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Botswana BGCSE Home Management study materials
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Botswana BGCSE Home Management practice questions

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Question 1Food and Nutrition

Which food group is the body's main source of quick energy and should form the base of most meals?

  1. Legumes and pulses such as beans and groundnuts
  2. Fats and oils such as sunflower oil
  3. Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach
  4. Cereals, roots and tubers such as sorghum, maize and sweet potato Correct answer.

Explanation

Cereals, roots and tubers are rich in carbohydrate, especially starch, which the body breaks down into glucose for energy. Because they are cheap and filling, they are used as the staple base of meals in Botswana. Legumes supply protein and vegetables supply vitamins, so they cannot replace the energy role of starchy staples.

Question 2Food and Nutrition

A learner wants to keep vitamin C in vegetables during cooking. Which practice best achieves this?

  1. Cutting the vegetables into small pieces and leaving them to soak
  2. Steaming the vegetables quickly in a small amount of water Correct answer.
  3. Adding bicarbonate of soda to the cooking water
  4. Boiling the vegetables for a long time in plenty of water

Explanation

Vitamin C dissolves in water and is destroyed by heat, so losses are greatest when vegetables are cooked long in large volumes of water. Quick steaming with little water shortens cooking time and limits leaching. Soaking and fine cutting increase the surface area exposed to water and oxygen, which also destroys the vitamin.

Question 3Food and Nutrition

Which mineral is most needed to build haemoglobin, and is supplied by dark green leafy vegetables and liver?

  1. Iodine
  2. Potassium
  3. Iron Correct answer.
  4. Calcium

Explanation

Iron is a component of haemoglobin, the pigment that carries oxygen in the blood. Dark green leafy vegetables, liver, meat and legumes are good sources. A shortage of iron leads to iron-deficiency anaemia, with tiredness and pallor.

Question 4Food and Nutrition

Why is it important to include a vitamin C source with a meal containing plant iron from beans?

  1. Vitamin C increases the absorption of non-haem iron Correct answer.
  2. Vitamin C destroys the phytates that provide energy
  3. Vitamin C replaces the need for protein in the meal
  4. Vitamin C converts the iron into fat for storage

Explanation

Iron in plant foods is non-haem iron, which is poorly absorbed because phytates and fibre bind it. Vitamin C taken at the same meal helps convert it into a more absorbable form and so improves uptake. This is why a meal of beans is often served with tomato or citrus.

Question 5Food and Nutrition

A family has maize meal but no milk or meat. Which addition would improve the protein quality of the meal most effectively?

  1. A serving of cabbage
  2. More cooking oil
  3. A serving of beans Correct answer.
  4. More sugar

Explanation

Maize protein is low in the amino acid lysine, while beans are low in methionine but rich in lysine. Combining the two cereals and legumes gives a mixture closer to the body's needs, a principle called protein complementation. Oil, sugar and cabbage add energy or vitamins but little protein.

Question 6Food and Nutrition

Which statement correctly describes the function of dietary fibre?

  1. It is stored in the liver as glycogen
  2. It is absorbed directly into the blood as amino acids
  3. It is digested to provide glucose for energy
  4. It adds bulk that helps prevent constipation Correct answer.

Explanation

Fibre is the indigestible part of plant foods, mainly cellulose. It holds water and adds bulk to the stool, encouraging peristalsis and preventing constipation. It is not digested, absorbed or stored as an energy nutrient.

Question 7Food and Nutrition

Which of these is a sign of dehydration rather than of a balanced diet?

  1. Bright eyes and moist lips
  2. Firm, well-formed stools passed daily
  3. Dark, strong-smelling urine and dry mouth Correct answer.
  4. Steady weight gain in a growing child

Explanation

When the body lacks water, the kidneys concentrate urine so it becomes dark and strong-smelling, and the mouth and skin feel dry. These are classic early signs of dehydration. The other options describe healthy states rather than a water shortage.

Question 8Food and Nutrition

A teenage girl is diagnosed with iron-deficiency anaemia. Which meal plan would best help her condition?

  1. Liver with dark green vegetables and orange juice Correct answer.
  2. Polished rice with boiled cabbage and black tea
  3. White bread with margarine and sweet tea
  4. Maize porridge with sugar and cooking oil

Explanation

Liver is very rich in haem iron, and dark green vegetables add more iron. Orange juice supplies vitamin C, which greatly improves iron absorption at the same meal. The combination therefore gives both a high iron intake and good absorption.

