IIN Macronutrient & Micronutrient Science 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which fatty acid is classified as an omega-3 and must be obtained through diet because the human body cannot synthesize it?
- Oleic acid
- Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (Correct answer)
- Palmitic acid
- Arachidonic acid
Correct answer: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
ALA is an essential omega-3 fatty acid that humans cannot synthesize and must consume through foods like flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts.
Question 2: A client who avoids all animal products is at highest risk for deficiency in which micronutrient?
- Vitamin C
- Magnesium
- Vitamin B12 (Correct answer)
- Potassium
Correct answer: Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal-derived foods, making vegans highly susceptible to deficiency without supplementation.
Question 3: During carbohydrate digestion, which enzyme in saliva begins breaking down starch into shorter polysaccharides?
- Lipase
- Pepsin
- Amylase (Correct answer)
- Lactase
Correct answer: Amylase
Salivary amylase (ptyalin) initiates starch digestion in the mouth by cleaving alpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds.
Question 4: Which mineral is a central component of the hemoglobin molecule and is critical for oxygen transport?
- Zinc
- Calcium
- Iron (Correct answer)
- Selenium
Correct answer: Iron
Iron is the mineral at the core of heme in hemoglobin, enabling red blood cells to bind and transport oxygen throughout the body.
Question 5: Which macronutrient yields approximately 9 kilocalories per gram, the highest of all macronutrients?
- Carbohydrates
- Protein
- Dietary fiber
- Fat (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Fat
Dietary fat provides 9 kcal/g, more than double the 4 kcal/g provided by carbohydrates and protein.
Question 6: Scurvy results from a deficiency of which vitamin, impairing collagen synthesis?
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin C (Correct answer)
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin E
Correct answer: Vitamin C
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is required as a cofactor for enzymes that hydroxylate proline and lysine residues during collagen formation.
Question 7: What term describes amino acids that the body can synthesize on its own and do not need to be obtained from food?
- Essential amino acids
- Conditionally essential amino acids
- Non-essential amino acids (Correct answer)
- Branched-chain amino acids
Correct answer: Non-essential amino acids
Non-essential amino acids can be synthesized endogenously from other metabolic precursors, so they are not required in the diet.
IIN Macronutrient & Micronutrient Science 2
Which fatty acid is classified as an omega-3 and must be obtained through diet because the human body cannot synthesize it?