Nutrition and Nutrients
What are nutrition, nutrients, and diet?
Diet and nutrition are fundamental in maintaining our health.
What is nutrition?
Nutrition is a human process of utilizing food for the growth, metabolism, and repair of tissues. Nutrition provides the body with the nutrients necessary for good health. Essentially, nutrition is the nourishment of the body via the foods we eat.
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Eating nutritiously enables us to enjoy the well-being that comes with good health. Adequate nutrition is vital for our body and mind to be healthy and well-maintained, have the best chance at fighting disease, and operate functionally well.
What are nutrients?
​Nutrients are the nourishing substances in food that give us energy, allow our bodies to grow, and keep us feeling healthy. Water is a unique type of nutrient, giving us hydration. The nutrients in our food are categorized into macronutrients and micronutrients.
What is diet?
​Diet refers to the total amount of food consumed by individuals. Diet is the foods and beverages we usually eat and drink; diet is also called eating pattern.
Macronutrients and Micronutrients
We get our nourishment mostly from macronutrients, the primary dietary players, but micronutrients are no less essential. A balanced diet contains many different types of both.
Based on the amount required by the human body for normal metabolism, growth, and physical well-being, nutrients are divided into two categories: macronutrients consisting of water, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and micronutrients comprised of vitamins and minerals.
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Fats are the most energy-dense macronutrient, whereas carbohydrates are quantitatively the most essential dietary energy source for most populations.
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Proteins are vital structural and functional components within every body cell and are essential for our growth, repair, and health maintenance.
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Minerals and vitamins, found in small amounts in most foods, are essential for our normal metabolic function. This book focuses on minerals; the other two books in this series (Basics of Nutrition) will separately focus on vitamins and macronutrients. Now, let's start our journey of minerals, and you will be well-informed mineral-wise when you design your diet to stay healthier and happier.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential substances that our bodies need to function normally. Several minerals are necessary for health, including sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, cobalt, fluoride, manganese, and molybdenum.
​The known vitamins are vitamin C, vitamins A, D, E, and K, choline (B vitamin complex), and the B vitamins: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, biotin, and folate.
Unique nutritional needs
There is no one-size-fits-all in nutrition. Your optimal intake of each macronutrient and micronutrient depends on numerous factors. Your age, gender, genetics, metabolism, level of physical activity, and personal preferences all have a part to play in establishing the best foods to keep working optimally.
Veggies
Veggies are full of micronutrients and flavor, providing variety and nourishment.
Carbs
Carbohydrates are a major energy source for the body and provide fiber for healthy digestion.