Which nutrient is needed for growth and repair?

protein. New cells are built from protein.

Lack of which vitamin causes scurvy?

vitamin C. Scurvy causes bleeding gums and poor healing.

What is iron needed for?

making haemoglobin. Haemoglobin in red blood cells carries oxygen.

helps food move through the gut. It prevents constipation.

Which mineral is needed for strong bones and teeth?

calcium. Vitamin D helps the body absorb it.

A balanced diet · Edexcel IGCSE Science (Double Award)

In plain words

Food isn't just fuel. You need different things for different jobs: carbohydrates and fats for energy, protein to build and repair, and small amounts of vitamins and minerals to keep everything working. A balanced diet has all of them in the right amounts.

Three things to know

Carbohydrates and fats give energy. Protein is for growth and repair. Fibre keeps food moving through the gut. Water is needed for almost everything.
Vitamin C: for healthy skin and gums; lack of it causes scurvy. Vitamin D: for absorbing calcium; lack of it causes rickets (soft bones).
Calcium: for bones and teeth. Iron: for making haemoglobin; lack of it causes anaemia. How much energy a person needs depends on their age, sex and how active they are.

Tips and tricks

Pair each nutrient with a job and a food: "iron, to make haemoglobin, from red meat".
Balanced means the right amounts of everything, not equal amounts.

5 questions, about 2 minutes.

It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.

A balanced diet: 5 questions and answers

These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.

Which nutrient is needed for growth and repair?
- carbohydrate
- fat
- protein (the answer)
- fibre
New cells are built from protein.
Lack of which vitamin causes scurvy?
- vitamin A
- vitamin C (the answer)
- vitamin D
- vitamin K
Scurvy causes bleeding gums and poor healing.
What is iron needed for?
- strong bones
- making haemoglobin (the answer)
- digesting fat
- healthy eyes
Haemoglobin in red blood cells carries oxygen.
What does fibre do?
- gives energy
- builds muscle
- helps food move through the gut (the answer)
- makes bones strong
It prevents constipation.
Which mineral is needed for strong bones and teeth?
- iron
- calcium (the answer)
- sodium
- iodine
Vitamin D helps the body absorb it.

5 questions

Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.

Worksheet

3 questions, 6 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.

A balanced diet

Edexcel International GCSE Science (Double Award) 4SD0 · 6 marks · papermunch.org

Name ______________________________ Date ______________

State what is meant by a balanced diet.[2]
Show answerHide answer
A diet that contains all the nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water) in the correct amounts for that person.
I got this one
Name the disease caused by a lack of vitamin D, and describe its effect.[2]
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Rickets: the bones are soft and may bend.
I got this one
Explain why a teenager needs more protein per kilogram of body mass than an adult.[2]
Show answerHide answer
A teenager is still growing, and protein is needed to make new cells and tissues.
I got this one

Answers: A balanced diet

1. A diet that contains all the nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water) in the correct amounts for that person.
2. Rickets: the bones are soft and may bend.
3. A teenager is still growing, and protein is needed to make new cells and tissues.