This interactive quiz contains carefully selected previous year questions on Vitamins and Nutrition, frequently asked in UPSC, State PCS, SSC, Railway and other competitive examinations. Each question includes detailed explanations to strengthen conceptual clarity.
Vitamins and Nutrition - Previous Year Questions
Explanation: Proteins are major components of human body and are more important for growth and repair of tissues. Its main sources are pulses, soyabeans, groundnut, milk, cheese, eggs, food-grains etc.
1. The probiotic food contains live bacteria which are considered beneficial to humans.
2. Probiotic food helps in maintaining gut flora.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Our intestines are home to 500 million bacteria, some good and some bad. Research suggests that the more good bacteria in your gut, the stronger your immune system will be. Probiotics are often referred to as 'good bacteria'.
Explanation: The term 'nutraceutical' is used to describe any food or part of food supplements that offers a medical or health benefit beyond simple nutrition. Such benefits many includes prevention or recurrence of the disease.
Explanation: Kazimierz Funk is generally credited with being among the first to formulate the concept of vitamins, which he called 'vital amines' or 'vitamins'.
Explanation: Vitamins are organic compounds and vital nutrients that an organism requires in limited amounts.
Explanation: Frederick Gowland Hopkins was the first scientist to elucidate the 'accessory food factor'. Accessory food factors later came to be called vitamins.
Assertion (A): Most of the vitamins are not synthesized in human body.
Reason (R): Human organs synthesize only essential micronutrients.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Assertion (A): Human body synthesizes all the Vitamins required by it.
Reason (R): Vitamins are essential for proper growth of the body.
Choose the correct answer from the code given below:
Explanation: Vitamin A, D, E and K are fat-soluble vitamins while B group vitamins and vitamin C are soluble in water. Thus, option (d) is not correct.
Explanation: Potassium is an electrolyte mineral. It plays an important role in maintaining a healthy heart rhythm through muscle action.
Explanation: Among the above vegetables, the maximum vitamin C is found in chilli. Vitamin C present in each 100 grams in chilli, pumpkin, pea and radish is 143.7, 9, 40 and 14.8 milligram respectively.
Explanation: Vitamin C is helpful in iron absorption whereas vitamin D helps in absorption of magnesium and calcium.
Explanation: The body cannot store vitamin C. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, which means they can be stored in the body's organs. Vitamin C is water-soluble and is flushed out via urine.
Explanation: Vitamin K is a responsible factor for blood clotting or coagulation. Without vitamin K, blood coagulation is seriously impaired and uncontrolled bleeding occurs.
Explanation: Vitamin 'K' is used as an antidote to anticoagulant poisons. This vitamin is called antihemorrhagic factor. Operation of persons with deficiency of vitamin K can not be done easily because there is fear of excess bleeding.
Explanation: Vitamin B₁₂ and vitamin K both are synthesized by bacteria in human intestine.
Explanation: Vitamin D is synthesized in our dermal cells by sun rays. Rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults occur due to deficiency of vitamin D.
Explanation: There are two major chemical forms of vitamin D, namely vitamin D₂ (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol).
Explanation: Vitamin D is considered as hormone. It is a fat-soluble vitamin which exists in various forms. The active form is known as 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] or calcitriol.
Explanation: Vitamin A is needed by the retina of the eye in the form of retinol, which combines with protein opsin to form rhodopsin.
Explanation: Vitamin A is largely stored in the liver in the human body. Its chemical name is retinol whose deficiency causes night blindness.
Explanation: Carrot is the richest source of vitamin A. Spinach is a major source of iron which contributes to the level of haemoglobin concentration.
Explanation: Mango is a rich source of vitamin A among all the given fruits. It is also rich in vitamin C and E.
Explanation: The Wheat germ oil is extracted from the germ of the wheat kernel. Wheat germ oil has the highest content of vitamin E. It is a fat-soluble vitamin and plays a role as an antioxidant in the body.
Explanation: Vitamin A cannot be synthesized by the human body.
