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The nutritional information for one medium serving (124 g) of sweet potato is provided in the table below - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 5 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 5
The nutritional information for one medium serving (124 g) of sweet potato is provided in the table below. Nutrient Per 124 g protein 2.0 g fat 3.0 g carbohydrates ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The nutritional information for one medium serving (124 g) of sweet potato is provided in the table below - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 5 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
Calculate the energy contained in one medium serving of sweet potato.
Answer
To calculate the energy contained in one medium serving of sweet potato, we can use the formula for calculating energy from macronutrients:
Substituting the values from the table:
Thus, the energy contained in one medium serving of sweet potato is 444 kJ.
Step 2
Explain, with reference to the chemistry, how boiling sweet potato in water may affect its level of vitamin D.
Answer
Boiling sweet potato in water can affect the level of vitamin D present. Vitamin D is a non-polar vitamin and is therefore fat/lipid soluble. This means that it does not dissolve in water but is absorbed by fats.
When sweet potato is boiled, a minimal amount of vitamin D may leach into the water, although the main effect is that vitamin D remains within the sweet potato tissue. The polar nature of water does not facilitate the extraction of this non-polar vitamin. Furthermore, since vitamin D is not thermally unstable, boiling will not denature the vitamin itself.
In summary, boiling sweet potato may cause minimal loss of vitamin D due to solubility, but since vitamin D is primarily stored in the sweet potato tissue, it remains largely intact.