1. What are some nutritional needs that are the same for both infants and adults? (Amy Carson)
Answer: Since infants need far less calories than adults do, their nutritional needs will vary, however, infants still need a balance of nutrients. They especially need water to fuel and cleanse their cells during the growing process. The most similar need between infants and adults is that of niacin, which an infant needs just a little more than a 20 year old adult. Vitamin B6 is also similar for an adult and an infant. Based on body weight, however, infants need many more nutrients than adults do. They usually require about two times as many. (source: textbook pages 455-456)

2. If I became a vegetarian, would I lose weight? What would be the advantages and disadvantages? (Vance Potrick)
Answer: You can only naturally lose weight in two main ways: by lowering calorie intake and/or by upping exercise. Vegetarians naturally eat low calorie diets than do meat eaters, and they tend to be less obese. You would only lose weight if one of the two things listed above happens. If you end up eating less calories as a vegetarian, then you have the possibility of dropping a few pounds. But as a meat-eater, all you have to do is limit caloric intakes and increase your exercise to lose weight. It’s as easy as an additional 30-minute walk per day and not eating the bowl of ice cream for dessert. The little things make the difference. An advantage of being vegetarian is that you eat more fruits and vegetables, and therefore have a more balanced nutrient intake. Vegetarians also have a lower risk of diseases, especially cancer and heart disease. A disadvantage would be that you would have to find a different source of protein, because vegetarians still require protein in their diets. If you feel strongly about becoming a vegetarian, then make the switch, but realize that there are going to be many other changes you will have to make. If it is weight you are worried about, changing to a vegetarian diet may be the more complex solution. Up the exercise and lower the calories. That will do it. (source: textbook page 205-209)

3. What do you consider a good diet for athletes? (Becca Grisham)
Answer: Athletes need to eat foods that are high in energy, because they expend so much during their periods of high physical activity. If you are referring to diet in terms of a weight-loss plan, athletes are not advised to be on diets that limit their caloric intake to levels lower than 3,000 calories per day. (This number depends upon your weight and level of physical activity.) Athletes need to be watched closely when dieting, so that they can ensure they are still getting enough energy and nutrients to sustain their body and their exercise. Athletes should aim for about 50 calories per 2.2 pounds of body weight, which averages out to about 23 calories per pound. If you are talking about diet in terms of food eaten during a day, an athlete should eat high-energy, high-carbohydrate foods, especially in the morning. Simple substitutions of foods can be made in a normal diet to make it athletically supporting. All you have to do is make sure you eat whole grain foods, and foods that are dense (for example, instead of iceberg lettuce, eat sweet potatoes). The denser the food, the more energy and nutrients it will provide. Diets will vary based upon personal preference of foods and caloric needs, but athletes need to follow the guidelines above no matter what their preferences are. (source: textbook pages 380-383)

4. If you are an athlete who works out very hard to build muscle mass, but still want to be lean, what should be the most important part of your diet? (Doug Wright)
Answer: Carbohydrates should always be the basis for an athlete’s diet, because they provide energy that is converted immediately to glucose and is ready for energy use. Athletes should still follow the food guide pyramid too, because a balanced diet is also important. Proteins provide the building blocks for amino acids that aid in the body’s repair and immune systems and help build muscles. Fats provide the highest level of energy, but can also lead to heart disease and other illnesses. To keep the glycogen resources in the liver at an adequate supply, carbohydrates should be the basis for the athlete’s diet. (source: textbook pages 368-371)