Explanation: Vitamin A is the name of a group of fat-soluble retinoids, including retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters. Vitamin A is involved in immune function, vision, reproduction, and cellular communication. Vitamin A is critical for vision as an essential component of rhodopsin, a protein that absorbs light in the retinal receptors, and because it supports the normal differentiation and functioning of the conjunctival membranes and cornea. Vitamin A deficiency may lead to 'night blindness'. Vitamin A also supports cell growth and differentiation, playing a critical role in the normal formation and maintenance of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs.
Reason (R): He will suffer from vitamin A deficiency.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below: U.P.P.C.S (Pre) 2011
Explanation: Vitamin A in humans is primarily obtained by conversion of beta-carotene, a pigment found in fruits and vegetables. Green vegetables are a good source for beta-carotene. If somebody takes green vegetables regularly, he gains sufficient amount of vitamin A. If he stops taking green vegetables, he could suffer from vitamin A deficiency, that may lead to the disease called 'night blindness'. However, vitamin A is found in many other foods also, so the person devoid of green vegetables does not necessarily suffer from night blindness.
Explanation: Vitamin B₁₂ (Cobalamin) is a water-soluble vitamin. It contains the mineral ion cobalt. Its chemical formula is C₆₃H₈₈CoN₁₄O₁₄P. It functions as a cofactor for enzymes in the metabolism of amino acids and fatty acids, required for new cell synthesis, normal blood formation and neurological function. Its deficiency causes pernicious anaemia, nervous system abnormality etc.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Assertion (A): Vitamin B₁₂ remains stored in liver for about 3-5 years.
Reason (R): Vitamin B₁₂ is water-soluble.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2017
Explanation: Vitamin B₁₂ is also known as cobalamin which is water-soluble and remains stored in the liver for about 3-5 years. Vitamin B₁₂ is a co-factor of DNA synthesis and in both fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. It is particularly important for the normal functioning of the nervous system via its role in the synthesis of myelin and in the maturation of developing RBC in the bone marrow. It contains cobalt (Co).
Explanation: Cyanocobalamin is a manufactured form of vitamin B₁₂ which is used to treat vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.
Explanation: Thiamin or Thiamine (Vitamin B₁) is a water-soluble vitamin that is necessary for carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Its main sources are rice bran, whole wheat flour, eggs, yeast, meat, etc. Thiamine deficiency results in beri-beri, a disease characterized by multiple neuritides, general debility and heart failure.
Explanation: Vitamin B₁ (Thiamin) - Beri-beri, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
Vitamin D (Ergocalciferol, Cholecalciferol) - Rickets and Osteomalacia
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) - Scurvy
Explanation: Taking vitamin B₉, vitamin B₆, or folate (Vitamin B₉) may have an impact on the quality of a person's dreams and his ability to recall them.
Explanation: Sunlight and cod-liver oil are rich source of vitamin D. Wheat germ oil is rich in vitamin E while alfalfa is rich in vitamin K. Though orange is rich in vitamin C but it is also a low source of vitamin B₁. Thus option (e) is the most probable answer.
(Vitamin) (Rich Source)
Explanation: Cod-liver oil is a dietary supplement derived from liver of cod fish. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A and vitamin D. Vitamin B₂, also known as riboflavin, is a vitamin found in eggs, green vegetables, milk and other dairy products, meat, mushrooms, and almonds. Vitamins and their rich sources given in other options are correctly matched.
Explanation: Orange is a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, thiamin, folate, calcium and potassium. The main sources of vitamin A include carrots, milk, butter, egg, cod liver oil etc. Other pairs are correctly matched.
List-I
A. Vitamin K
B. Vitamin D
C. Vitamin E
D. Vitamin C
List-II
1. Wheat germ oil
2. Lemon
3. Cod-liver oil
4. Alfa-alfa
Code:
Explanation: The correctly matched lists are as follows:
List-I (Vitamin) List-II (Source)
Vitamin K - Alfa-alfa
Vitamin D - Cod-liver oil
Vitamin E - Wheat germ oil
Vitamin C - Lemon
List-I (Disease) List-II (Cause)
A. Nightblindness 1. Vitamin D
B. Rickets 2. Vitamin C
C. Scurvy 3. Vitamin B
D. Beri-beri 4. Vitamin A
Code:
Explanation: Nightblindness is caused due to deficiency of vitamin A, Rickets caused due to deficiency of vitamin D, Scurvy is caused by deficiency of vitamin C and Beri-beri is the result of deficiency of vitamin B₁.
