Students learn that fats found in the foods we eat are not all the same; they discover that physical properties of materials are related to their chemical structures. Provided with several samples of commonly used fats with different chemical properties (olive oil, vegetable oil, shortening, animal fat and butter), student groups build and use simple LEGO MINDSTORMS(TM) NXT robots with temperature and light sensors to determine the melting points of the fat samples. Because of their different chemical structures, these fats exhibit different physical properties, such as melting point and color. This activity uses the fact that fats are opaque when solid and translucent when liquid to determine the melting point of each sample upon being heated. Students heat the samples, and use the robot to determine when samples are melted. They analyze plots of their collected data to compare melting points of the oil samples to look for trends. Discrepancies are correlated to differences in the chemical structure and composition of the fats.

The purpose of this video lesson is to expand the student's knowledge about enzymes by introducing the antioxidant enzymes that are intimately involved in the prevention of cellular damage and eventual slowing of the aging process and prevention of several diseases. Students will learn that natural antioxidant enzymes are manufactured in the body and provide an important defense against free radicals. The topic of free radical action is introduced, covering how they are constantly generated in living cells both by ''accidents of chemistry'' and also by specific metabolic processes.

Behavioral pharmacology studies the biological bases of behavior and the pharmacological effects of natural or synthetic drugs through behavioral analysis, with the identification of substances that could contribute to improvement of the quality of life for humans. Through behavioral pharmacology, it is possible to generate knowledge about pharmacological bases that influence the normal or altered behavior from a multidisciplinary point of view, and which includes diverse areas of science. The purpose of this book “Behavioral Pharmacology- From Basic to Clinical Research” is to show some of the advances in the identification of pharmacological properties of natural and synthetic molecules that may be used in the development of pharmacological therapies destined for the treatment of illness and disorders that affect the wellness of humans.

Few people are aware of how crucial the sense of smell is to identifying foods, or the adaptive value of being able to identify a food as being familiar and therefore safe to eat. In this lesson and activity, students conduct an experiment to determine whether or not the sense of smell is important to being able to recognize foods by taste. The teacher leads a discussion that allows students to explore why it might be adaptive for humans and other animals to be able to identify nutritious versus noxious foods. This is followed by a demonstration in which a volunteer tastes and identifies a familiar food, and then attempts to taste and identify a different familiar food while holding his or her nose and closing his or her eyes. Then, the class develops a hypothesis and a means to obtain quantitative results for an experiment to determine whether students can identify foods when the sense of smell has been eliminated.

This seminar will focus on three sports: swimming, cycling and running. There will be two components to the seminar: classroom sessions and a "laboratory" in the form of a structured training program. The classroom component will introduce the students to the chemistry of their own biological system. With swimming, running and cycling as sample sports, students are encouraged to apply their knowledge to complete a triathlon shortly after the term.

This is a peer-reviewed chapter in an open access book, Meat and Nutrition. This chapter serves as an introductory overview of the role of nutrition in the prevention of dementia, with a focus on the Mediterranean diet, B vitamins, selected herbal therapies and important nutrients for cognitive function. The chapter contains some spelling errors. It is relevant information but does reference a number of older studies. It is a technical reading that is best suited to nurses, nutritionists, and other allied health professionals at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

Topics include productivity effects of health, private and social returns to education, education quality, education policy and market equilibrium, gender discrimination, public finance, decision making within families, firms and contracts, technology, labor and migration, land, and the markets for credit and savings.

This is a peer-reviewed chapter in an open access book, Human Microbiome. This chapter is a highly technical synopsis of the relationship between the human gut microbiome and the brain, also known as the gut-microbiome-brain axis. In both medicine and nutrition, this is an expanding field of inquiry. Chemical molecules involved in this “dialogue” are examined. The author provides a brief overview of animal experiments and concludes with a discussion of the significance of the microbiome on human mental health. The chapter is clear, timely and relevant. It is a technical reading that is best suited to nurses, physicians, nutritionists, and other allied health professionals at both the undergraduate and graduate level. This chapter is also of special interest to researchers.

In the first part of the activity, each student chews a piece of gum until it loses its sweetness, and then leaves the gum to dry for several days before weighing it to determine the amount of mass lost. This mass corresponds to the amount of sugar in the gum, and can be compared to the amount stated on the package label. In the second part of the activity, students work in groups to design and conduct new experiments based on questions of their own choosing. These questions arise naturally from observations during the first experiment, and from students' own experiences with and knowledge of the many varieties of chewing and bubble gums available.