5. What should we eat before working out and how long before it? What should diabetics eat and not eat? (Angel Gedéno)
Answer: Working out for a sustained period of time can lead to the depletion of the liver’s glycogen supply, so replenishing this and keeping it at a stable level is important. If you are exercising for over an hour, you might want to consider a carbohydrate-loaded diet to ensure endurance throughout the whole hour. If you are only exercising for 30 minutes, which is the normal amount most humans do per day, then you should drink water before, during and after the activity, as well as eating some carbohydrate-rich food either during or soon after the activity is over to ensure that the liver’s glycogen stores are not completely depleted. As far as what to eat before exercising, you can eat whatever you want, but make sure that you give your body adequate time (about an hour or two) to begin the digestive process. If you do not do this, the body will automatically switch its energy to burning fat and glycogen during exercise instead of digesting your meal. This leads to stomach aches, and possibly problems in digestion. (source: textbook pages 365-371) Diabetics should eat diets high in fiber, to help maintain the health of the body, low in sugar (levels depend on the individual’s blood glucose response), and regulate their carbohydrate intake (to regulate the glucose level of their blood). They should also be careful about protein intakes to protect their kidneys, as well as eating low amounts of saturated and monounsaturated fats to protect their heart and other important organs. Specific foods will vary upon the individual and their type and extreme of diabetes. (source: textbook page 119)

6. Whenever I start feeling like I’m getting sick, my mom always tells me to take my Vitamin C. Does taking Vitamin C really help you not get sick? (Jill Haislae)
Answer: Vitamin C, an antioxidant, was at one point in time revered for its ‘cold prevention’ reputation. However, recently there have been many debates about whether or not this vitamin really does help prevent colds. When placed in a test tube with immune cells from the human body, Vitamin C seems to make them work harder, and by working harder, they could prevent the cold causing agent from ever causing a problem. If, however, Vitamin C actually does this in the body is still a debate. Scientists are now saying that if you take Vitamin C in large doses over a short amount of time, you will decrease the histamines in your blood, which cause sneezing, runny noses and coughs. Therefore, Vitamin C could be responsible for preventing colds, however, if you take too much there are potential side effects. The conclusions of this research have not led to any generic recommendations for the public, so my advice is to make sure you get enough Vitamin C in your diet, and if you feel that it helps prevent colds or causes the symptoms of an on-coming cold to disappear, then by all means take it under these circumstances. Sometimes the brain is the body’s best defense; psychosomatic thinking never hurt anyone. Just be careful that you are not consistently taking too much. (source: textbook, page 239)

7. When you see on food and beverage labels words such as ‘light’ or ‘diet’, what are the main nutrients that play in this role? (Miguel Luzstado)
Answer: ‘Light’ means that three things (2 are dietary; 1 is appearance-based): 1. that a serving of the food provides ? fewer calories or ½ the fat of the normal product, 2. that ½ of the sodium from the normal product is present, and 3. that the color of the product is lighter in shade. This means that the nutrients in the product vary only in being reduced due to caloric or fat reduction. ‘Diet’ is usually found on soda labels, and refers to the type of sweetener used in the drink; artificial sugars will provide fewer calories per gram than normal sugar, but can also have other side-effects. (source: textbook pages 48-49, 129-136)

8. Which wine is better for you: a glass of red wine or a glass of white wine a day? What is the least amount of body fat a person and athlete can have to maintain a healthy lifestyle? (Greg Moore)
Answer: Wine is said to have high levels of flavonoids, which are yellow-pigmented molecules that are said to possibly affect the body in physiological ways. Red wine tends to have more of these, and this is why the Mediterranean diet is said to help prevent heart and other diseases. Either red or white wine can have health benefits, many of which are still being explored. (source: textbook, pages 96-97, 174-175, GL-6) A person’s minimum body fat depends on their height, weight and age, but there are tables readily available at the back of our textbook and within it’s pages to calculate these numbers. They will vary depending upon the individual.

9. If you have an iron deficiency, can it ever be cured? How? (Marissa Davis)
Answer: Usually, acute iron deficiencies are caused by malnutrition, and the best cause for this problem is to begin to eat a normal diet again under the supervision of a doctor. Iron is found in many foods that humans eat daily; enriched cereals, spinach, clams and beef all contain at least 1.8mg of iron (10% of the Daily Values). Women need more iron than men do, simply because of loss of blood each month due to the female menstrual cycle. Taking iron supplements can help with getting additional iron, however, no one should take iron supplements without consulting a physician. Taking too much iron can lead to fatal consequences. So, yes, deficiencies can be cured, either by changing the diet or talking to a health care professional. (source: textbook, pages 286-291)