List-I (Disease) List-II (Cause)
A. Rickets 1. Vitamin D
B. Beri-beri 2. Vitamin B₁
C. Nyctalopia 3. Vitamin A
D. Scurvy 4. Vitamin C
Code:
Explanation: Rickets is caused by deficiency of vitamin D and Beri-beri is caused by deficiency of vitamin B₁. Nyctalopia or night blindness is caused due to deficiency of vitamin A and scurvy is caused due to deficiency of vitamin C.
List-I List-II
A. Vitamin C 1. Night blindness
B. Folic acid 2. Beri-beri
C. Vitamin A 3. Anaemia
D. Vitamin B₁ 4. Scurvy
Code:
Explanation: The correctly matched order is –
Vitamin C - Scurvy
Folic acid - Anaemia
Vitamin A - Night blindness
Vitamin B₁ - Beri-beri
Explanation: Color blindness is a sex-linked genetic disorder. It does not relate to vitamin D. The deficiency of vitamin D causes rickets and osteomalacia. The deficiency of vitamin A causes night blindness. Vitamin B₃ is also called niacin. Its deficiency causes pellagra. The deficiency of folic acid (vitamin B₉) causes anaemia.
Vitamin Deficiency disease
1. Vitamin C : Scurvy
2. Vitamin D : Rickets
3. Vitamin E : Night blindness
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Explanation: Scurvy is a disease resulting from the deficiency of vitamin C. Rickets is a nutritional disorder that can develop due to deficiency of vitamin D while vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness. So it is clear that only pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched.
Explanation: The riboflavin (Vitamin B₂) deficiency causes (also known as ariboflavinosis) skin disorders, hyperemia (excess blood) and edema of the mouth and throat, angular stomatitis (lesions at the corners of the mouth), cheilosis (swollen, cracked lips), hair loss, reproductive problems, sore throat, itchy and red eyes, and degeneration of the liver and nervous system. People with riboflavin deficiency typically have deficiencies of other nutrients, so some of these signs and symptoms might reflect these other deficiencies.
Explanation: Beri-beri disease is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin B₁ whose chemical name is Thiamin. Other options are correctly matched. Riboflavin is the chemical name of Vitamin B₂ which is responsible for stomatitis, cheilosis and malnutrition.
Explanation: Lack of vitamin A causes night blindness, not rheumatism. Other pairs are correctly matched.
List I List II
A. Retinol 1. Pernicious anaemia
B. Tocopherol 2. Mental illness
C. Cyanocobalamin 3. Conjunctivitis
D. Pyridoxine 4. Sterility/infertility
Code:
Explanation: Retinol (vitamin A) - Conjunctivitis
Tocopherol (vitamin E) - Sterility
Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B₁₂) - Pernicious anaemia
Pyridoxine (vitamin B₆) - Mental illness
Explanation: Deficiency of retinol i.e. vitamin A, leads to Xerophthalmia. Lack of cyanocobalamin (vitamin B₁₂) causes pernicious anaemia and lack of vitamin D (Cholecalciferol 'D₃' and Ergocalciferol 'D₂') causes rickets in children. Beri-beri is caused by lack of vitamin 'B₁' i.e. thiamin not due to lack of tocopherol (vitamin 'E').
Explanation: Napthoquinone is the chemical name of vitamin K. It is known as anti-hemorrhagic factor. Its sources are green leaves, egg, liver & intestinal bacteria etc. Sterility is related with deficiency of vitamin E. Other pairs are correctly matched.
Explanation: Niacin - Vitamin B₃, Riboflavin -Vitamin B₂ and Pyridoxine - Vitamin B₆ are vitamins while Thyroxine is a hormone secreted by the thyroid gland (biggest endocrine gland of a human) located in the neck.