Question 9Food and Nutrition

Which change to a recipe would most reduce its fat content without spoiling the product?

  1. Serving larger portions of the same dish
  2. Grilling chicken instead of deep-frying it Correct answer.
  3. Adding extra sugar to mask the taste of oil
  4. Replacing some oil with an equal volume of water in a cake

Explanation

Grilling allows fat to drip away and uses no added frying oil, so the fat content of the food falls. Deep-frying adds a large amount of absorbed oil. Substituting water for oil in a cake changes texture and is not an equal replacement.

Question 10Food and Nutrition

What is the main reason for blanching vegetables before freezing them?

  1. To inactivate enzymes that cause loss of colour, texture and vitamins Correct answer.
  2. To make the vegetables absorb more oil when fried
  3. To increase the water content so the vegetables freeze faster
  4. To add flavour and colour to the vegetables

Explanation

Freezing stops microbial growth but does not stop enzymes, which continue to cause off-flavours, browning and vitamin loss during storage. Brief heating in boiling water destroys these enzymes. The vegetables must then be cooled quickly and drained before freezing.

Question 11Food and Nutrition

Dried beans are soaked overnight before cooking. What is the main purpose of this step?

  1. To sterilise the beans completely
  2. To remove all the protein from the beans
  3. To soften the beans and shorten cooking time Correct answer.
  4. To make the beans richer in vitamin C

Explanation

Soaking rehydrates the hard seed coat and softens the bean so it cooks in less time and fuel. It also leaches out some oligosaccharides that cause gas. Soaking does not remove protein or sterilise the food.

Question 12Food and Nutrition

Which practice best prevents food poisoning when preparing a chicken stew?

  1. Thawing the chicken on the kitchen counter overnight
  2. Storing raw chicken below cooked food and cooking it thoroughly Correct answer.
  3. Keeping the stew warm for several hours before serving
  4. Using the same board for raw chicken and salad without washing

Explanation

Raw chicken often carries bacteria such as Salmonella, which drip juices can spread to other foods. Storing it below cooked food prevents contamination, and thorough cooking kills the bacteria. Good thawing and separate boards for raw and ready-to-eat food are also essential.

Question 13Food and Nutrition

Why should a person with high blood pressure reduce the amount of salt in the diet?

  1. Salt causes the body to retain water and raises blood pressure Correct answer.
  2. Salt prevents the absorption of calcium in the bones
  3. Salt raises the level of sugar in the blood
  4. Salt destroys vitamins in the digestive tract

Explanation

Sodium from salt makes the body hold extra water, which increases the volume of blood and raises blood pressure. Cutting salt and salty snacks therefore helps control hypertension. Salt does not directly raise blood sugar or destroy vitamins.

Question 14Food and Nutrition

A child with kwashiorkor is likely to show which set of signs?

  1. Bowed legs and soft, deformed bones
  2. Night blindness and dry eyes
  3. Swollen abdomen and legs with thin, sparse hair Correct answer.
  4. Extreme wasting with no swelling and a good appetite

Explanation

Kwashiorkor results from a diet low in protein, often with adequate energy. Low blood protein reduces the pull that keeps fluid in the vessels, so fluid collects and causes oedema of the legs and abdomen. Hair and skin changes are also typical.

Question 15Food and Nutrition

Which food is the most concentrated source of calcium for a person who cannot drink milk?

  1. Cooked white rice
  2. Peeled oranges
  3. Small dried fish eaten with the bones Correct answer.
  4. Refined cooking oil

Explanation

Small fish eaten whole, bones included, are very rich in calcium, which is why they are recommended where milk is scarce or unsuitable. Rice, fruit and oil contain very little calcium. Dark green vegetables and legumes also contribute some.

Question 16Food and Nutrition

When baking bread, why is the dough left in a warm place to rise?

  1. To allow yeast to ferment sugars and produce carbon dioxide Correct answer.
  2. To melt the fat so the crust becomes soft
  3. To let the flour absorb extra water from the air
  4. To kill the yeast so the bread keeps longer

Explanation

Yeast feeds on sugars in the dough and ferments them, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol. The trapped gas stretches the gluten network and makes the dough rise. Warmth speeds up this fermentation, while very high heat would kill the yeast.

