Nutrients are essential chemicals essential for human and animal life. Without certain essential nutrients from food sources, living organisms would perish quickly.
These nutrients include carbohydrates, fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals; additional sources include dietary fibre and phytochemicals like plant sterols and polyphenols.
Vitamins
Vitamins are vitally important organic compounds that are indispensable to life, contributing significantly to growth and development, healing wounds and diseases, as well as many other bodily processes. Most often found in plant and animal products but can also be obtained in small amounts through supplements.
Vitamins can be divided into two distinct categories, fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in fat tissue and liver before being released as needed to meet daily needs.
The eight water-soluble vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, Folic acid and Pantothenic acid) enter the body through lymph channels located within intestinal walls. Once in circulation, they are distributed throughout the body before any excess is eliminated through urine production. The National Academy of Medicine has set Dietary Reference Intakes for each of these nutrients that vary based on age and gender recommendations; most people need dietary sources of their vitamins.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances found as solids on Earth’s surface that play an essential role in supporting life forms’ development and maintaining their wellbeing. Minerals play an integral part in supporting all living organisms’ health and growth.
Minerals possess unique physical properties that make them useful in industry and everyday life, including malleability (the ability to be flattened), tenacity (resistant to deformation), specific gravity (density compared with an equal volume of water), specific gravity, refractive index, colour interference between atoms interference between atoms colour interference interference between atoms interference between atoms interference cleavage crystal form among others.
Minerals can be divided into major and trace minerals. Our bodies require certain major minerals – like calcium and magnesium – for good health, while trace minerals such as iron and zinc play an integral part. You can find minerals in foods like table salt, unprocessed meats, fruits & vegetables, whole grains & legumes.
Fats
Fats are an essential part of our diets, providing energy and helping other nutrients do their jobs. Since our bodies cannot produce some polyunsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 (linoleic acid or LA) and omega-6 (alpha linolenic acid or ALA), we must get them from food sources. They’re also structural components in cells and provide satiety. In this section we explore their functions, classification and characteristics as well as provide an overview of dietary recommendations from (inter)national authoritative bodies as well as what types of fats can be found in foods such as meat, dairy products as well as processed snacks and desserts.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are energy foods that fuel our bodies to perform basic functions. Carbs provide energy for both working and playing, providing us with enough power for work or play.
Your digestive system breaks carbohydrates down into sugars that your cells and brain use as energy sources, and any extra glucose stored as glycogen in your liver and muscles as glycogen for later use. Carbs can be found in many plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains; their main sources include sugars (monosaccharides like fructose and galactose), starches and dietary fiber.
Vegetables, beans and whole grains provide complex carbs that also offer essential vitamins and minerals, helping your body regulate blood sugar levels more easily while leaving you feeling full for longer. Plus, these healthy carbs supply essential soluble and insoluble fiber which promote gut health while possibly warding off constipation or heart disease.