Explanation: Banana is the berry fruit of family 'Musaceae' and its botanical name is Musa balbisiana. It has a large amount of carbohydrates. It also contains fat, proteins, mineral and vitamins. 89 Kcal/100 gm energy is obtained from banana. In the given options, option (d) is near about 89 Kcal. So option D is correct.
Explanation: Legumes are highly nutritious because they are rich in proteins. Legumes are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. As a good source of protein, legumes can be a healthy substitute for meat, which has more fat and cholesterol.
Explanation: Soyabean is the richest source of protein. It contains about 40% protein. It is classified as an oilseed as well as pulse crop. The milk is produced by soyabean which is equivalent to the milk of a cow. Each grain of soyabean contains about 40% protein, 20-23% fat and 30% carbohydrate.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: Among the given options, groundnut is the richest source of protein. Rice is the best source of carbohydrate and apple is known for the richness of antioxidants.
Explanation: The groundnut is a rich source of both proteins and fat. Groundnut contains 25.3% protein and 48.1% fat. In groundnut amount of protein is 1.3 times of meat, 2.5 times of eggs and 8 times of fruits.
Explanation: Among the given options, rice has the highest percentage of carbohydrates.
Explanation: Tyrosine is an amino acid which helps in the formation of neurotransmittors (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine) in the brain. Human feels laziness and woeful due to lack of tyrosine. Tyrosine helps in enhancement of physical vigilance and energy. But it cannot protect against free radicals responsible for aging.
Explanation: Glutein is the protein composite, found in wheat. Glutein gives elasticity to dough, helping its growth and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture.
Explanation: The total energy requirement for a man during very hard work under different conditions is about 3500-4000 kilo calories.
Explanation: Water does not contain fat, carbohydrates or proteins. Therefore, it does not contain any calories.
Explanation: Carbohydrate is an essential constituent of diet. Carbohydrates are compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen with a ratio of two hydrogens for every oxygen atom.
Explanation: The major food fuel during exercise of high intensity and long duration is carbohydrate.
Explanation: Nitrogen is an essential constituent of DNA, RNA (and all amino acids/proteins) and chlorophyll, while it is not an essential component of carbohydrates. A carbohydrate is a biomolecule consisting essentially of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, usually with a hydrogen-oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 and thus with empirical formula Cₙ(H₂O)ₙ. Although all carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, there are some that also contain nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur.
Explanation: Phosphorus (in the form of phosphate) is the element that maintains a balance between acidity and alkalinity in our body.
Explanation: Unlike some macronutrients, including fats and starches, amino acids are not stored in human body and must be replenished daily through dietary intake. Protiens are polymers of amino acids.
Explanation: The fruit karonda is a rich source of iron, so it is sometimes used in the treatment of anaemia.It contains a fair amount of vitamin C which helps in healing wounded therefore is an antiscorbutic.
1. Calcium 2. Iron 3. Sodium
Which of the minerals given above is/are required by human body for the contraction of muscles? I.A.S. (Pre) 2013
Explanation: Your muscles contract every time you move and the process begins when your muscles receive the signals from your brain. Thus, your muscles shorten or contract as different muscles fibres sides along each other. For proper muscles function, you not only need enough protein to build muscles and calories to fuel their contraction but also the right minerals like calcium, iron, sodium, magnesium and potassium to allow contraction to occur.
Explanation: Spinach has a high nutritional value for the human body. It is a rich source of iron and calcium. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 180 gram serving of boiled spinach contains 6.43 mg of iron, whereas one 170 gram ground hamburger patty contains at most 4.42 mg. Thus, spinach contains a relatively high level of iron, compared to other vegetables and meat sources.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: Green vegetables are the richest source of iron. Other high iron foods are liver, sunflower seeds, nuts, beef, lamb, beans, whole grains, dark leafy greens (spinach), dark chocolate and tofu. Iron present in haemoglobin and cytochrome enzyme is an essential mineral used to transport oxygen to all parts of the body. A deficiency in iron causes anaemia and a chronic deficiency can lead to organ failure.
