Nutrients are foodstuffs that help both humans and animals maintain good health, such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates (sugars and starches), vitamins and minerals.
Protein is essential to healthy muscles, skin, hair, and nails; essential amino acids make up proteins. Calcium plays an essential role in strong bones and teeth formation as well as nervous system functioning and heart functioning; good sources include dairy products, tofu and green leafy vegetables.
Protein
Protein can be found throughout your body in muscles, bones, skin and blood – virtually every cell and tissue of the organism – making up enzymes which trigger chemical reactions as well as hemoglobin which carries oxygen through blood circulation.
Protein consumption is essential, as it provides essential vitamins and minerals such as niacin, thiamin and riboflavin as well as iron, zinc and magnesium – not to mention helping curb appetite while supporting weight loss through increased satiety.
Protein is harder for your body to store as fat than carbohydrates or fats, helping you preserve muscle while losing weight. Lean meats, fish, dairy and eggs are great sources of protein while plant-based options like beans and legumes also count. Complete proteins can contain all essential amino acids needed by the body – like chicken, beef or egg products as well as soybean tofu products from tofu to quinoa products! For optimal health the ideal proteins include both animal proteins like chicken or beef as well as plant proteins like beans and legumes!
Fat
Fat is an essential source of energy and helps the body absorb certain vitamins. Additionally, it forms cell membranes and sheaths around nerve cells; any excess is stored as fat cells within our bodies – one gram of fat provides 9 calories as opposed to 4 for carbohydrates or proteins.
All fats have the same chemical structure, yet healthy and unhealthy fats differ based on the number and length of carbon chains linked to hydrogen atoms. Saturated (such as those found in meat, butter and lard) and trans fats increase heart disease risk significantly, so should be consumed sparingly. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (found in vegetable oils, nuts seeds and fish) fats can reduce that risk when they replace saturated and trans fats in the diet.
Carbohydrates
Carbs provide your body with energy and can help regulate its blood sugar levels, while also being converted into glucose that can be stored away for later use.
There are three categories of carbohydrates, namely sugars, starches and dietary fiber. When you hear “total carbohydrates” on a nutrition label it refers to all three forms.
Sugars such as those found in fruit and milk provide quick energy boosts that may contribute to weight gain. By restricting yourself from these calorie-rich foods, limiting their consumption can help you shed unwanted pounds more effectively. Complex carbs found in fresh produce, vegetables and whole grains take longer for digestion while providing fiber that keeps you full longer.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic substances your body uses in small quantities for metabolic processes and are typically found in fruits, vegetables and meats. Vitamin consumption plays an important part in helping the body grow and function optimally.
There are thirteen essential vitamins, and the three most crucial ones are A, C and D. Due to their fat-soluble nature, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) should only be taken under medical advice and supervision.
Water-soluble vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin C are more easily flushed out of the body; however, larger doses could still pose risks of toxicity. Folic acid, commonly referred to as folate, is recommended for pregnant women to help prevent birth defects as well as for people living with certain medical conditions.
Minerals
Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic substances with a specific chemical composition and highly ordered atomic arrangement, usually found in rocks or sedimentary formations. Crystalline or noncrystalline forms exist. Minerals can even be found within animal bones and human teeth.
Mineral benefits for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart rhythm, regulating acid-base balance in the body and supporting enzyme activity1.
Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and chloride are among the major minerals required in our diets; along with trace minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc, copper fluoride iodine selenium manganese. Most people can obtain their nutritional requirements through diet alone; however multivitamin supplements (sometimes known as multiple vitamins ) may provide extra essential minerals and/or other necessary vitamins in combination.
