Annotation of gnutrition/gnutrition.texi, revision 1.2
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8: @node Top
9: @titlepage
10: @title GNUtrition
1.2 ! asm 11: @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
! 12: @subtitle $Id: gnutrition.texi,v 1.1 2026/05/08 23:18:25 asm Exp $
1.1 asm 13: @author @uref{https://antonm.org/, Anton McClure} @email{asm@@gnu.org, <asm@@gnu.org>}
14: @author Edgar Denny
15: @author Ian Haywood
16: @end titlepage
17:
18: @ifhtml
1.2 ! asm 19: Version @value{VERSION}
1.1 asm 20: @*
1.2 ! asm 21: $Id: gnutrition.texi,v 1.1 2026/05/08 23:18:25 asm Exp $
1.1 asm 22:
23: @uref{https://antonm.org/, Anton McClure} @email{asm@@gnu.org, <asm@@gnu.org>}
24: @*
25: Edgar Denny
26: @*
27: Ian Haywood
28: @html
29: <hr>
30: @end html
31: @end ifhtml
32:
33: @menu
34: * Introduction::
35: * The Main Window::
36: * The Main GUI Window::
37: * The Nutrients in GNUtrition::
38: * GNU Free Documentation License::
39: * Bibliography::
40: @end menu
41:
42: @node Introduction
43: @chapter Introduction
44: @anchor{#introduction}
45: GNUtrition is a program designed to produce a detailed nutritional
46: analysis of the human diet.
47:
48: @menu
49: * Downloading GNUtrition::
50: * Running GNUtrition for the First Time::
51: @end menu
52:
53: @node Downloading GNUtrition
54: @section Downloading GNUtrition
55: @anchor{#downloading-gnutrition}
56: GNUtrition is is freely available at
57: @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/gnutrition,www.gnu.org}. It is
58: released under the GNU General Public Licence version 3 or later. See
59: the file @code{LICENCE} for details.
60:
61: @menu
62: * Requirements::
63: @end menu
64:
65: @node Requirements
66: @subsection Requirements
67: @anchor{#requirements}
68: GNUtrition requires the following packages:
69:
70: Build-time
71:
72: @itemize
73: @item
74: GNU Make
75:
76: @item
77: C compiler with C99 support (e.g., GCC)
78:
79: @item
80: ncurses development headers and library
81:
82: @item
83: sqlite3 development headers and library
84:
85: @item
86: libm (typically part of the C standard library on GNU/Linux)
87:
88: @end itemize
89:
90: Run-time
91:
92: @itemize
93: @item
94: ncurses library
95:
96: @item
97: sqlite3 library
98:
99: @item
100: A USDA food database (@code{food.db}) built with @code{build_db.sh}
101:
102: @end itemize
103:
104: This list looks daunting, but all of these packages should be standard
105: on modern Linux systems, but you may have to install SQLite separately.
106:
107: @node Running GNUtrition for the First Time
108: @section Running GNUtrition for the First Time
109: @anchor{#running-gnutrition-for-the-first-time}
110: Install the database used for food information first:
111:
112: @verbatim
113: $./build_db.sh
114: @end verbatim
115:
116: Then you can start GNUtrition for the command-line simply:
117:
118: @verbatim
119: $gnutrition
120: @end verbatim
121:
122: @menu
123: * Entering your Information::
124: @end menu
125:
126: @node Entering your Information
127: @subsection Entering your Information
128: @anchor{#entering-your-information}
129: The profile options give you the option to enter your age in years, your
130: current height, your current weight, and your activity level. This is
131: subject to change prior to GNUtrition 1.0.
132:
133: @node The Main Window
134: @chapter The Main Window
135: @anchor{#the-main-window}
136: The main window shows you a daily budget based on USDA recommendations,
137: along with the following options
138:
139: @itemize
140: @item
141: s @code{Search}
142:
143: @item
144: l @code{Log}
145:
146: @item
147: p @code{Profile}
148:
149: @item
150: q @code{Quit}
151:
152: @end itemize
153:
154: The search tool lets you search by food names and descriptions.
155:
156: The log lets you view foods you add, and lets you edit those entries.
157:
158: @node The Main GUI Window
159: @chapter The Main GUI Window
160: @anchor{#the-main-gui-window}
161: At the top of the new main window is Search, Profile, and About.
