Nutrients are essential substances the body requires for energy, building materials and controlling body processes. You can acquire nutrients either through diet or supplements. There are six major classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water vitamins and minerals.
One gram of digestible carbohydrates provides four kilocalories of energy. They also help maintain normal kidney function, nerve transmission and blood pressure.
Carbohydrates
Carbs provide our bodies with their main source of energy, breaking them down to produce glucose which fuels cells and tissues, with any excess stored as glycogen in livers and muscles for later use.
Carbs can be found in food sources like starchy vegetables, fruits and whole grains as well as added sugars and desserts, including desserts with added sugars. They may also come from sources like dietary fiber which your body cannot break down or sugar alcohols which provide sweetness with lower caloric intake than sugar itself.
Carbs are essential for good health, but you must choose your carbohydrates wisely. A diet rich in nutrient-rich complex carbs and limited in sugary snacks will help prevent weight gain while improving cholesterol, blood sugar and insulin levels. Eating enough nutrient-rich complex carbs and restricting sugary snacks will also help you feel full so that overall you eat less overall – one of the key strategies to manage weight and improve health! Speak to your healthcare provider for personalized nutritional recommendations such as adopting a lower fat diet or increasing physical activity levels.
Calcium
Calcium has become synonymous with bone health, but its importance extends far beyond this realm. Calcium helps strengthen bones while simultaneously supporting muscle movement and nerve impulse transmission as well as keeping blood vessels working efficiently – and could even prevent cancer or high blood pressure!
Foods rich in calcium include dairy products like milk and cheese, leafy vegetables such as kale and Chinese cabbage (bok choi) as well as fish with soft bones like canned sardines or salmon. Furthermore, many other food and beverages are fortified with calcium; check product labels to find out more information.
Before taking a calcium supplement, it’s essential to consult your physician first, particularly if you take lithium (Eskalith or Lithobid) or certain antibiotics such as quinolones (ciprofloxacin [Cipro], gemifloxacin [Factive]. Long-term exposure to these drugs may impede how your body utilizes and absorbs calcium.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic substances your body requires in varying quantities to function and remain healthy. Vitamin D plays an essential role in strengthening bones, improving immunity, and turning food into energy for energy use.
Vitamins can be obtained in two ways – via diet (fruits, vegetables and whole grains), and multivitamin supplements that meet U.S. Pharmacopeia standards in terms of strength, quality and purity (U.S.P).
Some vitamins are fat-soluble, meaning they’re stored in liver and fatty tissue; any excesses (like those for vitamins A, D, E and K) are excreted through urine. Meanwhile water-soluble vitamins – including all B vitamins and vitamin C – circulate easily throughout bloodstream with kidneys continuously monitoring levels to excrete any excesses as urine.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances essential to health that provide support to body functions and essential for good overall wellbeing. Also referred to as trace minerals, these micronutrients can be found in many foods including green leafy vegetables, legumes (such as beans), nuts and whole grains.
Minerals differ from vitamins in that they do not dissolve in water, yet are just as essential in terms of bone and tooth development, muscle function regulation and healthy digestive systems.
Calcium helps ensure strong, healthy bones and teeth, promote a balanced fluid balance, aid digestion and help the body metabolize energy from food, as well as help metabolize energy from other sources. Sodium acts as an impulse conductor and fluid regulator while contributing to muscle contraction; zinc aids immune function while cell growth while iron plays an essential role in red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis while copper supports enzymes involved with iron metabolism while providing antioxidant protection as well as supporting a healthy thyroid gland and normal metabolism.