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10. Is it true eating carrots can actually change skin pigments and improve eyesight? (Heather Gill)
Answer: Carrots contain beta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A, which does aid in improving eyesight, although researchers now think that it is not just the beta-carotene in carrots that cause improved or protected eyesight. A carotenoid compound that is found with beta-carotene in Vitamin A rich foods could actually be responsible. Getting beta-carotene from this food source is important, because studies have found that supplemental forms of Vitamin A and beta-carotene do not have the same effects. As far as changing skin pigment, too much Vitamin A, which is found in bright orange or yellow foods, can lead to color changes in the skin. This is because beta-carotene in excess will build up in the fat just beneath the skin. Since this compound is yellow in color and is so close to the skin’s surface, the skin will look slightly more yellowish. (source: textbook pages 213-218)

11. Has the digestive system and “transit time” process always been so complex and balanced in human beings, or has it evolved over time? Is it realistic to say that such an intricate system evolved from a small bacteria? (Lindsay Caruso)
Answer:

12. If fat floats, how does it travel around the body in the blood, which seems watery? (Corey Simpson)
Answer: Lipids, or fats, are coated with certain proteins, called lipoproteins, which attract both water and these fats. The addition of lipoproteins to lipids makes a combination called a ‘chylomicron’. After bonding with the fat molecules, these chylomicrons are able to travel in the watery lymph and blood tissues, due to their connection with water molecules. The fats, which would normally not float in the blood, are now able to be transported to other places in the body for use. (source: textbook page 145)

13. What kind of nutritional benefits does caffeine possess, if any? (Jodi Lewis)
Answer: Caffeine actually causes more problems than it solves. While it will stimulate the body to feel more awake, it also causes calcium and magnesium to be excreted from the body in small amounts. Caffeine also stimulates the release of fatty acids into the blood, which affects a person’s metabolism. Caffeine is also a diuretic, so it causes water loss. There are few, if any positives to caffeine consumption, and humans should therefore limit or terminate caffeine from their diets. (source: textbook pages 431, 270)

14. What food contains the most beneficial materials to the body? (Kyle Lasko)
Answer: It is hard to say that one specific food is the best. Each food varies in importance and must be combined with other foods to reach a level of nutrition that supports bodily processes and life in general. Vitamins, minerals and other nutrient levels will depend upon what food you are exploring. If you are asking what type of food is best, our textbook seems to support a high-carbohydrate diet, just as the food guide pyramid supports. Carbohydrates give 4 calories of energy per gram and keep glycogen levels in the liver regulated, as well as supplying energy readily to the body, however, when not combined with adequate intakes of fat and protein, carbohydrates will not supply all the needed bodily building blocks. This is why variation in food and diet is so important. (source: textbook pages 68-88)

15. Is night blindness reversible if you take more Vitamin A? (Jamie Hengen)
Answer: Yes; Vitamin A in recommended doses will give the body enough building blocks to make rhodopsin, which helps with the sensation of light. When Vitamin A is not present in these Rhodesian molecules, or is low, light sensation will be slower, that is, there will be a momentary blindness after a bright flash of light. Vitamin A also aids in preventing keratinization, or the thickening of the cornea, which causes blindness. (source: textbook pages 213-214)

16. What can a vegetarian eat so that they take in the proper amount and type of vitamins, minerals and nutrients? (Laura Tipton)
Answer: Vegetarians usually do not have to worry about taking in adequate vitamins and minerals, since their diets are based primarily on fruits and vegetables, which when combined, provide most of the RDAs of vitamins and minerals. The only thing vegetarians have to be careful with is making sure they get adequate amounts of protein, since their diet does not support an animal based food intake. They need to substitute legumes, beans and nuts for these animal sources in order to achieve a balanced diet. (source: textbook, pages 205-209)

17. How much does the body generate itself in a day on a 2,000 calorie diet? How much energy in calories does the body give off? (Leah Mateuoicheui)
Answer: The body burns energy during the day based upon the activity of an individual. There is no set level of bodily energy use, because body shape, weight and metabolism are all factors that influence how much fuel is necessary and how much of that fuel is burned in any one day. If a person is sedentary, they will use less energy than someone who exercises. A person who normally needs 2,000 calories per day can spend as many as 1,400 and as little as 1,200 to support their basal metabolism. (source: textbook, pages 360-371, 316)