162:
163: Under that, you have both a daily budget based on USDA recommendations,
164: along a daily food log.
165:
166: The search window lets you search by food names and descriptions.
167:
168: @node The Nutrients in GNUtrition
169: @chapter The Nutrients in GNUtrition
170: @anchor{#notes}
171: This chapter contains some notes on the nutrients analysed by
172: GNUtrition. They are not a definitive guide, for detailed information
173: refer to a standard text of nutrition or dietetics.
174:
175: @menu
176: * Caveat::
177: * Macro nutrients::
178: * Vitamins::
179: * Metals::
180: * Amino acids::
181: * Lipids::
182: @end menu
183:
184: @node Caveat
185: @section Caveat
186: @anchor{#caveat}
187: When Ian was researching the information for the Recommended Daily
188: Intakes (RDIs). he found the information conflicting but incomplete, so
189: for some nutrients there may be a European value, a US value, and a UN
190: value. In general, he chose the US value, in the hope this will be
191: compatible with the database.
192:
193: If you know of a good reference for RDIs, we would be eager to hear from
194: you, mail us at
195: @uref{mailto:bug-gnutrition@@gnu.org,bug-gnutrition@@gnu.org}
196:
197: It also should be noted that RDIs are a @emph{guide} to nutrition, not
198: the definition of it. Individuals may vary from the RDIs provided for
199: many reasons. For example, active people need more energy and protein
200: than inactive people, and illness increases the RDIs for almost
201: everything.
202:
203: In summary, just because the program spits out a nice column of
204: ``100%'', that doesn't automatically mean you have a healthy diet. The
205: old rules about balance and lots of green vegetables still apply, we're
206: afraid.
207:
208: @node Macro nutrients
209: @section Macro nutrients
210: @anchor{#macro-nutrients}
211: Macro nutrients constitute the bulk of the food we eat, they provide
212: energy and chemical building-blocks for tissues.
213:
214: @table @asis
215: @item Protein
216:
217: Proteins consists of long chains of @ref{#acids,amino acids} , to which
218: it is broken down to in the digestive system. Much of these amino acids
219: are reconstituted by the body to form human proteins. Human proteins are
220: universal in the body: as enzymes they regulate chemical reactions
221: within cells and the blood, they form tendons and ligaments which hold
222: the body together, and they provide muscle with its ability to contract.
223: Excess protein can be converted to sugar by the liver.
224:
225: @item Carbohydrate
226:
227: consists of sugar, and chains of sugar molecules called starches.
228: Starches are broken down in a similar manner to protein. In plants and
229: bacteria, carbohydrates provide structure, but in animals they are used
230: for energy.
231:
232: @item Fat
233:
234: consists of fatty acids (@ref{#lipids,lipids}), which are chain of
235: carbon atoms with a acid group at the end. These fatty acids are linked
236: in groups of three by glycerol. Once again,. this structure is broken
237: down in the gut, only to be re-formed in fat cells. Some fatty acids
238: have special functions, but mostly fat is a store of energy.
239:
240: @item Alcohol
241:
242: Rightfully a drug, but its energy component, between fat and protein,
243: can be significant in some people. There is no recommended intake for
244: alcohol, but their are recommended maximum intakes, these being 40g a
245: day for men and 20g a day for women. @footnote{according to the Drug and
246: Alcohol Centre, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.}
247:
248: @item Energy
249:
250: A total calculated from the above, which is expressed in both
251: kilocalories (the traditional unit in chemistry), and kilojoules (the
252: physicist's unit).
253:
254: There is a base requirement for energy, which can be estimated by age
255: and weight. However, muscle mass requires more energy to maintain than
256: fat mass, so persons of the same weight can have widely different base
257: energy requirements. In addition, active people will obviously need more
258: energy.
259:
260: @item Fibre
261:
262: is indigestible by human enzymes, and is largely excreted, or digested
263: by bacteria in the large intestine. Nevertheless, it is very important,
264: and often deficient in first-world diets. It dilutes toxins that build
265: up the gut and retains water. It softens faeces and increases its
266: volume, making bowel motions more efficient. Deficiency causes
267: constipation, and has been linked to bowel cancer.
268:
269: @item Water
270:
271: Arguably the most important nutrient, in terms of amount (two-thirds of
272: the body), and essentiality (people die of thirst long before they
273: starve).
