Foods and Nutrition: JAMB Home Economics Questions, Answers & Notes

What Foods and Nutrition covers in the JAMB Home Economics syllabus

Food is any substance eaten to nourish the body, and nutrition is the study of food and how the body uses it. There are six classes of food: carbohydrates (energy — rice, yam, bread), proteins (growth and repair — meat, fish, beans, eggs), fats and oils (concentrated energy and insulation), vitamins and minerals (protective — fighting disease), and water (digestion, transport of nutrients, temperature regulation). Foods are grouped by function into energy-giving (carbohydrates, fats), body-building (proteins) and protective (vitamins, minerals). Key nutrients include vitamin C (citrus fruits), calcium (strong bones and teeth) and iron (healthy blood; its lack causes anaemia). A balanced diet contains all the classes in the right proportions, and eating a variety of foods ensures complete nutrient intake. Lack of a nutrient causes deficiency diseases — e.g. protein deficiency (kwashiorkor) and vitamin A deficiency (night blindness). The main point: eat a balanced diet for good health.

For Foods and Nutrition, JAMB expects you to be able to:

• Define food/nutrition and list the six classes of food
• Explain each class's function (energy, body-building, protective) and key sources
• Explain a balanced diet and common deficiency diseases

Key facts & revision notes: Foods and Nutrition

These are the recurring points our Foods and Nutrition questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.

• Food is any substance taken in to nourish the body.
• Nutrition is the study of food and how the body uses it for health and growth.
• The classes of food are carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oils, vitamins, minerals and water.
• rice, yam, bread) are the body's main source of energy.
• meat, fish, beans, eggs) are needed for growth and repair of body tissues.
• Fats and oils give concentrated energy and help insulate (warm) the body.
• Vitamins and minerals are protective foods that keep the body healthy and fight disease.
• Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits (oranges, lemons) and many fresh vegetables.
• Calcium is a mineral needed for strong bones and teeth.
• Iron is needed to form healthy blood (haemoglobin); its lack causes anaemia.
• Water aids digestion, transports nutrients and helps regulate body temperature.
• A balanced diet contains all the classes of food in the right proportions.
• Severe protein deficiency in children can cause kwashiorkor.
• Vitamin A deficiency can cause poor vision and night blindness.
• Body-building foods are rich in protein (meat, fish, eggs, beans).
• Energy-giving foods are rich in carbohydrates and fats/oils.
• Eating a variety of foods helps ensure a complete, balanced intake of all nutrients.
• A disease caused by lack of a nutrient is called a deficiency disease (e.g.
• Beans are a good source of protein.
• The main point of foods and nutrition is to eat a balanced diet of all food classes for good health.

Worked examples

Three Foods and Nutrition questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.

How Foods and Nutrition is tested in JAMB Home Economics

Our Foods and Nutrition bank holds 20 questions (3 easy, 12 medium, 5 hard). JAMB Home Economics typically returns to Foods and Nutrition year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.

How to answer Foods and Nutrition questions

Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on Foods and Nutrition. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Home Economics item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at Foods and Nutrition is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.

Common mistakes to avoid in Foods and Nutrition

The errors that cost marks on Foods and Nutrition are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise Foods and Nutrition actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is Foods and Nutrition part of the JAMB Home Economics syllabus?

Yes. Foods and Nutrition is a recognised topic in the JAMB Home Economics syllabus, covering define food/nutrition and list the six classes of food. You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.

How many Foods and Nutrition questions can I practise on Belmadeng?

There are 20 original, JAMB-standard Foods and Nutrition questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.

What are the most important points to know about Foods and Nutrition?

Food is any substance eaten to nourish the body, and nutrition is the study of food and how the body uses it. There are six classes of food: carbohydrates (energy — rice, yam, bread), proteins (growth and repair — meat, fish, beans, eggs), fats and oils (concentrated energy and insulation), vitamins…

How do I answer Foods and Nutrition questions quickly in JAMB?

Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for Foods and Nutrition. Practising timed Foods and Nutrition questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.

Are these JAMB Home Economics Foods and Nutrition questions past questions or original?

They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.

Where can I practise Foods and Nutrition questions free without signing up?

Right here — tap “Start Foods and Nutrition practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.

About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Home Economics syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.