Question 17Food and Nutrition

Which method of cooking uses the least fat and is therefore suitable for a person on a low-fat diet?

  1. Deep-frying
  2. Steaming Correct answer.
  3. Sautéing
  4. Shallow-frying

Explanation

Steaming cooks food by the heat of steam from boiling water and uses no added fat at all. Frying methods, whether deep or shallow, add fat to the food. Steaming also helps retain water-soluble vitamins because the food does not sit in water.

Question 18Food and Nutrition

A family wants to store surplus tomatoes for several months without a refrigerator. Which method is most suitable?

  1. Wrapping each tomato in a plastic bag and keeping it warm
  2. Placing them in a bowl of water on the table
  3. Leaving them in an open basket in the sun
  4. Sun-drying or making them into a sauce that is bottled and sealed Correct answer.

Explanation

Drying removes the water that microorganisms need, and heat-processed sealed sauce excludes air and kills spoilage organisms, so both keep tomatoes for months. Warm, moist conditions encourage mould and rotting. Tomatoes left in the sun in an open basket spoil quickly.

Question 19Food and Nutrition

Which combination would provide a complete source of protein in one meal?

  1. Sweet tea with white bread
  2. Rice served with beans Correct answer.
  3. Maize meal porridge eaten alone
  4. Boiled cabbage with margarine

Explanation

Cereals such as rice are low in lysine, while legumes such as beans are rich in lysine but low in methionine. Eaten together, the two foods supply amino acids that complement each other and approach the quality of animal protein. Single plant foods or sugary meals do not achieve this.

Question 20Food and Nutrition

Which nutrient deficiency causes night blindness and dry eyes?

  1. Vitamin K
  2. Vitamin C
  3. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
  4. Vitamin A Correct answer.

Explanation

Vitamin A is needed to make rhodopsin, the pigment that lets the eye adapt to dim light. A shortage causes night blindness and, if prolonged, dryness and damage of the cornea. Liver, eggs, orange fruits and dark green leaves are good sources.

Question 21Food and Nutrition

Why is it recommended to cool cooked food quickly and refrigerate it rather than leave it at room temperature for hours?

  1. Cooling food removes all its water content
  2. Warm food absorbs more nutrients from the air
  3. Refrigeration improves the flavour of all cooked foods
  4. Bacteria multiply fastest in the warm temperature range Correct answer.

Explanation

Bacteria reproduce most rapidly between about 5 and 60 degrees Celsius, so food left warm for hours can become unsafe. Cooling quickly and refrigerating limits the time food spends in this danger zone. Refrigeration slows, but does not stop, bacterial growth.

Question 22Food and Nutrition

A pregnant woman is advised to eat more foods rich in folate and iron. Which meal best meets this advice?

  1. Cake with tea and milk
  2. Dark green leafy vegetables with liver and citrus fruit Correct answer.
  3. Sweet potatoes with sugar and margarine
  4. White rice with fried chicken and fizzy drink

Explanation

Dark green leafy vegetables are rich in folate and also supply iron, while liver is one of the best sources of both iron and folate. Citrus fruit adds vitamin C, which improves iron absorption. This combination therefore supports the increased needs of pregnancy.

Question 23Food and Nutrition

Which statement best explains why adolescent boys and girls need more energy and protein than younger children?

  1. They eat less food than younger children
  2. They are growing rapidly and building new body tissue Correct answer.
  3. They sleep more hours each night
  4. Their bodies no longer need vitamins

Explanation

Adolescence is a period of rapid growth, including the growth spurt and muscle development, which requires extra energy and protein to build new tissue. Iron needs also rise, especially for girls after menstruation begins. The other statements are not true of this stage.

Question 24Food and Nutrition

A cake recipe lists self-raising flour. A baker only has plain flour. What should be added to give a similar result?

  1. Baking powder in the correct proportion Correct answer.
  2. More milk to make the batter thinner
  3. Extra sugar and a little salt
  4. Extra fat to make the cake richer

Explanation

Self-raising flour already contains baking powder, which releases carbon dioxide to raise the cake. Plain flour lacks this raising agent, so baking powder must be added in roughly the correct proportion. Sugar, milk and fat affect sweetness, moisture and texture but do not provide gas.

