Cambridge IGCSE·Co-ordinated Sciences 0654·Biology
Human Nutrition
Key knowledge — Human Nutrition
Key facts & rules
- 7 components of diet: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, water, fibre.
- Digestion: physical (chewing, churning) and chemical (enzymes).
- Amylase: starch → maltose (mouth, small intestine).
- Protease (pepsin/trypsin): proteins → amino acids (stomach, small intestine).
- Lipase: lipids → glycerol + fatty acids (small intestine).
- Bile: produced by liver, stored in gall bladder, emulsifies fats (physical, not chemical digestion).
- Absorption occurs in the small intestine — villi increase surface area (large, moist, thin walls, good blood supply).
- Large intestine: absorbs water from undigested food.
- Vitamin C deficiency: scurvy. Vitamin D deficiency: rickets.
IGCSE Biology — Human nutrition
1199 Cambridge IGCSE 0654 biology past paper questions on human nutrition, organised by subtopic. Pick a subtopic to start practising.
About human nutrition on IGCSE 0654
A balanced diet, the human digestive system, mechanical and chemical digestion, enzymes and absorption. Questions often combine diagram labelling with explanation.