Explanation: There are many different varieties of rice. They differ in amounts of nutrition and more importantly the type of starch. There are two types of starch in rice: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is a long, straight starch molecule that does not gelatinize during cooking. So, rice which contains more of this starch tends to cook fluffy, with separate grains. Long grain white rice (basmati) has the most amylose and the least amylopectin, so it tends to be the fluffiest and least sticky. Medium grain rice has more amylopectin and short grain rice has even more amylopectin with least or no amylose.
Explanation: Lactose is a disaccharide sugar derived from glucose and galactose. It is responsible for imparting sweetness to milk.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: Lactobacillus bacteria causes milk to spoil. It is a very important bacteria which is found in the intestinal tract. Lactobacillus uses lactose for energy and creates lactic acid as a by-product. It is the lactic acid which makes milk taste sour. It is used to make dairy products like cheese, curd etc. Apart from this, it is also used to control cholesterol.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: The yellow colour of cow's milk is due to the presence of carotene. It is a hydrocarbon whose formula is C₄₀Hx. It is found in hay, grass, green leaves, some fruits, carrots etc. When cow consumes carotene containing foods, some of the pigment is converted into vitamin A and some found unchanged in milk. Vitamin A imparts no colour to milk, whereas carotene gives milk a yellow colour.
Explanation: Cow milk is yellow in colour because of the presence of carotene. Buffalo milk appears whiter than cow milk because it does not contain the yellow pigment carotene. Casein is a protein that makes up approximately 80 percent of the total protein content of cow's milk. Existing as globules within the milk and largely responsible for giving milk its white colour.
Explanation: The average fat content in buffalo milk is 7.2%, while fat content in cow milk ranges from 3.5 to 4.0 %. Apart from this it also contains minerals and other essential nutritions.
Explanation: The enzymes necessary to break down and digest milk (rennin and lactase) start to disappear by the age of two or three years and completely disappear between 6 to 15 years of age in most humans. Therefore from around that age, many children no longer secrete those enzymes (lactase and renin) and they become what's referred to as 'lactose intolerant'. Many people around the world have known allergies to milk and milk products and are unable to digest such substances. In particular, many people are known to be unable to consume milk product due to such intolerance.
Explanation: Rennin enzymes play an important role in helping young mammals to digest milk. Rennin enzymes are produced by the stomach cell. It is secreted in large amounts right after the birth and then its production gradually drops off. When milk enters the stomach, prorenin is activated by the hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice and converted into the active rennin enzyme. The function of rennin enzyme is to curdle milk and separate it into semi-solid curds and liquid whey. Curdling of the milk is necessary to be retained in the stomach long enough for the milk proteins to be digested properly.
Explanation: Casein is a phosphoprotein, which is found in milk. Phosphoprotein means any protein containing bound phosphate. The white colour of the milk is also due to the presence of casein. Some of the other proteins like lactoglobulin and lactalbumin are also found in milk.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They do most of the work in cells and are required for the structure, function and regulation of the body's tissues and organs. Serving as the basic structural molecule of all the tissues in the body, proteins makes up nearly 17 percent of the total body weight.
Explanation: Proteins are an organic compound that contain mainly the element nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Proteins are the most diverse group of biologically important substances and are often considered to be the central compound, necessary for life. The body's primary building block for muscles, bone, skin and many other tissues is protein. So the slow growth of human body is caused due to the lack of protein.
1. Carbon 2. Hydrogen
3. Oxygen 4. Nitrogen
Code:
Explanation: Proteins, after water are the most abundant constituent of protoplasm. They are made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen but sulphur, iodine, iron, and some other elements may also be found in them in traces. Proteins are long chain compounds; their simple components or basic building units are the amino acids. A simple protein consists of about 100 amino acid molecules. However, their number varies from 300-1000 in different proteins.