Question 25Food and Nutrition

Why should a person suffering from diarrhoea be given oral rehydration solution rather than plain water alone?

  1. The solution replaces water and lost salts in the correct balance Correct answer.
  2. Plain water is absorbed too slowly to be useful
  3. Plain water contains too much salt for the body
  4. The solution stops all digestion in the stomach

Explanation

Diarrhoea causes loss of both water and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. Oral rehydration solution contains these salts with glucose, which helps the intestine absorb water efficiently. Plain water replaces fluid but not the lost salts.

Question 26Food and Nutrition

Which of these foods is the richest source of vitamin C?

  1. Cooking oil
  2. White maize meal
  3. Fresh guava Correct answer.
  4. Dried beans

Explanation

Vitamin C is found mainly in fresh fruits and vegetables, and guava is particularly rich in it. Cereals, legumes and oils contain little or no vitamin C, so they cannot supply this nutrient.

Question 27Food and Nutrition

Which mineral is needed in larger amounts during pregnancy to help build the baby's bones and teeth?

  1. Sodium
  2. Calcium Correct answer.
  3. Iodine
  4. Copper

Explanation

Calcium is the main mineral in bones and teeth, so the mother's intake must rise to supply the growing fetus. Iodine, sodium and copper are needed in much smaller amounts and serve different functions.

Question 28Food and Nutrition

What is the main role of vitamin A in the diet?

  1. It prevents scurvy.
  2. It acts as the body's main source of energy.
  3. It helps maintain healthy eyesight and skin. Correct answer.
  4. It builds muscle tissue directly.

Explanation

Vitamin A is needed for the visual pigment in the retina and for keeping skin and mucous membranes healthy. It does not supply energy, build muscle, or prevent scurvy, which is caused by lack of vitamin C.

Question 29Food and Nutrition

Which food group should form the largest part of a healthy daily diet?

  1. Meat and fish
  2. Starchy staples such as sorghum and maize Correct answer.
  3. Milk and cheese
  4. Fatty and sugary foods

Explanation

Starchy staples supply most of the energy needed each day and should be eaten at every main meal. Fatty and sugary foods should be limited, while meat, fish and dairy are eaten in moderate amounts.

Question 30Food and Nutrition

Which of these is a good source of complete protein?

  1. Eggs Correct answer.
  2. Cassava
  3. Cabbage
  4. Palm oil

Explanation

Complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids in adequate amounts, and eggs are an excellent example. Cassava and cabbage lack some essential amino acids, and palm oil contains no protein at all.

Question 31Food and Nutrition

Which drink is most suitable to give a child who has just finished a long, hot sports session?

  1. A fizzy cola drink
  2. Concentrated orange squash
  3. Cool water Correct answer.
  4. Strong black coffee

Explanation

Water replaces lost fluid quickly and is absorbed easily without adding sugar or stimulants. Coffee and cola contain caffeine, and concentrated squash is very sugary, so they are less suitable for rehydration.

Question 32Food and Nutrition

Which practice helps to keep a refrigerator safe and efficient?

  1. Opening the door often to check the food
  2. Storing raw meat above cooked food
  3. Keeping the refrigerator between 0 °C and 5 °C Correct answer.
  4. Packing food tightly against the back wall

Explanation

Bacteria multiply slowly at temperatures between 0 °C and 5 °C, so this range keeps food safe. Packing food tightly, frequent door opening and storing raw meat above cooked food all increase the risk of spoilage or cross-contamination.

Question 33Food and Nutrition

Which of these meals is the best source of dietary fibre?

  1. Grilled chicken with white rice
  2. Wholemeal bread with baked beans Correct answer.
  3. White bread with margarine
  4. Boiled eggs with white rolls

Explanation

Fibre is found in whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, and wholemeal bread with baked beans is rich in both. White bread, white rice and white rolls are refined and contain little fibre, while eggs and chicken contain none.

Question 34Food and Nutrition

Why is it important to eat foods rich in vitamin C together with foods containing iron from plants?