18. Why are the carbs in the Atkins diet (no carbs or low carbs) bad for you? (Shawn Bizelli)
Answer: When a person eats a diet low in carbohydrates, they cause the body to respond as if it is being starved, a process that produces ketosis, or an imbalance that is highly acidic. Also, high protein intakes, such as the Atkins diet, leads to a higher ingestion of cholesterol, fat and saturated fat, which can lead to heart and other vital organs becoming diseased. People who follow these diets lose weight in the form of muscle and water, and proceed to gain most of it back when they return to a normal diet. (source: textbook pages 333-334)

19. Can the artificial sweetness in diet soda (i.e. saccharin) cause cancer over a period of time? I’ve heard rumors about this. (Michael Kasanofsky)
Answer: Saccharin originally was charged with causing bladder cancer when tested on rats in the 1970’s, however, in 2000, the government removed the warning labels that had been required for 30 years on products containing the artificial sweetener. This was due to a new round of tests performed on rats that showed that bladder cancer was in higher occurrence in rats fed the sweetener for their lifetime, however, researchers also studied humans that drank diet soda, and found little or no correlation. This is probably due to the lower levels of water that rats excrete in their waste products, which leads to more saccharine remaining in the rat’s bladders over time. Eventually, this led to tumor formation in the rat’s bladders. Humans do not ingest enough of this to cause extreme water loss, so there is not a large amount of this substance left in the bladder. Living on saccharin would not be a healthy choice, as the acceptable daily limit for this sweetener is set at 5 mg for each kg of body weight (341 mg for a 150 pound person). Staying under this intake level is wise, as tests are still being done. This sweetener is still restricted in Canada. (source: textbook, pages 133-134)

20. In relation to food poisoning, how exactly does salmonella infect the tissues of the body? (Angela Flachsbart)
Answer:

21. Are B vitamins absolutely necessary for the proper absorption of protein? What foods are high in B vitamins? (Briffault Sebeshiem)
Answer: Yes. B vitamins act as a coenzyme and help the workings of every cell in the body. Without B vitamins, the enzymes they help are useless. The B vitamins are Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Foliate, B6, B12, Biotin and Pantothenic Acid. Sunflower seeds, baked potatoes, black beans and watermelon are foods high in Thiamin. Riboflavin can be found in milk, cottage cheese, spinach, mushrooms and liver. Niacin is found in chicken, tuna, mushrooms and baked potato. Foliate is found in asparagus, beets, spinach and avocado. Each of the four listed above can usually be found in enriched cereal too. B12 is found in sardines, tuna, cottage cheese and swiss cheese. B6 is present in sweet potato, banana, chicken, liver and spinach. Biotin and Pantothenic Acid are abundant in many foods, and healthy levels are usually found by eating a healthy diet. Depletions of these two B vitamins are rare. (source: textbook pages 224-235)

22. How does our effort to reduce fats and sugar from food ensure that our RDAs are still met? (David Alur)
Answer: Reducing fats and sugars from our diets supports the intake of other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which would lead to our RDA’s of vitamins and minerals being met and sometimes exceeded. Also, eating less fatty and sugary foods leads to a better diet based more on the food guide pyramid, which supports a whole-grain, carbohydrate-based diet. (source: textbook pages 30-43)

23. How big of a role does sleep play on eating habits and digestion? What I mean to say is consistency in times and amount affect want of food or the process in which it’s digested? (Robert Meadows)
Answer: Eating right before going to sleep can cause trouble with falling asleep because the body begins to burn energy while digesting food and makes an individual feel more awake. Digestion occurs as a continuous process, and changes only during periods of sleep and physical activity. Eating habits rely on the necessity of energy your body needs; it needs replenishment every few hours, unless it is sleeping, which requires much lower stores of energy. Consistency in eating will affect how much food an individual wants, because if a meal is skipped, they will feel more hungry and tired, and thus, eat more food before feeling full. The larger the meal, the longer the transit time. (source: textbook pages 79, 326-327)

