Food and the Periodic Table

So what’s that about?

Food…It does your body good!

• Cells are the basic unit of life.• Cells get into groups to do special

functions (help the heart, strengthen bones, etc.)

• The human body has a hundred trillion cells…that’s a lot!

Your body is made up of…

Bone• The body has about 206

bones• Bone is made mostly of

protein protein and calciumcalcium and phosphorus poopphosphorus poop

Functions

1. Framework for the body

2. Protect vital organs

3. Store minerals

4. Makes the blood

Muscles• The body has more than

600 muscles• Muscles are made mostly

of proteinproteinFunctions1. Helps the body move2. Regulate body temperature3. Helps the systems do their

work (lungs, heart, legs, brain, etc.)

Fats• It’s gotten a bad rap lately• Fat is stored in special cells

called adipose tissue (fat cells)Functions1. Insulation to protect the body

from cold2. Protects vital organs & keeps

them in placeBut too much can cause health But too much can cause health

problems!!!problems!!!

The Periodic Table (…the key!)

• Chemicals are the make-up of every cell in our body.

• Therefore, in order to build better bodies, we need to put the chemicals in that the body needs.

• SO………….

The basis…a thing of beauty!

What does your label have to do with any of this stuff?

A closer look at your label…

• What can you link directly to the periodic table?

• What about all those other things on the label?

• What’s the connection to all that other nutrition information?

Carbohydrates

• Also have some subgroups:

–Sugars (simple)

–Starch (more complex)

–Dietary fibre (very complex)

Carbohydrates• Made up of sugar units including:

– Glucose, Fructose, Lactose, Galactose, Maltose

• Carbon• Oxygen• Hydrogen

• See page 75 in Nutrition and Fitness

Protein

• Made up of amino acids• Carbon

• Oxygen

• Hydrogen

• Nitrogen

Fats aka Lipids• Made up of subgroups including:

– Saturates– Mono & polyunsaturates, – Cholesterol

• Carbon• Oxygen• Hydrogen• Sometimes nitrogen and

phosphorusSee page 93 in Nutrition and Fitness

Vitamins

• Water soluble– B’s (thiamin, riboflavin,

niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B6, B12)

– C

• Fat soluble– A,D, E & K

• Carbon• Hydrogen• Oxygen

Some• Phosphorus• Nitrogen• Sulphur• Cobalt

Minerals

• Macro…– Calcium– Phosphorus– Magnesium– Sulphur– Sodium– Potassium– chloride

• Micro…– Iron– Zinc– Iodine– Fluoride– Selenium– Chromium– Copper– Manganese– molybdenum

Back to what we eat!!!