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neurologyYou need to know

• The Eatwell Guide is divided into sections representing different food groups: fruit and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, proteins, dairy and alternatives, and oils and spreads.
• Carbohydrates provide energy for the body and are classified as simple (sugars) or complex (starches and fibre), and they differ in structure, digestion, and impact on blood sugar.
• Proteins help growth and repair of muscles and tissues; they can be high biological value (HBV) if they contain all essential amino acids, or low biological value (LBV) if they lack one or more essential amino acids.
• Dietary fibre aids digestion, prevents constipation, and helps maintain a healthy gut.
• Water is essential for hydration, temperature regulation, and transporting nutrients and waste.
• Micronutrients include vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, and minerals such as calcium, iron, and potassium.
• Fat provides energy, insulates the body, protects organs, and helps the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
• Sources of saturated fat include butter, lard, fatty meat, and cheese, while sources of unsaturated fat include vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, and oily fish.
• Excessive saturated-fat intake can raise blood cholesterol and increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Energy input is the energy obtained from food and drink; energy output is the energy used by the body for basal metabolic rate and physical activity.
• Diets differ at different life stages (children, teenagers, adults, elderly) due to varying nutritional requirements.
• Heat, acid, or mechanical action can denature some proteins by changing their structure.
• Denatured proteins may coagulate, causing food to thicken or set.
• Gliadin and glutenin proteins in wheat flour form gluten when hydrated with water and worked.
• Gelatine forms a gel when dissolved in hot liquid and cooled.
• Carbohydrates undergo dextrinisation (browning of starch), gelatinisation (thickening with liquid and heat), caramelisation (browning of sugars), and gelling (setting with agents).
• Fats undergo shortening (gluten prevention), aeration (trapping air), flakiness (layer formation), and contribute to sensory attributes (taste, texture).
• Mixtures can be raised in several ways: yeast produces carbon dioxide through fermentation; baking powder and bicarbonate of soda release carbon dioxide through chemical reactions; whisking and creaming trap air; and water changes into steam, which expands during heating.
• Colour-coded equipment (such as chopping boards and knives) is used to prevent cross-contamination between food types (such as raw meat, cooked meat, vegetables, fish, dairy, bakery).

• Identify and correctly name each section of the Eatwell Guide and give examples of foods from each group.
• Distinguish between simple and complex carbohydrates, and give examples of each.
• Identify foods that are sources of HBV and LBV proteins.
• Select and use the correct colour-coded equipment for different food types to avoid cross-contamination.
• Prepare vegetables using a knife with accurate and safe technique, such as bridge and claw grip.
• Use the hob to simmer a dish, controlling the heat to maintain a gentle bubbling.
• Explain the function and sources of key vitamins and minerals.
• Explain the difference between energy input and output and relate this to maintaining, gaining, or losing weight.
• Create shortcrust pastry using the rubbing-in method, ensuring correct texture.
• Shape pastry to hold a filling securely without leakage.
• Follow a recipe accurately to create bread buns, including kneading and proving.
• Explain and demonstrate the scientific reactions of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats during food preparation and cooking.
• Explain how yeast, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, whisking, creaming, and steam raise mixtures, and select a suitable method for a specific recipe.