38.1 Food and Nutrition

Calorie

• Amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

Carbohydrate

• Compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source of energy for the human body.

Fat

• Lipid; made up of fatty acids and glycerol; protects body organs, insulates body, and stores energy in the body.

Protein

• Macromolecule that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; needed by the body for growth and repair and to make up enzymes.

Vitamin

• Organic molecule that helps regulate body processes.

Mineral

• Inorganic nutrient the body needs, usually in small amounts.

Key Concept

• The nutrients that the body needs are water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

Key Concept

• Every cell in the human body needs water because many of the body’s processes, including chemical reactions, take place in water.