24. Why does metabolism slow down as you get older? (Stephanie Thod)
Answer: Lean body mass gets lower with age, and so the basal metabolic rate decreases, which is partially due to the increase of calorie intake and the lowered amount of physical exercise. Older people tend to do less physical activity, but do not adjust their caloric intake to reflect this decrease. (source: textbook page 315-316)

25. How can being physically active protect your body from heart diseases? What are the connections between nutrients and physical fitness? (Milivose Cecaric)
Answer: By being physically active, an individual reduces his or her risk for heart disease by causing the blood to shift High Density Lipoproteins into a higher content. This is good, because High Density Lipoproteins carry cholesterol away from the body tissues, thus promoting healthier tissues. Circulation also improves, because physical activity, especially in the aerobic form causes the heart to pump more often each second, moving the oxygenated blood through the tissues quicker. A larger volume of blood is also pumped during physical activity, which limits the heart’s workload and allows the body to grow leaner. The leaner your body, the less you are at risk for cardiovascular disease. Nutrients furnish the building blocks for the cells of the body, and thus influence many different aspects of physicality. Based upon nutrient intake in the form of carbohydrate, fat and protein, an individual’s physical activity can be determined. (source: textbook page 151-155)

26. If carbohydrates are so essential to a healthy lifestyle, why is the Atkins diet such a success? Does osteoporosis only occur in women? (Lora Imholz)
Answer: Low-carbohydrate diets are popular currently because of the high amount of weight lost initially, however, people that use the Atkins diet and other low-carbohydrate diets do not realize that they are really losing muscle mass and water more than body fat. This is because the body goes into starvation mode when not given enough energy rich carbohydrates. A balanced diet is much better, because then carbohydrates can supply needed energy and proteins can be used to repair and support cells. (source: textbook, page 333-334) Osteoporosis does not just occur in women, but it is more common in the female sex due to estrogen deficiencies that result after menopause. Men have a greater bone density than women do, and thus do not have to worry so much about extreme density losses. They still have a chance of developing osteoporosis, though. (source; textbook pages 304-310)

27. How common is a goiter in the United States and how much or less do you have to consume of iodine to get a goiter? (Kristi Brown)
Answer: p.285-286

28. How, when exercising 3-4 times per week and not consuming too much fat or calories, can a person stay his or her weight (as opposed to losing it)? (Jeni Laws)
Answer: Yes, if the energy taken in equals the energy given off, a person should be able to maintain their weight easily. There are other factors, like the time of day, the emotional status of the individual, water-retention times (especially in females), and other factors that will affect an individual’s weight, but the rule of thumb is that when the calories that are eaten are burned during the day the total weight loss or gain should be zero. (source: textbook, pages 331-344, 314-317)

29. When you are on a diet, what is more important: to watch the calories or the grams of fat? I see people that are on diets and it always varies what they watch. Some care about the amount of calories and some others pay more attention to grams of fat they consume. What is more important? (Laura V. Pons)
Answer: Calories are most important, because they are automatically translated into energy for the body. Fat can be dealt with, and if an individual eats a normal, well-balanced diet, the fat ingested should not cause an imbalance. Some fat is good for the body. Fat should be watched, but calorie control is the name of the game when it comes to dieting. Many times foods that claim to be lower in fat are actually higher in sugar content, which creates a lower fat but higher calorie diet, which will not result in weight loss. (source: textbook, page 337)

30. How much energy can a person possibly get from a fast food meal? (David Logue)
Answer: Food energy is measured in calories. A person who can eat seven hamburgers, four servings of french fries, and drink three sodas and a milk shake will gain however much energy as those foods produce. Carbohydrates produce 4 calories per gram, fats 9 calories per gram and protein 4 calories per gram. All ingested food is converted to energy, and if that energy is not used, it is usually stored as fat. A person can get as much energy as they can eat from a fast food meal; the challenge is how they use the energy they have eaten. (source, textbook pages GL-5, 315, 6)

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT DR. RAO AYYAGARI AT rayyagari@lindenwood.edu