Need Of Nutrition

Nutrition is the chemical value of food. The human body needs food to sustain its vital functions such as growth, movement, reproduction, not to mention general health up keep. Nutrition and food should be synonyms but not all food out there is really nutritious or good for your health. Hence, you need to have knowledge of the essential nutrients and how much of them you should be taking from your food.

Classification of Nutrients:

Nutrients are broadly categorized as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Yes water is also a nutrient and when you read the important functions it supports and the role it plays in the body, you'll know why every health expert is humming the same tune about drinking more water. For now, let's just have a crisp look at what role each nutrient plays in our body and how much of it we should be consuming;

1. Carbohydrates: carbohydrates are found in just about every green plant. These are also the most abundantly organic compounds in nature. They essentially serve as a storage point for energy which the body will draw upon when need arises. In the human body, this storage is in the form of glycogen. Our body needs carbohydrates, but an excess of them can lead to many health problems including obesity. The reason is that carbohydrates are what the body turns to first for its energy needs. But when a body is living too much on simple carbohydrates like white sugar, processed cereals, white flour etc, the digestion and subsequent store of energy is rapid. If the energy is not used up, it gets stored as a fat. And when the body needs energy, it will turn to the glycogen store, if that's not available, then you will have a sugar craving to build up those stores. On the other hand if you take complex carbohydrates, they take longer to digest. So you feel full longer and your body doesn't become a monument to flab. Keep carbs to a respectable 20% of your diet.

2. Proteins: these are the building blocks of nature. Found mainly in meats, it is also present in high proportions in certain vegetables. Protein is what makes up the muscle mass in your body. Although an excess amount of anything in the diet is imprudent in the least, but proteins are the one component that don't add to your waistline. On the other hand, eating excess protein from red meat can create heart problems which is why doctors agree that the best source of protein is white meat aka fish, chicken and the likes. Proteins should make up about 35% of your diet.

3. Fats: fats have gotten a bad name over the years. The fact is that the body also needs this nutrient in reasonable amounts like the rest of them. Fats classified as the omega fats found in fish oil, olive oil and avocado oil are used by the body cells to grow and repair. Also, since fats take longer to breakdown, you feel full for a longer time and so don't eat as often. But greasy fast foods that are taking over don't fall in this category. Sure they have fat, but the dangerous kind. The kind that breaks down too soon, goes straight to your waist and any other place it can find room. Take healthy fats and keep the proportion to 30% of your diet.

4. Vitamins: your body needs vitamins in small quantities but it does need them to perform its routine functions such as metabolism and clotting of the blood. The best sources of vitamins are fresh fruits and vegetables.

5. Minerals: minerals like calcium, zinc, sodium etc are also needed by the body. They directly impact the strength of the skeleton and their deficiency can be dangerous. The best sources of minerals are green leafy vegetables.

6. Water: water is also a vital nutrient. It makes up 70% of the body by mass and over 92% of blood. The body needs water for everything from the assimilation of food to removing toxins and waste materials. A healthy adult should take at least 8 glasses of water daily.

• John Palsson
• 08/12/2008, 6:59 PM
• 0 Comments