Nutrients are chemical compounds in foods that supply energy for body functions, build and replace cells that make up body tissues, and regulate body processes.
- Fats
- Proteins
- Minerals
- Vitamins
- Carbohydrates
- Water
Are six categories of nutrients. The amount of each nutrient needed daily is different from person to person, depending on their age, sex, general health, and level of activity.
Calorie is a unit of measurement of energy. Calorie is used to measure how much energy certain foods supply for energy to the body and without enough food energy you will not live very long. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats can be used by the body to supply energy. 1 gram of carbohydrates supplies 4 calories, 1 gram of protein supplies 4 calories, 1 gram of fat supplies 9 calories. You will gain weight if you eat more calories than you burn, and you will lose weight if you burn more calories than you eat. You should avoid empty calories if you are trying to lose weight while still maintaining good nutrition and health. Empty calorie foods are foods that provide few nutrients per calorie. Some foods high in nutrients are fruits, vegetables, and whole grain.
Carbohydrates are compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms bound together in chains of different lengths. Sugars are simple carbohydrates, simple sugars like glucose, contain 6 carbon atoms. Table sugar like sucrose are larger and contain 12 carbon atoms. Starches are a more complex carbohydrate that consists of long chains of simple sugars bound together and can be found in foods like grains, bread, peas, beans, and many vegetables and fruits. The most important source of food energy to the body are carbohydrates. If fats are burned in your body with no carbohydrates present, your body will begin to develop a toxic compound called ketone bodies. Then you will develop a condition called ketosis inside your body if too many ketone bodies are produced; ketosis can be fatal, because it stops the blood from being able to carry oxygen properly. About 50 to 100 grams of carbohydrates are needed every day to prevent ketosis. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains are better than consuming simple carbohydrates like sugars and sweets, because complex carbohydrates also have more of other nutrients, while simple carbohydrates have little other nutrients to offer. Complex carbohydrates like grains are also a good source of fiber. Fiber is a group of carbohydrates that cannot be absorbed and used by the body; so fiber will supply no energy to the body but it is important to have fiber in your diet, because it helps the body eliminate waste and helps the intestinal tract to function properly. It is also proven that fibers in your diet will help you to prevent some cancers and decrease the cholesterol in the blood. Fruits, vegetables, raw and whole grains are a good source of fiber.
Fats supply a lot of energy to the body and carries vitamins A, D, E, and K through the body. So despite the bad reputation for fats, some fats are necessary in yor diet. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature, animal products like meats, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products are a major source of saturated fats. Saturated fats are believed to contribute a lot to heart disease and other health problems. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. These fats are considered more healthy than saturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils like corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil and cotton seed oil. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil and canola oil. Both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are found in plant products and whole grains and fruits. Trans fats are another group of saturated fats, they mostly come from fats that have been hydrogenated. Hydrogenated Trans fats fats are fats that are changed from liquid to solid by adding hydrogen atoms to the fat molecules. This process makes products like shortening and margarine. Trans fats limit the body’s ability to rid itself of cholesterol that builds up on the walls of arteries. Fats are members of a group of compounds called lipids. Cholesterol are another kind of lipid found in the body. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that has been closely linked with heart disease, becuase it collects on the walls of arteries and blocks the flow of blood to the heart and other vital organs. Cholesterol is high in animal products like egg yolks, butterfat, and organ meats like liver. Your body is able to collect all the cholesterol it needs, so it is better to keep the cholesterol in your diet as low as possible. Believe it or not some monounsaturated fat, like olive oil, may be able to lower the level of harmful cholesterol in the body.
Proteins are the building blocks in the body. Proteins can also be used for energy if the diet does not contain enough carbohydrates and fats. Proteins consist of long chains of smaller compounds called amino acids, there are 20 amino acids in all that are needed in the body. Your body is able to produce 11 of these 20 amino acids, but your body must get the other nine amino acids from the food you eat. Complete proteins are food proteins that have all nine amino acids that you need in your body. Poultry, meat, fish, eggs and dairy products have complete proteins. Any protein that does not have all nine of the essential amino acids you need are called incomplete proteins. Food proteins like nuts, grains, and dried beans are incomplete proteins. Complementary proteins are foods that when you eat them together supply all the amino acids your body needs. An example of a complete protein is a tortilla topped with chili beans, the chili beans supplies the amino acids that the tortilla is lacking. The average adult needs 50 to 60 grams of proteins a day, but too much protein in a diet can cause a lot of health problems like kidney and liver damage.
Vitamins unlike proteins, fats, and carbohydrates supply no energy for the body, but some vitamins must be present so the energy in your body can be used properly. Vitamins are either water soluble or fat soluble, water soluble vitamins like Vitamin B and Vitamin C, are not stored in the body and should be eaten every day. Vitamins are present in foods in very small quantities, so extra care needs to be taken when cooking foods with vitamins so the vitamins do not dissolve and get lost. Fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K can be stored in the body so they do not need to be eaten everyday. Too much consumption of these vitamins can result in toxic levels of the vitamin stored in the tissues.
Minerals that must be eaten in large amounts are called major minerals, about 100 milligrams daily. Minerals that must be eaten in small amounts are called trace minerals. Major minerals include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, sulfur and potassiium. Trace minerals include chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum.
Water is important for all of the body’s functions, digestion, delivery of nutrients, waste removal, and cushioning of joints and tissues. Your body has up to 50 to 60 percent water by weight in it. Daily water intake is different from person to person depending on their age, level of activity and more. The standard recommendation for daily water intake is 8 glasses of water per day.
Carbohydrates/ Source: grains, breads, pasta, beans, potatoes, corn, sugar/ Main source of energy,
Fats/ Source: meats, poultry, fish, milk and cheese, eggs, salad dressings/ Supplies food energy.
Proteins/ Source: meats, poultry, fish, milk and cheese, some nuts/ supplies energy, makes up enzymes and hormones.
Vitamin A/ Source: liver, butter and cream, egg yolks, fruits, vegetables/ Helps skin and eyes.
Vitamin C/ Source: citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, dark green leafy vegetables/ Strengthens body tissues to help healing and resistance to infection.
Vitamin D/ Milk products/ promotes healthy bones, teeth and muscle tissue.
Vitamin E/ Vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains/ helps other nutrients.
Calcium/ Milk products leafy vegetables, canned fish with bones/ helps keep bones and teeth strong.
Iron/ Liver, red meat, raisins, egg yolk, beans, grains, leafy vegetables/ helps red blood.