Nutrients are food components that provide energy for humans and other living things, including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Calcium is vital for strong bones and teeth. It also aids nerve and muscle function. Sources of calcium include pudding, milk, yoghurt and leafy vegetables.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are one of the body’s primary energy sources. Contained within carbohydrates are sugar units that your body breaks down quickly for energy boost. Examples include the naturally occurring sugars found in milk and fruit as well as sucrose (common table sugar) and lactose found in dairy. Processed foods made with flour and refined sugar also contain plenty of carbohydrates.
Eating carbohydrates in moderation is important because each gram provides four calories. Too much processed and added sugars can contribute to obesity, high glycemic index levels and health issues like heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver disease. Healthy sources of carbohydrates such as starchy vegetables, beans, grains and fruit all offer essential dietary fiber which promotes digestion health as well as blood sugar regulation.
Calcium
Calcium has long been recognized for its vital role in building strong bones. But calcium also assists blood vessels with expanding and contracting, muscles move, nerves transmit messages, glands produce hormones, and may provide protection from high blood pressure and cancer.
Calcium accounts for almost all of our body’s calcium stores, providing strength and structure to bones and teeth. Calcium also plays an important role in heart rhythm regulation, muscle movement and nerve transmission as well as normal blood clotting regulation.
Calcium intake is vital throughout life, particularly for women. Calcium-rich foods include dairy products, leafy greens and nuts. Calcium absorption varies with each food source: for instance, one cup of cooked bok choy contains the same total calcium amount as milk but has an even higher bioavailability (about 30%). Calcium supplements are also readily available.
Proteins
Proteins are essential components of our bodies, used for building and repairing tissues as well as producing enzymes, hormones and antibodies – not forgetting energy! Since amino acids that make up proteins cannot be produced within our own bodies they must come from food sources – specifically complete proteins found in poultry products like poultry breast, fish fillets and dairy products or plant-based sources like soy products, quinoa or tempeh are great sources of essential amino acids for building tissues and providing energy sources.
Minerals and vitamins, which our bodies cannot produce on its own, must come from food sources to stay healthy. Calcium helps strengthen bones while neutralizing acidity in the digestive tract, magnesium is necessary for nerve and muscle function while phosphorus forms bones while processing energy to create cell membrane phosphates that form strong cell walls – all essential dietary elements!
Fats
Fats provide our bodies with energy in abundance; one gram of fat provides nine calories, which is twice what carbohydrates or proteins offer. Fats belong to a group of nutrients called lipids that includes phospholipids and sterols. Fats consist of three fatty acids attached to their backbone made up of glycerol; these may be saturated or unsaturated depending on where you obtain them – meats, dairy products, vegetable oils or nuts and seeds are among their many sources.
Unhealthy fats include lard, tallow and shortenings which increase cholesterol levels and disease risks, while healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, certain nuts and seeds as well as oily fish (kippers and mackerel are good examples), can support health by helping form cells more quickly while also transporting important fat-soluble vitamins A, D & E into our systems.
Vitamins
Vitamins, unlike minerals, are organic substances required in small doses for normal body functioning. Vitamin supplements help the body resist infections, keep nerves healthy, clot blood efficiently and ensure vision growth and bone development as well as cell division, reproduction and immunity function.
Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, vitamins B6/B12/folate). Our kidneys regulate these levels by flushing excess nutrients out of our system through urine production.
Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K enter the bloodstream via proteins which act as carriers. A, D and E help form new blood cells while red blood cell production occurs while K helps clot blood after injury occurs.
