: A Mufa is a Mono-Unsaturated Fat, which is a type of fat composed mostly of fatty
acid molecules that have only one double bondwhere hydrogen atoms could attach. "Mono
means one.
Recently, everyone from health experts to diet gurus have encouraged us to include more of
the monounsaturated variety in our diets, since these fats tend to be more stable and less
likely to become rancid like their polyunsaturated cousins, without some of the
disadvantages of saturated fats.
Click here for a list of foods that are the best sources of MUFAS.

Bonus Question: Name the three members of the lipid (aka fat) family.
Answer:Fat is the popular name for the organic compounds that scientists generally refer
to as "lipids, and the three categories within the lipid family are triglycerides (fats and
oils), sterols (like cholesterol) andphospholipids (such as lecithin.