  1. Vitamin C increases the absorption of plant iron. Correct answer.
  2. Vitamin C adds extra iron to the meal.
  3. Vitamin C destroys harmful bacteria in the food.
  4. Vitamin C prevents the iron from being digested.

Explanation

Plant iron is poorly absorbed on its own, but vitamin C helps convert it to a form that the body can take up more easily. It does not add iron, kill bacteria, or block digestion.

Question 35Food and Nutrition

A baker wants to make a plain sponge cake without using eggs. Which ingredient would best replace the egg's role in trapping air and binding the mixture?

  1. Whisked aquafaba (chickpea water) Correct answer.
  2. Extra cooking oil
  3. Cornflour
  4. Cold water

Explanation

Aquafaba can be whisked into a foam that traps air and helps bind the batter, much as egg white does. Oil adds fat but no structure, water adds no air, and cornflour thickens without providing the same aerating and binding effect.

Question 36Food and Nutrition

Why does kneading bread dough improve the final loaf?

  1. It adds air bubbles that make the bread heavy.
  2. It removes all the starch from the flour.
  3. It develops gluten, which gives the bread structure and elasticity. Correct answer.
  4. It kills the yeast so the dough stops rising.

Explanation

Kneading stretches and aligns the gluten proteins so the dough becomes elastic and can hold the gas produced by yeast. It does not kill yeast, remove starch, or aim to make the bread heavy.

Question 37Food and Nutrition

A family has a large harvest of green leafy vegetables. Which method best preserves their vitamin content for later use?

  1. Storing in a warm cupboard
  2. Boiling for a long time and leaving at room temperature
  3. Drying in strong direct sunlight for several days
  4. Blanching quickly and freezing Correct answer.

Explanation

Quick blanching destroys enzymes that cause vitamin loss and freezing then preserves the vegetables. Long boiling leaches vitamins into the water, sun-drying destroys much vitamin C, and warm storage speeds up spoilage.

Question 38Food and Nutrition

Which statement best explains why leftover cooked rice should be cooled quickly and eaten within a short time?

  1. Warm, moist rice allows bacteria to multiply and produce toxins. Correct answer.
  2. Cooling rice destroys all its vitamins.
  3. Rice becomes poisonous as soon as it is cooked.
  4. Rice should always be eaten hot to be digested.

Explanation

Cooked rice is moist and warm, conditions that allow bacteria such as Bacillus cereus to grow and form toxins. Rapid cooling and prompt eating reduce the time the rice spends in the danger zone.

Question 39Food and Nutrition

A person following a vegan diet needs a reliable source of vitamin B12. Which food would best meet this need?

  1. Fortified plant milk Correct answer.
  2. Groundnuts
  3. Wholemeal bread
  4. Fresh spinach

Explanation

Vitamin B12 occurs naturally almost only in animal foods, so vegans rely on fortified products such as plant milks or supplements. Spinach, wholemeal bread and groundnuts do not contain reliable amounts of B12.

Question 40Food and Nutrition

Why is it advisable to add a little fat to a meal containing carrots?

  1. Fat adds vitamin C to the meal.
  2. Fat softens the carrots so they cook faster.
  3. Fat prevents the carrots from browning.
  4. Fat helps the body absorb beta-carotene from the carrots. Correct answer.

Explanation

Beta-carotene is a fat-soluble substance, so some fat in the meal improves its absorption. Fat does not supply vitamin C, and cooking speed or browning are not the main nutritional reason.

Question 41Food and Nutrition

Which change would make a family's diet more heart-healthy?

  1. Replacing some red meat with oily fish Correct answer.
  2. Adding more salt to all cooked foods
  3. Frying foods in deep oil daily
  4. Increasing sugar in drinks

Explanation

Oily fish provides omega-3 fats that support heart health, and replacing some red meat lowers saturated fat intake. More salt raises blood pressure, deep frying adds fat, and sugary drinks add empty energy.

Question 42Food and Nutrition

A mother wants to prepare a cheap, nutritious meal for her family using mostly plant foods. Which combination gives the best protein quality?

  1. Pumpkin with cooking oil
  2. Maize meal porridge with beans Correct answer.
  3. Cassava with tomato
  4. White rice with cabbage

Explanation

Cereals such as maize are low in lysine, while legumes such as beans are rich in lysine, so eating them together gives a better balance of amino acids. The other combinations lack a complementary protein partner.

