Q110. What is the first nutrient-rich secretion of the mammary glands after childbirth?
[SSC CGL, 12 Apr 2022, Evening]
- (a) Sebum
- (b) Synovia
- (c) Colostrum
- (d) Cerumen
Answer: (c) Colostrum
Explanation: Colostrum is the early milk produced after delivery. It contains concentrated immune factors, including secretory antibodies, and nutrients that benefit newborns. Sebum is a skin secretion, synovia lubricates joints, and cerumen is earwax.
Q109. Deficiency of which vitamin causes rickets in children?
[CDS-I General Knowledge, 10 Apr 2022]
- (a) Vitamin C
- (b) Vitamin D
- (c) Vitamin A
- (d) Vitamin B
Answer: (b) Vitamin D
Explanation: Vitamin D supports calcium and phosphate absorption and adequate bone mineralisation. A sustained shortage during skeletal growth can cause rickets, with bowed legs and soft bones. Vitamin C deficiency instead causes scurvy.
Q108. Which vitamin is identified in this exam as being produced by intestinal bacteria?
[NDA-II General Ability Test, 14 Nov 2021]
- (a) Vitamin E
- (b) Vitamin C
- (c) Vitamin B12
- (d) Vitamin A
Answer: (c) Vitamin B12
Explanation: Some intestinal microorganisms make cobalamin, a bacterial biosynthetic product. However, B12 produced in the human colon is generally not absorbed in nutritionally useful amounts because absorption occurs mainly upstream in the ileum.
Q107. Which named vitamin is crucial for normal vision?
[UPPSC PCS Prelims GS-I, 24 Oct 2021]
- (a) Folic acid
- (b) Riboflavin
- (c) Niacin
- (d) Retinol
Answer: (d) Retinol
Explanation: Retinol and related retinoids are forms of vitamin A. Retinal is necessary for forming rhodopsin in rod photoreceptors, enabling vision in low light. Deficiency can cause night blindness and ocular-surface abnormalities.
Q106. Assertion: the human body makes all vitamins;
Reason: vitamins are essential for normal growth.
Which is right?
[UPPSC PCS Prelims GS-I, 24 Oct 2021]
- (a) Both true, R explains A
- (b) Both true, R does not explain A
- (c) A true, R false
- (d) A false, R true
Answer: (d) A false, R true
Explanation: Humans cannot synthesise every essential vitamin adequately, making the assertion false. Vitamins are indispensable for growth and metabolic maintenance, making the reason true. Some exceptions include skin production of vitamin D after ultraviolet exposure.
Q105. Which vitamin and dietary source pairing is incorrectly matched?
[UPPSC PCS Prelims GS-I, 24 Oct 2021]
- (a) Vitamin A — orange
- (b) Vitamin C — lemon
- (c) Vitamin D — cod-liver oil
- (d) Vitamin B6 — rice bran
Answer: (a) Vitamin A — orange
Explanation: Oranges are particularly associated with vitamin C, whereas carotenoid-rich carrots, mangoes and some leafy vegetables are better-known provitamin A sources. Lemon, cod-liver oil and rice bran correspond to the other listed nutrient associations.
Q104. Starch and table sugar are both examples of which broad nutrient category?
[SSC MTS, 6 Oct 2021, Morning]
- (a) Protein
- (b) Fat
- (c) Vitamins
- (d) Carbohydrates
Answer: (d) Carbohydrates
Explanation: Starch is a polysaccharide, whereas sucrose is a disaccharide. Both belong to the carbohydrate family and can be digested to absorbable sugars for energy. Dietary fibre is another carbohydrate category, though mostly resistant to human digestion.
Q103. Which foods are major vitamin and mineral sources in a vegetarian diet?
[NDA-I General Ability Test, 18 Apr 2021]
- (a) Black gram and wheat
- (b) Rice and mustard
- (c) Vegetables and fruits
- (d) Soyabean and milk
Answer: (c) Vegetables and fruits
Explanation: Fruits and vegetables supply many vitamins, minerals, plant pigments and dietary fibre. Their exact contributions differ: citrus fruit supplies vitamin C, leafy vegetables folate, and coloured vegetables carotenoids. Diverse food groups remain necessary for balance.
Q102. Which food among banana, pulses, egg and fish is regarded as the best source of all essential amino acids in the item?
[UPPSC RO/ARO Prelims, 2021]
- (a) Banana
- (b) Pulses
- (c) Egg
- (d) Fish
Answer: (c) Egg
Explanation: Egg protein is commonly used as a high-quality reference because its amino-acid profile is complete and highly digestible. Fish is also a complete protein, but this question ranks egg highest on the conventional biological-value comparison.
Q101. Which offered pair consists entirely of fat-soluble vitamins?
[RAS/RTS Prelims, 2021]
- (a) C and E
- (b) A and C
- (c) A and D
- (d) B12 and D
Answer: (c) A and D
Explanation: The four fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K. Vitamins B12 and C are water-soluble. These groups differ in absorption and storage, with dietary fat supporting absorption of A and D.
