Download NUTRIENTS Nutrients are the nutritional components in foods that

NUTRIENTS
Nutrients are the nutritional components in foods that an organism uses to survive
and grow. There are two kinds of nutrients: macronutrients and micronutrients.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are nutrients needed in large amounts. They provide calories or
energy. They are substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body
functions. There are three macronutrients: carbohydrate, protein, and fat
Carbohydrates are the macronutrient that we need in the largest amounts (45% 65% of calories should come from carbohydrate.) We need this amount of
carbohydrate because:
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They are the body’s main source of fuel.
They are easily used by the body for energy. All of the tissues and cells in our
body can use glucose for energy.
They are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the
muscles (including the heart) to function properly.
They can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy.
They are important in intestinal health and waste elimination.
They are mainly found in starchy foods (like grain and potatoes), fruits, milk,
and yogurt.
They are compounds made up of types of sugars.
Fiber refers to certain types of carbohydrates that our body cannot digest.
These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact and help to move
waste out of the body. Diets high in fiber; however, have been shown to
decrease risks for heart disease, obesity, and they help lower cholesterol.
Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products.
Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts,
legumes, and in smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetable (10% - 35% of
calories should come from protein.) We need protein for:
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Growth (especially important for children, teens, and pregnant women)
Tissue repair
Immune function
Making essential hormones and enzymes
Energy when carbohydrate is not available
Preserving lean muscle mass
When we eat these types of foods, our body breaks down the protein that they
contain into amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). Amino acids are classified
into three groups: essential, nonessential, and conditional. Essential amino
acids cannot be made by the body, and must be supplied by food. Nonessential
amino acids are made by the body from essential amino acids or in the normal
breakdown of proteins. Conditional amino acids are needed in times of illness and
stress. Protein that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential amino
acids that we need. Amino acids are found in animal sources such as meats, milk,
fish, and eggs. They are also found in plant sources such as soy, beans, legumes,
nut butters, and some grains (such as wheat germ and quinoa). You do not need to
eat animal products to get all the protein you need in your diet.
Fats have received a bad reputation for causing weight gain, but some fat is
essential for survival (20% - 35% of calories should come from fat.) We need this
amount of fat for:
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Normal growth and development
Energy (fat is the most concentrated source of energy)
Absorbing certain vitamins ( like vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids)
Providing cushioning for the organs
Maintaining cell membranes
Providing taste, consistency, and stability to foods
Fat is found in meat, poultry, nuts, milk products, butters and margarines, oils, lard,
fish, grain products and salad dressings.
Water
Although macronutrients are very important they are not the only things that we need
for survival. Our bodies also need water (6-8 glasses a day). Water is an essential
nutrient and is the solvent in which all the chemical reactions of life take place. In
fact, drinking water (either plain or in the form of other fluids or foods) is essential to
your health. Water as a nutrient your body needs that is present in liquids, plain
water, and foods. All of these are essential daily to replace the large amounts of
water lost each day. Fluid losses occur continuously, from skin evaporation,
breathing, urine, and stool, and these losses must be replaced daily for good health.
When your water intake does not equal your output, you can become dehydrated.
Fluid losses are accentuated in warmer climates, during strenuous exercise, in high
altitudes, and in older adults, whose sense of thirst may not be as sharp.
Here are six reasons to make sure you're drinking enough water or other fluids every
day:
1. Drinking Water Helps Maintain the Balance of Body Fluids. Your body is
composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion,
absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and
maintenance of body temperature.
2. Water Can Help Control Calories. Food with high water content tends to look
larger, its higher volume requires more chewing, and it is absorbed more slowly by
the body, which helps you feel full. Water-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, brothbased soups, oatmeal, and beans.
3. Water Helps Energize Muscles. Cells that don't maintain their balance of fluids and
electrolytes have muscle fatigue. When muscle cells don't have adequate fluids, they
don't work as well and performance can suffer. Drinking enough fluids is important
when exercising.
4. Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good. Your skin contains plenty of water, and
functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. Dehydration makes your
skin look drier and more wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration.
5. Water Helps Your Kidneys. Body fluids transport waste products in and out of
cells. Your kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and ridding your body of toxins as
long as your intake of fluids is adequate. When you're getting enough fluids, urine
flows freely, is light in color and free of odor. When your body is not getting enough
fluids, urine concentration, color, and odor increases because the kidneys trap extra
fluid for bodily functions.
6. Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function. Adequate hydration keeps things
flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation.
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are nutrients that our bodies need in smaller amounts, and include
vitamins and minerals.
Minerals are important for your body to stay healthy. Your body uses minerals for
many different jobs like: building bones and teeth, making hormones, controlling body
fluids inside and outside cells, turning the food you eat into energy and regulating
your heartbeat. The best way to get the minerals your body needs is by eating a wide
variety of food.
Minerals are found in food such as meat, fish, cereals, milk and dairy foods,
vegetables, fruit and nuts. There are two kinds of minerals: macro minerals: are the
minerals your body needs in larger amounts. They include calcium, phosphorus,
magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur, and trace minerals: are the
minerals your body needs in small amounts. They include iron, magnesium, copper,
zinc, iodine, cobalt, selenium and fluoride.
Vitamins make people's bodies work properly. There are two types of vitamins: fat
soluble and water soluble. The fat-soluble vitamins — A, D, E, and K — dissolve in
fat and can be stored in your body. The water-soluble vitamins — C and the Bcomplex vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, and folate) — need to
dissolve in water before your body can absorb them. Because of this, your body can't
store these vitamins. Any vitamin C or B that your body doesn't use as it passes
through your system is lost (mostly when you pee). So you need a fresh supply of
these vitamins every day.
Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system, support normal growth and
development, and help cells and organs do their jobs. For example, you've probably
heard that carrots are good for your eyes. It's true! Carrots are full of substances
called carotenoids that your body converts into vitamin A, which helps prevent eye
problems. Another vitamin, vitamin K, helps blood to clot (so cuts and scrapes stop
bleeding quickly). You'll find vitamin K in green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and
soybeans. And to have strong bones, you need to eat foods such as milk, yogurt, and
green leafy vegetables, which are rich in the mineral calcium.