Question 43Food and Nutrition

Which statement explains why a child recovering from measles needs extra energy and protein?

  1. Measles prevents the body from storing fat.
  2. Extra food makes the virus spread faster.
  3. Infection increases the body's need for nutrients to repair tissue. Correct answer.
  4. Illness reduces the body's need for nutrients.

Explanation

During infection the body uses more energy and protein to fight the illness and repair damaged tissue, so intake must increase. Illness does not reduce nutrient needs, and extra food does not spread the virus.

Question 44Food and Nutrition

Which practice best preserves the vitamin C in vegetables during cooking?

  1. Adding bicarbonate of soda to the cooking water
  2. Soaking in water overnight before cooking
  3. Boiling in plenty of water for a long time
  4. Steaming quickly in a small amount of water Correct answer.

Explanation

Vitamin C is water-soluble and heat-sensitive, so quick steaming with little water minimises losses. Long boiling, soaking and adding bicarbonate all increase the destruction or leaching of vitamin C.

Question 45Food and Nutrition

A family has limited money and wants to improve their iron intake. Which choice gives the most iron for the least cost?

  1. Fresh beef steak
  2. Imported breakfast cereals
  3. Canned fish
  4. Dried beans and dark green leafy vegetables Correct answer.

Explanation

Dried beans and dark green leafy vegetables are inexpensive local foods that provide useful amounts of iron. Imported cereals, beef steak and canned fish are usually more costly sources.

Question 46Food and Nutrition

Which statement best explains why exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of life?

  1. Breast milk provides all the fluid and nutrients a baby needs in a form that is easy to digest. Correct answer.
  2. Breast milk contains no antibodies.
  3. Breast milk needs to be supplemented with water from birth.
  4. Breast milk is cheaper than any other food.

Explanation

Breast milk supplies the right balance of nutrients and fluid, plus antibodies that protect against infection. Cost is a benefit but not the main health reason, and breast milk does contain antibodies.

Question 47Food and Nutrition

A recipe for a fruit salad is to be served to a person with diabetes. Which adjustment is most appropriate?

  1. Serve a large portion of dried fruit
  2. Use fresh fruit and avoid adding sugar syrup Correct answer.
  3. Use only canned fruit in heavy syrup
  4. Add extra honey to sweeten the fruit

Explanation

Fresh fruit provides natural sugars along with fibre, which slows sugar absorption, and avoiding added syrup keeps the total sugar lower. Honey, heavy syrup and large portions of dried fruit add concentrated sugar.

Question 48Food and Nutrition

Which of these is the best explanation for why a person with coeliac disease must avoid wheat, barley and rye?

  1. These grains contain too much vitamin C.
  2. These grains contain gluten, which damages the lining of the small intestine in coeliac disease. Correct answer.
  3. These grains are always contaminated with bacteria.
  4. These grains are the only sources of carbohydrate.

Explanation

In coeliac disease, gluten triggers an immune reaction that damages the villi of the small intestine and reduces nutrient absorption. The problem is gluten, not bacteria, vitamin C or carbohydrate in general.

Question 49Food and Nutrition

A family cooks a large pot of stew and wants to keep it safe for the next day without a refrigerator. Which plan is safest?

  1. Cool the stew slowly in a warm room and eat it cold
  2. Leave the covered pot on the stove overnight
  3. Bring the stew to a rolling boil, cover it, and reheat thoroughly before eating Correct answer.
  4. Add extra salt and leave the pot uncovered

Explanation

Reheating the stew to a rolling boil kills many bacteria that may have multiplied, and keeping it covered reduces contamination. Leaving it warm overnight, slow cooling, or relying on salt alone allows bacteria to grow.

Question 50Food and Nutrition

Which statement best explains why a person with severe malnutrition may need to be fed small, frequent meals rather than one large meal?

  1. Large meals contain no nutrients.
  2. Small meals are always cheaper to prepare.
  3. Small frequent meals are easier to digest and help the body adapt gradually to food. Correct answer.
  4. Frequent meals prevent the body from absorbing any food.

Explanation

In severe malnutrition the digestive system and metabolism are weakened, so small frequent feeds are better tolerated and allow gradual recovery. Large meals are not nutrient-free, and frequent meals do not block absorption.