274:
275: @end table
276:
277: @node Vitamins
278: @section Vitamins
279: @anchor{#vitamins}
280: Vitamins are cofactors -- special molecules which support various
281: biochemical reactions with in the body -- required only in very small
282: amounts, and can be stored for extended periods. They are divided into
283: two groups:
284:
285: @menu
286: * Fat-soluble vitamins::
287: * Water-soluble vitamins::
288: @end menu
289:
290: @node Fat-soluble vitamins
291: @subsection Fat-soluble vitamins
292: @anchor{#fat-soluble-vitamins}
293: @table @asis
294: @item Vitamin A
295:
296: is used for light-detecting chemicals in the retina of the eye, and
297: maintaining proper skin moisture and softness. In deficiency, poor night
298: vision, hard and rough skin, and anaemia can occur. Vitamin A is also an
299: anti-oxidant and protects against cancer.
300:
301: @item Vitamin D
302:
303: regulates calcium. Deficiency leads to rickets (soft, malformed bones)
304: in children. With adequate sunlight, the body can make its own vitamin
305: D, so little or none is required by the diet. It is not included in the
306: USDA database, and so not analysed by GNUtrition.
307:
308: @item Vitamin E
309:
310: is a strong anti-oxidant: it destroys cancer-causing chemicals called
311: @@emph@{free radicals@}. No deficiency syndrome has been described.
312:
313: @item Vitamin K
314:
315: is used by the liver to make special proteins, which circulate in the
316: blood. When a person is injured, these proteins. help to form a clot.
317: Intestinal bacteria can make vitamin K, however, it is also required in
318: the diet, but in low amounts. It is not included in the database.
319:
320: @end table
321:
322: @node Water-soluble vitamins
323: @subsection Water-soluble vitamins
324: @anchor{#water-soluble-vitamins}
325: @table @asis
326: @item Vitamin C
327:
328: is used in making collagen, a tough protein that provides a ``glue''
329: holding cells together. Vitamin C deficiency, known as @@emph@{scurvy@},
330: leads to easy bruising and bleeding, as lack of collagen weakens blood
331: vessels. It also aids the absorption of of iron, and may be an
332: anti-oxidant.
333:
334: It is not a cure for the common cold.
335:
336: @item Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine)
337:
338: is used in the biochemical processes by which cells obtain energy from
339: sugar. Deficiency causes mental disturbance, clumsiness, and
340: double-vision, which can occur in alcoholics, and in third-world
341: countries.
342:
343: @item Riboflavin; Niacin; Pantothenic acid
344:
345: are also important in energy utilisation by cells, by forming parts of
346: different enzymes. Niacin deficiency causes @@emph@{pellagra@},
347: characterised to dermatitis, diarrhoea, and dementia.
348:
349: @item Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine)
350:
351: is used for processing of amino acids, deficiency causes a type of
352: anaemia.
353:
354: @item Folate
355:
356: is used for the synthesis of DNA. Deficiency leads to anaemia. In
357: pregnant women, higher intakes protects against neural tube defects in
358: their children.
359:
360: @item Vitamin B-12
361:
362: is also used for DNA synthesis, also leads to anaemia when deficient.
363: Only available in animal sources, so strict vegans require
364: supplementation.
365:
366: @end table
367:
368: @node Metals
369: @section Metals
370: @anchor{#metals}
371: @table @asis
372: @item Iron
373:
374: is used mainly in haemoglobin, a chemical that binds oxygen in the
375: blood, giving it its red colour. Deficiency, more common in women, leads
376: to mild anaemia.
377:
378: @item Calcium
379:
380: is used mainly in bones, to provide mechanical strength. Low calcium
381: intake has been linked to osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) in old
382: people.
383:
384: @item Selenium
385:
386: is essential to an anti-oxidant enzyme, which works in a similar manner
387: to Vitamin E.
388:
389: @item Potassium; Sodium
390:
391: are used to provide electrical potentials across nerve and muscle cell
392: membranes, also to provide the necessary osmotic force in body fluids.
393: Excess sodium was once linked to high blood pressure, but this not
394: emphasised today.
395:
396: @item Magnesium
397:
398: is used in controlling nerve impulses, deficiency causes weakness and
399: tremors.