List-I (molecules) List-II (elements present)
A. Vitamin B₁₂ 1. Magnesium
B. Haemoglobin 2. Cobalt
C. Chlorophyll 3. Copper
D. Brass 4. Iron
Code:
Explanation: The correctly matched list are as follows:
Vitamin B₁₂ - Cobalt
Haemoglobin - Iron
Chlorophyll - Magnesium
Brass - Copper
List-I (molecules) List-II (elements present)
A. Vitamin B₁₂ 1. Magnesium
B. Haemoglobin 2. Cobalt
C. Chlorophyll 3. Copper
D. Chalcopyrite 4. Iron
Code:
Explanation: The Correctly matched list are as follows:
Vitamin B₁₂ - Cobalt
Haemoglobin - Iron
Chlorophyll - Magnesium
Chalcopyrite - Copper
List-I List-II
A. Vitamin B₁ 1. Cobalamin
B. Vitamin B₂ 2. Calciferol
C. Vitamin B₆ 3. Riboflavin
D. Vitamin B₁₂ 4. Thymine
5. Pyridoxine
Code:
Explanation: The list of vitamins and their names is as follows:
Vitamin A - Retinol
Vitamin B₁ - Thiamin
Vitamin B₂ - Riboflavin
Vitamin B₃ - Niacin
Vitamin B₅ - Pantothenic acid
Vitamin B₆ - Pyridoxine
Vitamin B₇ - Biotin
Vitamin B₉ - Folic acid
Vitamin B₁₂ - Cobalamin
Vitamin C - Ascorbic acid
Vitamin D - Calciferol
Vitamin E - Tocopherol
Vitamin K - Naphthoquinone
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: Micronutrients are nutrients, required by organisms throughout life in small quantities to regulate a range of physiological function. The micronutrients include iron, boron, copper, chloride, manganese, nickel, zinc and molybdenum while sulphur, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus are macronutrients.
Explanation: Christopher Columbus called papaya 'The fruit of the angel'. The main vitamin found in Papaya is vitamin C. One medium size (200 gm) papaya contains 226mg vitamin C - that is two to three times more than our recommended daily dose and it is also a good source of folate, fibre, vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, copper and pantothenic acid.
Explanation: Mango, papaya, and carrot are the natural sources of vitamin A, while milk is not a natural source of vitamin A. Milk contains very small amount of vitamin A.
Explanation: Heat, X-rays, heavy metal salts, etc. denature a protein whereas infrared rays do not.
Explanation: Elderly individuals are more likely to be influenced by various biological, environmental and social factors. This would result to increase protein needs for adults as compared to younger one. Thus in practice, the protein needs of elderly people are probably higher than that for the young.
Explanation: We need protein for our muscles, bones and the rest of our body. Exactly how much protein we need with respect to our age are given below:
• Babies need about 10 grams per day.
• School-age kids need 19-34 grams per day.
• Teenage boys need up to 52 grams per day.
• Teenage girls need 46 grams per day.
• Adult men need about 56 grams per day.
• Adult women or moderately active woman- need about 46 grams per day (65-70 grams, if pregnant or breast-feeding).
Explanation: See the explanation of above question.
Explanation: Milk generally contains all the vitamins of the B vitamin group such as B₁, B₂ and B₆, B₁₂. Thus statement (a) is not correct.
Explanation: Mother milk provides almost complete diet to the new-born but it lacks iron nutrient. During the first few days after delivery, the mother produces colostrum. It is rich in protein and antibodies that provide passive immunity to the baby. Colostrum also helps the newborn's digestive system to grow and function properly. Mother's milk contains about 4.2% fat, 1.1% protein, 7.5% carbohydrates and 0.2% minerals. For better health of the new-born, the mother's milk contains zinc, calcium, vitamin A, B₉, B₁₂, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus etc. in adequate quantity.
1. It is less obese.
2. It shows, greater capacity to resist diseases.
3. It gets more vitamins and protein.
4. Its growth in height is abnormal.
Explanation: Health professionals consider mother's milk to be ideal nourishment for her baby. Human milk contains immunological protection against diseases. This happens because babies receive antibodies passed onto them from their mother's milk. Breast milk contains more nutrients (vitamin and proteins) such as taurine, an amino acid, DHA, a fatty acid. Abnormal growth in height is not a characteristic shown by a breastfed baby.
Explanation: Milk contains 87% water, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, carbohydrate, calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) etc. Thus, milk is an ideal diet containing almost all nutritious elements. Milk contains only a trace amount of iron.
