NP Nutrition & Diet Therapy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which dietary approach is the foundation of naturopathic nutritional therapy for managing type 2 diabetes?
- High-carbohydrate, low-fat diet
- Low-glycemic, whole-food plant-rich diet (Correct answer)
- High-protein ketogenic diet
- Calorie-unrestricted Mediterranean diet
Correct answer: Low-glycemic, whole-food plant-rich diet
A low-glycemic, whole-food, plant-rich diet minimizes postprandial glucose spikes and supports insulin sensitivity, forming the dietary foundation for type 2 diabetes management.
Question 2: Which vitamin requires adequate dietary fat for optimal absorption?
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin K (Correct answer)
- Thiamine
Correct answer: Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin (along with A, D, and E) that requires dietary fat and bile for adequate intestinal absorption.
Question 3: A patient following a strict vegan diet is at greatest risk of deficiency in which combination of nutrients?
- Vitamin C, potassium, and folate
- Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and omega-3 DHA (Correct answer)
- Magnesium, selenium, and vitamin A
- Thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin
Correct answer: Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and omega-3 DHA
Vegans face the highest risk of deficiency in B12, heme-iron, zinc, and DHA/EPA because these nutrients are most bioavailable from animal sources.
Question 4: In therapeutic nutrition, which dietary fiber type is most effective for lowering LDL cholesterol?
- Insoluble fiber from wheat bran
- Soluble fiber such as beta-glucan and pectin (Correct answer)
- Resistant starch from green bananas
- Cellulose from raw vegetables
Correct answer: Soluble fiber such as beta-glucan and pectin
Soluble fibers like beta-glucan and pectin form a gel in the gut that binds bile acids and reduces LDL cholesterol reabsorption.
Question 5: Which dietary intervention is most appropriate as first-line naturopathic therapy for a patient with iron-deficiency anemia who is not vegetarian?
- High-dose iron supplementation immediately
- Increasing dietary heme iron and pairing non-heme iron with vitamin C (Correct answer)
- Eliminating all dairy from the diet
- Starting a raw food protocol
Correct answer: Increasing dietary heme iron and pairing non-heme iron with vitamin C
Heme iron from animal sources has higher bioavailability, and pairing non-heme iron with vitamin C enhances absorption, representing a food-first naturopathic approach.
Question 6: Which food component is primarily responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects associated with turmeric?
- Quercetin
- Curcumin (Correct answer)
- Resveratrol
- Lycopene
Correct answer: Curcumin
Curcumin is the primary bioactive polyphenol in turmeric responsible for its anti-inflammatory effects through NF-kB pathway inhibition.
Question 7: A naturopathic physician is counseling a postmenopausal patient about bone health nutrition. Which combination is most important to emphasize?
- Vitamin C and iron
- Calcium and vitamin D (Correct answer)
- B vitamins and magnesium
- Zinc and selenium
Correct answer: Calcium and vitamin D
Calcium provides bone mineral density while vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone remodeling, making this combination foundational for postmenopausal bone health.
NP Nutrition & Diet Therapy 2
Which dietary approach is the foundation of naturopathic nutritional therapy for managing type 2 diabetes?