HEALTH TIPS, GUIDES AND RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

Classification of Major and Other Nutrients

Nutrients are composed of many elements like fat, fiber, mineral, proteins etc. They provide necessary nutrition to body parts. They help in building body tissues, muscles, protect form diseases and plays important role in other body functions. Nutrients are majorly classified in seven categories – vitamins, minerals, water, fiber, carbohydrates, fats and proteins. These further can be sub-divided in two groups – macronutrients and micronutrients.

Carbohydrates –

These are very complex structures. They are source of steady energy. They are found in foods such as bread, grains, rice, sugar etc. However, higher amount of carbohydrates lead to diseases like diabetes and weight gain.

Fat –
They are also known as fatty acids. They there are two types of fat – saturated and unsaturated. Unsaturated fats are good for health. Fats are the outer part of our body also called membrane. It surrounds all cells present in our body.

Fiber –
This is type of carbohydrates. These also produce energy but in less amount than carbohydrates. Many foods like fruits, whole grains and vegetables contain fiber nutrients. It protects from cancer.

Proteins –
They are building block of human body parts. They are composed of nitrogen, amino acids. They are found in eggs, grains, dairy products, meat and legumes. If they are present in access, they are converted in to urine or fats. Not all proteins are necessary for us. Only 10 out of 20 proteins are essential for us. Soy products contains very large amount of proteins.

Minerals –
They are chemical elements like oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, several metals etc. They are supplied only by food naturally. Now they can be added artificially in food like iodine in salt.  These are divided in two types according to the amount needed to our body –macro minerals and trace minerals. Macro minerals are sodium, magnesium, chlorine, calcium etc. trace minerals are copper, nickel, iron, iodine etc.

Vitamins –
These are very important nutrient for our body. Human body can produce some of these vitamins but there need cannot be fully filled just by producing. There are multivitamin tablets are present in market that can fulfill your body’s vitamin demand.  Deficiency of these vitamins can result many diseases like immune system, scurvy, goiter, some cancer diseases, metabolism disorders.

Water –
Our body’s main constituent is water. Nearly 70 % part of our body contains water. We need daily one to seven liter of water for proper functioning of body. It helps in regulating body temperature, humidity level of body and other internal body activities.
Other nutrients like antioxidants, phytochemical are also required for body functioning.