In this lesson, students will learn that minerals are a necessary part of our diet. They will learn that different minerals have different functions in the body. More specifically, they will discover that iron is necessary to carry oxygen around the body. In the associated activity, students will design a process that removes the most iron from the cereal.

This course explores the values (aesthetic, moral, cultural, religious, prudential, political) expressed in the choices of food people eat. It analyzes the decisions individuals make about what to eat, how society should manage food production and consumption collectively, and how reflection on food choices might help resolve conflicts between different values.

Healthier Me is an innovative, games-based middle school health program that gives students the tools to make healthy, informed decisions when it comes to nutrition.

Most of the flavoring in gum is due to the sugar or other sweetener it contains. As gum is chewed, the sugar dissolves and is swallowed. After a piece of gum loses its flavor, it can be left to dry at room temperature and then the difference between its initial (unchewed) mass and its chewed mass can be used to calculate the percentage of sugar in the gum. This demonstration experiment is used to generate new questions about gums and their ingredients, and students can then design and execute new experiments based on their own questions.

This textbook serves as an introduction to nutrition for undergraduate students and is the OER textbook for the FSHN 185 The Science of Human Nutrition course at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. The book covers basic concepts in human nutrition, key information about essential nutrients, basic nutritional assessment, and nutrition across the lifespan.

Textbook written by Community College and University faculty for non-majors in Nutrition using science and evidence based nutritional science information. This version was accessible in 2012. Material covers basic definitions, and nutrition related to healthy diet and the human body. Separate chapters on carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nutrients for fluid and electrolyte balance, antioxidants, bone health, metabolism, body weight and the life cycle. Special features to aid in instruction for each chapter include: The “Learning Objectives”, “Big Idea” related to chapter themes, “Key Takeaways” and a “You decide” challenge to think about how topics relate to student’s life. “Discussion Starters”, “Videos” and “Exercises” are provided as well as links to choosemyplate.gov and other sources.

The Kansas State University Human Nutrition (FNDH 400) Flexbook is a textbook for students taking Kansas State University FNDH 400 course.FNDH 400 is a 3-hour, intermediate-level, human nutrition course at Kansas State University take primarily by sophomores and juniors because it has prerequisites of a college biology and chemistry courses.

The Mathematics of Nutrition Science is a workbook designed to integrate and contextualize developmental mathematics into an introductory college level Nutrition class. Definitions and skills from Community College Level Elementary Algebra and Quantitative Literacy courses are explained through examples analyzing the nutritional content of different foods. The book contains exercises for students to practice these skills, and also to reflect on the concepts through short writing assignments aligned with developmental English. These materials could be used by Nutrition course instructor in many different ways, and are designed to be self-contained and require minimal mathematical instruction.

This is a peer-reviewed chapter in an open access book, Superfood and Functional Food. This chapter serves as an introductory overview of the value of the Mediterranean diet and its food components in the prevention of chronic diseases, such as CVD and cancer. The protective effects of antioxidants, polyphenols, fiber, unsaturated fatty acids and alcohol are highlighted. The chapter is accurate, relevant and clear. It is extensively referenced, with a focus on large epidemiological studies and nutrigenomics. It is a technical reading that is best suited to nurses, physicians, nutritionists and other allied health professionals at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

This is a peer-reviewed chapter in an open access book, Mineral Deficiencies. This chapter serves as an introduction to the emerging field of nutrigenomics (NG), a specialized branch of nutritional research which examines gene-diet interactions and its role in chronic disease. The chapter highlights the effects of specific food components on the genes which predispose individuals to chronic diseases such as: obesity, CVD, diabetes and cancer. The chapter does contain some grammatical and spelling errors, but the information contained is clear and relevant. It is a technical reading that is best suited to nurses, physicians, nutritionists, and other allied health professionals at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

NUTR& 101 is a nutrition course designed for science majors. It emphasizes the key nutritional concepts that students going into health care need to learn. It addresses the biochemical underlying causes of heart disease, stroke and diabetes due to lack of appropriate nutrition and exercise. It also details the digestive process, the digestion and absorption of macro and micronutrients including vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. The course also examines the role of cultural factors, biochemical signals and psychological factors such as stress in eating habits. Various diets and overall metabolism are covered in relation to their effect on health. Nutrition for special populations is also discussed.