Explanation: Milk is considered a complete food because it provides protein, vitamin A, vitamin B₁, B₂, B₆, B₁₂, carbohydrate, calcium and potassium etc. Milk contains very small amounts of vitamin C. Hence, option (c) is the correct answer.
Explanation: Starch is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting a large number of glucose units joined by glycoside bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants as an energy store.
Explanation: Starch and cellulose are two very similar polymers. In fact, they both are made from the same monomer, glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) and have the same glucose-based repeat units. Starch gives blue-black colour in an iodine solution, whereas cellulose give colour in this solution. Starch is an important component of stored food of plants, whereas cellulose is found in the cell wall of plants.
1. Overnutrition 2. Undernutrition
3. Imbalanced nutrition
Select the correct answer by using the codes given below:
Explanation: Malnutrition is a condition that results from eating a diet in which nutrients are either not enough or are too much such that it causes health problems. Imbalanced nutrition includes both undernutrition and overnutrition. Thus, option (d) is the right answer.
(i) Fatty acids should be a part of human diet.
(ii) A normal diet should contain 75 gm of fat.
(iii) The cells of human body can not synthesize any fatty acids.
(iv) Deficiency diseases develop due to the absence of essential fatty acids.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation: The cells of the human body can synthesize most of the fatty acids. However only essential fatty acids cannot be synthesized in the body. Thus, essential fatty acids should be a part of human diet. Deficiency diseases develop due to the absence of essential fatty acids. A normal diet of 2200-2400 calories should contain about 75 gm of fat per day.
Explanation: Linseed is a food and fibre crop that is grown in cooler regions of the world. The oil is extracted from its seed, known as linseed oil, which is a very good source of omega-3 fatty acid, which is able to prevent the deposition of fat in blood vessels.
Explanation: Alpha-linolenic acid is a kind of omega-3 fatty acid found in plants. It is found in flaxseed oil, canola, soyabean and walnut oil.
Reason (R): Vitamins helps to keep the body healthy by killing harmful bacteria. U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002
Explanation: Vitamins and minerals are often called micronutrients because our body needs only tiny amounts of them. Cereals, green vegetables, milk, fruit, and meat are a good source of vitamins. White blood cells (not vitamins) help to keeps the body healthy by destroying harmful bacteria.
Reason (R): Essential amino acids can not be synthesized in the human body. I.A.S. (Pre) 2002
Explanation: Glycine, serine and tyrosine are non-essential amino acids, which are synthesized inside our bodies. There are 20 biologically active amino acids in human body. They are divided into two categories- 10 are essential amino acids and 10 are non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are those which can't synthesize inside the human body.
Explanation: Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Foods that contain all essential amino acids are called complete protein foods. Complete proteins are supplied by meat, poultry, yogurt, eggs, fish, milk, cheese, quinoa and soyabean etc. Among the given options, except rice, all other food materials contain all essential amino acids.
Explanation: Egg is the best source of all the essential amino acids for human nutrition because it has the highest Biological Value (BV). The Biological Value (BV) is a scale of measurement used to determine what percentage of a given nutrient source is utilized by the body. BV (for protein sources) is derived from providing a measure intake of protein, then determining the nitrogen uptake versus nitrogen excretion. When a protein source contains the essential amino acids in a proportion similar to that required by the body, it has a high BV, while when one or more of the essential amino acids are missing or present in low numbers, it has a low BV. The Biological Value of some protein sources is given in the following table:
Protein Source Biological Value
Whole egg 94
Milk 90
Quinoa 83
Fish 76
Beef 74
Soyabeans 73
Explanation: Fat present below the skin surface of our body forms a complete barrier against the external environment. It is an energy store and also acts as a thermal insulating layer. It protects the underlying structure of the body from any physical trauma.
Explanation: Fats have highest calorie value per unit. 4.0 Kcal energy is obtained by metabolic oxidation of 1 gm carbohydrate or protein whereas about 9.3 Kcal is received from fats of the same amount. Flora and fauna, both are a source of fats.
Explanation: Fats have the highest energy value since 1g of fat contains 9.3 kcal of energy; one gram of proteins contains about 4.0 kcal and one gram of carbohydrates also contains about 4.0 kcal of energy.
