What Are Nutrients ?

Nutrients is chemical substances found in food. Some 50 individual nutrients are needed to build the body. Many foods we eat contain combinations of various nutrients that are responsible for body function. For example, whole-grain cereals are high in carbohydrates, but they also contain protein, minerals, and vitamins. Foods help the body perform its functions only if they contain the right nutrients.

How Nutrients Are Made ?

The first step in making nutrients takes place in green plants. They take water and minerals from the soil and water and carbon dioxide from the air. With the help of the sun’s energy, these substance are built into nutrients.

How Nutrients Are Used ?

When people eat plants, they are get the nutrients from them. Also, when people eat meat, they get the nutrients that animals have taken from green plants.

There are six classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, minerals, proteins, vitamins and water.

1.      Carbohydrates

Bodily function: Provides work energy or body activities, and heat energy for maintenance of body temperature. Food sources of carbohyd get from

Food sources: Cereal grains and their products ( bread, breakfast cereal, macaroni products), potatos, sugar, rice, syrup, fruits, milk, vegetables, nuts.

2.      Fats

Bodily function: give work energy for body activities and heat energy for maintenance of body temperature. Carrier of vitamin A, D, E and K, provide fatty acids necessary for growth and maintenance of body tissues.

Food sources: Some food chiefly fat, such as lard, vegetables fats and oils, and butter. Many other foods contain variable proportions of fat-nuts, meat, fish, poultry, cream, whole milk.

3.      Proteins

Bodily function: Build and renew body tissues: regulate body functions and supply energy . complete proteins: maintain life and provide growth. Incomplete proteins: maintain life but do not provide for growth.

Food sources: Complete proteins: derived from animal foods; meat, milk plus eggs, fish, cheese, poultry. Incomplete proteins: derived from vegetables foods; soybean, dry beans, peas, some nuts and whole-grain products.

4.      Minerals

§         Calcium

Bodily function: The function is build and renews bone, teeth and other tissues; regulates the activity of the muscle, heart, nerves; and controls the clotting of blood.

Food sources: Milk and milk products, except butter; most dark green vegetables; canned salmon.

§         Phosporus

Bodily Function: Associated with calcium in some functions needed to build and renew bones and teeth influences the oxidation of foods in the body cells; important in nerve tissue.

Food sources: Widely distributed in foods; especially cheese, oat cereals, whole-wheat products dry beans and peas, meat, fish, poultry, nuts.

§         Iron

Bodily function: Build and renews hemoglobin the red pigment in blood which carries oxygen from the lungs to the cells.

Food sources: Eggs, meat, especially liver and kidney; deep-yellow and dark green vegetables; potatoes, dried fruit, whole-grain products; enriched flour, bread, breakfast cereals.

§         Iodine

Bodily finction: Enables the thyroid gland to perform its function of controlling the rate at which foods are oxidized in the cells.

Food sources: Fish (obtained from the sea), some plant-foods grown in soils containing iodine; table salt fortified with iodine (iodized).

5.      Vitamins

§         Vitamins A

Bodily function: Necessary for normal functioning of the eyes, prevents night blindness. Ensures a healthy condition of the skin, hair, and mucous membranes. Maintains a state of resistance to infections of the eyes, mouth and respiratory tarct.

Food sources: One from vitamin A is yellow and one from coloriess, Apricots, cantaloupe, milk, cheese, egg, meat oragans, (especially liver and kidney), fortified margarine, butter, fish liver oils, dark green and deep yellow vegetables.

§         B Complex

B1 (thiamine)

      Bodily function: Maintains a healthy condition of the nerves. Fosters a good appetite Helps the body cells use carbohydrates.

Food sources: Whole-grain and riched grain products; meats (especially, pork, liver and kidney) dry beans and peas.

B2 (Riboflavin)

Bodily function: Keeps the skin, mouth and eyes in a healthy condition. Acts with other nutrients to form enzymes and control oxidation in cells.

Food sources: Milk, cheese, eggs, meat (especially liver and kidney), whole grain and enriched grain products, dark green vegetables.

B3 (Niacin)

Bodily function: Influences the oxidation of carbohydrates and proteins in the body cells.

Food sources: Liver, meat,  fish, poultry, eggs, peanuts: dark green vegetables, whole-grain and riched cereal products

B6

Bodily function: Aids the body in absorbing and using proteins. Helps the body use fats. Assists in the formation or red blood cells.

Food sources: Whole grain (not enriched) cereals and bread, liver, avocados, spinach, green beans, bananas, fish, poultry, meats, nuts, potatoes, green leafy vegetables.

B12

Bodily function: Regulates specific processes in digestion. Helps maintain normal functions of muscles, nerves, heart, blood-general body metabolism.

Food sources: Liver, other organ meats cheese, eggs, milk.

§         Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)

Bodily function: Acts as a cement between body cells, and helps them work together to carry out their special functions. Maintains a sound condition of bones, teeth, and gums. Not stored in the body.

Food sources: Fresh raw citrus fruits and vegetables-oranges, grape fruit, cantalpupe, strawberries, tomatoes, raw onions, cabbage, green and sweet red pappers, dark green vegetables.

§         Vitamin D

Bodily function:Enables the growing body to use calcium and phosphorus in a normal way to build bones and teeth.

Food sources: Provided by vitamin D fortification of certain foods, such as milk and margarine. Also fish, liver oils and eggs. Sunshine is also a source of vitamin D.

§         Vitamin E

As an antioxidant, vitamin E intercepts free radicals and prevents cell damage. It particularly protects red blood cells. Vitamin E also assists in the maintenance of vitamins A and C in the body. Vitamin E supports healthy skin and assists in cell production. It protects against scar tissue and skin inflammation. As part of the immune system, vitamin E enhances antibody formation and benefits people suffering from a cold or other viruses. Vitamin E is essential for cardiovascular health and for sex organ functioning. Vitamin E may provide some relief for menstrual pain, pre-menstrual syndrome, Menopausal symptoms and muscle and joint pain.
Vitamin E can be found in vegetable oils, margarine, nuts, seeds, soybeans, avocados, egg yolks, whole grains and green leafy vegetables.

§         Vitamin K

Vitamin K makes the proteins that allow blood to clot. Vitamin K keeping calcium out of your arteries. Another function of vitamin K is to get calcium into bones.

Food sources: Broccoli, canola oil, kale, olive oil, mayonnaise, soybean oil, parsley, spinach, swiss chard and water cress.

6.      Water

Bodily function: Regulates body processes. Aids in regulating body temperature. Carries nutrients to body cells and carries waste products away from them. Helps to lubricate joints. Water has no  food value, although most water contains mineral elements. More immediately necessary to life than food-second only to oxygen.

Food sources: Drinking water, and other beverages; all foods except those made up of a single nutrient, (sugar and some fats). Milk, milk drinks, soups, vegetables, fruit juices, ice cream, water melon, strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, cereals.