400:
401: @item Copper; Manganese; Zinc
402:
403: combine with specific proteins to form various different enzymes.
404:
405: @end table
406:
407: @node Amino acids
408: @section Amino acids
409: @anchor{#acids}
410: Amino acids are the breakdown products of proteins. They are divided
411: into two groups, essential and non-essential:
412:
413: @float Table
414: @multitable {Phenylalanine} {Non-essential}
415: @headitem
416: Essential
417: @tab Non-essential
418: @item
419: Histidine
420: @tab Glycine
421: @item
422: Isoleucine
423: @tab Glutamate
424: @item
425: Leucine
426: @tab Aspartate
427: @item
428: Lysine
429: @tab Proline
430: @item
431: Methionine
432: @tab Serine
433: @item
434: Phenylalanine
435: @tab Alanine
436: @item
437: Threonine
438: @tab Tryptophan
439: @item
440: Tryptophan
441: @tab Arginine
442: @item
443: Valine
444: @tab
445: @end multitable
446: @caption{The Amino Acids}
447: @end float
448: Deficiency of any of the nine leads to wasting as proteins cannot be
449: made without them. This usually only occurs with a very monotonous vegan
450: diet, where the chief food is a plant that does not have one or more
451: essential amino acid. A varied vegetarian diet solves the problem.
452:
453: The other amino acids can be synthesised by the liver. The liver can
454: also interchange two pairs: cysteine and methionine, and tyrosine and
455: phenylalanine. This means a shortage of one can be made up from the
456: other, so total as the total requirement is met.
457:
458: Amino acid supplements are of no proven benefit over proteins containing
459: the amino acids (but are much more expensive).
460:
461: @node Lipids
462: @section Lipids
463: @anchor{#lipids}
464: Lipids include fatty acids (breakdown products of fat) and cholesterol.
465:
466: @table @asis
467: @item Fatty acids
468:
469: can be divided into three main groups: saturated @footnote{`saturation'
470: in this sense refers to hydrogen. Ask an organic chemist.},
471: mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated. With these three the key is the
472: @emph{ratio} -- lots of saturated fatty acids, relative to the others
473: leads to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
474:
475: Their specific chemical structures are available in organic chemistry or
476: biochemistry textbooks, in general they consists of a vary chain of
477: carbon-atoms, with a carboxylic acid group at one end.
478:
479: Fatty acids are used to make certain types of hormones, as well as to
480: store energy. Two fatty acids, linoleic and alpha-linoleic acid, are
481: essential for humans.
482:
483: @item Omega-3, and -6
484:
485: Some fatty acids are referred as "omega-3" and "omega-6". This refers to
486: the location of a double bond from the final (omega) carbon atom in the
487: fatty acid.
488:
489: It is believed that omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, may have
490: beneficial health effects, but there is little hard evidence for this.
491:
492: @item Cholesterol
493:
494: can be made by the liver, so there is little dietary need. When we eat
495: cholesterol, the liver compensates by making less. Contrary to popular
496: belief, dietary cholesterol seems to have little effect on
497: blood-cholesterol levels, instead saturated fatty acids seem to be more
498: important.
499:
500: @item Phytosterols
501:
502: Not sure about these. Many be one and the same as phyto-oestrogens,
503: plant mimics of the female sex hormone. Intake is believed to control
504: symptoms of menopause.
505:
506: @end table
507:
508: @node GNU Free Documentation License
509: @chapter GNU Free Documentation License
510: @anchor{#gfdl}
511: @include gfdl.texi
512:
513: @node Bibliography
514: @chapter Bibliography
515: @anchor{#bibliography}
516:
517: Robert Bateman, Hamlyn, @emph{Every Boy's Handbook}, 1960.
518: David Bender and Arnold Bender, Oxford, @emph{Nutrition: A reference
519: handbook}, 1997.
520:
521: Stephen G. Chancy, Wiley-Liss, @emph{Principles of Nutrition I & II},
522: 1997.
523:
524: @emph{Textbook of Biochemistry}, Edited by Thomas Devlin.
525: Lubert Stryer, W. H. Freeman, @emph{Biochemistry, 4th ed.}, 1995.
526:
527: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service,
528: @emph{@uref{http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl,@emph{Nutrient Database
529: of Standard Reference, Relase 21}}} , 2008.
530:
531: @bye
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