Explanation: Generally, water, an inorganic substance is most abundant in living beings. But in organic compounds of the body (living materials), protein is most abundant because they are one of the building blocks of body tissue and can also serve as a fuel source.
Assertion (A): Sunflower oil is rated as a good quality edible oil.
Reason (R): It contains high quantities of unsaturated fatty acids. U.P. B.E.O. (Pre) 2019
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Explanation: The sunflower (Helianthus) is an annual plant in the family Asteraceae, with a large flower head (capitulum). Sunflower oil, extracted from its seeds, is used for cooking. Sunflower oil is rated as a good quality edible oil because it contains high quantities of unsaturated fatty acids which reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Sunflower oil is primarily composed of linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fat and oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. It is also a rich source of vitamin E.
Reason (R): Unsaturated fats have only single bonds in their structure. I.A.S. (Pre) 2003
Code:
Explanation: Assertion (A) is true but (R) is not correct. A compound having a double bond in their structure are more unstable in comparison to single bond compounds. Unsaturated fats, having double bonds in their structures are more reactive than saturated fats.
Explanation: Consumption of fish is considered to be healthy as compared to the flesh of any other animal because it contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can reduce cholesterol level in our blood and also lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
1. The food products are not made out of hydrogenated oils.
2. The food products are not made out of animal fats/oil.
3. The oils used are not likely to damage the cardiovascular health of the consumers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? I.A.S. (Pre) 2011
Explanation: Eating trans fat raises the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and lowers the level of HDL or good cholesterol, which increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. The animal fats/oil and hydrogenated oils are the forms of trans fat. Thus, all three statements are correct.
Explanation: A triglyceride is an ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids. Triglycerides are the main constituents of body fat in humans and other vertebrates, as well as vegetable fat. The high level of triglycerides is responsible for obesity and high blood pressure.
Main Vitamins, Sources and Deficiency Diseases
| Vitamins | Deficiency Diseases | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A (Retinol) |
Night blindness, xerophthalmia, keratinization of skin infection | Carrot, milk, cheese, butter, egg, Cod liver oil |
| Vitamin B₁ (Thiamin) |
Beri-beri, growth retardation | Cereals, legumes, soyabeans, milk, yeast, green vegetables |
| Vitamin B₂ (Riboflavin) |
Cheilosis, glossitis, dermatosis, digestive disorders | Milk, egg white, liver, kidney, yeast, meat, green leafy vegetables |
| Vitamin B₃ (Niacin) |
Pellagra | Egg, meat, fish, milk, yeast, vegetables, mushroom |
| Vitamin B₅ (Pantothenic Acid) |
Paraesthesia, burning sensation | Yeast, meat, fish, egg milk, legumes |
| Vitamin B₆ (Pyridoxine) |
Anaemia, skin problem and muscular twisting | Milk, yeast, cereals, egg, grams, yolk |
| Vitamin B₇ (Vitamin-H; Biotin) |
Skin disease, fall of hair | Meat, wheat, egg, vegetables, fruits |
| Vitamin B₉ (Folic Acid) |
Anaemia, growth retardation | Green vegetables, legumes, yeast, liver |
| Vitamin B₁₂ (Cobalamin; a vitamin with cobolt) |
Pernicious anaemia, abnormality in nervous system | Meat, fish, egg, curd, bacteria of intestine |
| Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) |
Scurvy (bleeding gums) | Amla, fruits of citrus family, tomato and green leafy vegetables |
| Vitamin D (Calciferol) |
Rickets, osteomalacia | Cheese, fish, egg, yolk, sunlight |
| Vitamin E (Tocopherol) |
Sterility and weakening of reproductive organ and muscles | Vegetable oils, wheat, soyabean |
| Vitamin K (Naphthoquinone) |
Increased blood clotting time | Green leafy vegetables, bacteria of intestine |
Key Information:
Fat Soluble Vitamins: A, D, E, K (stored in body fat and liver)
Water Soluble Vitamins: B group vitamins and vitamin C → not stored in body (except Vitamin B12), need regular intake)
Prepared by Study Indepth | UPSC • State PCS • Railway • SSC Preparation
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