Nutrients is a term borrowed from English, literally meaning “nutrients”. While nutrients are commonly referred to as vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids, in terms of a complete classification, they include proteins, fats, carbohydrates – and even water.
Most nutrients are not synthesized by the human body and, therefore, must come from food. Their key function is to ensure the functioning of metabolism. In particular, vitamins and minerals are needed for the synthesis of hormones and the vital activity of cells, and carbohydrates are the main source of energy.
Nutrients – what are they?
Nutrients are the biologically important elements of food. Macronutrients are included in the human diet in significant amounts (carbohydrates, proteins, fats – as well as water), and micronutrients – in minimal amounts (vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and others).
In simple terms, nutrients are the components of foods used by the body for metabolism. It is about transforming food calories into energy for basic metabolism, as well as a number of micronutrients for maintaining health.
Micronutrient deficiencies can lead to serious illness. First of all, essential amino acids (components of proteins), a number of vitamins (especially fat-soluble D, E, K, and A), and microminerals (iron, magnesium, iodine, zinc) are important for humans.
List of nutrients
A complete list of nutrients will be close to the periodic table. In small amounts, metabolism uses almost all naturally occurring minerals (with the exception of radioactive ones). Also, the composition of plant foods includes hundreds of natural components that have the right to be called nutrients.
Macronutrients:
- Proteins
- Fats
- Carbohydrates
- Water
Micronutrients:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
- Flavonoids
Macronutrients
Proteins are the key macronutrient. The constituent elements of proteins, amino acids, are part of not only muscle tissue but also DNA. That is why essential amino acids are an example of essential nutrients, the absence of which extremely quickly and extremely negatively affects metabolism.
Carbohydrates also play an important role in metabolism. They, in turn, are divided into simple and complex. The simple ones include sugar, fructose, and glucose, while the complex ones include starch and fiber. The benefit or harm of a particular carbohydrate is determined depending on its glycemic index – a measure of the speed with which the carbohydrates contained in food affect the increase in blood sugar levels.
Daily macros:
- Proteins – 1.5 to 2.5g per kg of body weight
- Fats – 20 to 30% of the total calorie intake
- Carbohydrates – 40 to 50% of the calorie intake
The importance of fats in nutrition
Although fatty foods are traditionally considered unhealthy, cutting out fat completely is dangerous to health. For example, saturated fatty acids are needed by the body to produce testosterone. Also, the exclusion of fat from the diet can disrupt the brain, since most of its weight falls on fat.
Of particular importance is what kind of fatty acids are eaten. For example, omega-3 fatty acids reduce the number of micro-inflammations, while omega-6 (found in sunflower and corn oil) leads to an increase in such inflammations.
On the other hand, another component of fats – cholesterol, refers to micronutrients. Only a small amount of this substance is sufficient for metabolism. Plus, the body produces a significant part of cholesterol on its own.
Cellulose
Formally, fiber belongs to the class of complex carbohydrates. However, it is not digested by the stomach and does not take an active part in the metabolism. Despite this, the presence of this nutrient in the diet is necessary both for the mechanical processes of digestion and for maintaining normal blood sugar levels.
Fiber is found exclusively in plant foods – primarily in vegetables and cereals. Some seeds (for example, chia seeds) contain soluble fiber that can absorb moisture like a sponge. In the stomach, such dietary fiber becomes a prebiotic – food for beneficial bacteria.
Daily calorie intake
In the distribution of macronutrient proportions, the key role is played by the daily calorie intake required by a particular person. It is affected by both the level of a person’s physical activity during the day and basal metabolic rate (energy needed by the body and brain to sustain life activities).
In fact, the calculation of nutrients begins with the determination of daily calorie requirements. Approximately half of this figure should come from carbohydrates, a third – from proteins, and the rest – from fats. In turn, athletes need more energy for muscle growth, and less when eating for weight loss.
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are primarily vitamins and minerals. Also included in this category are antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Unlike carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, these nutrients are measured in hundredths (and sometimes thousandths) of a gram.
In total, about 20 essential vitamins and minerals are isolated. With rare exceptions (for example, vitamin D), they cannot be produced in the human body and must be supplied with food. Each of them plays a specific role in metabolism – and a deficiency leads to poor health.
Phytonutrients
Phytonutrients are a range of classes of chemical compounds found in plant foods. First of all, these are carotenoids, phytosterols, flavonoids, and glucosinolates. Typically, these nutrients are responsible for the color of a particular fruit or vegetable and are abundant in tea, red wine, hawthorn, and dark chocolate.
The action of phytonutrients on the human body can be characterized as an “antioxidant” – they help fight free radicals, protecting the body from premature aging. The topic of their study is one of the priority areas of modern dietology.
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectors are micronutrients that affect the metabolism of bone and cartilage tissue. One of the most important is glucosamine, which affects the density of the joint fluid. It is found in animal foods such as tendons, cartilage, and skin. Glucosamine can also be taken as a supplement.
Antinutrients
In conclusion, let’s also mention “antinutrients” – food components that impair the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. For example, legumes contain phytic acid – its regular and excessive use negatively affects the absorption of iron, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus.
Nutrients are found in food and are essential for human life. Macronutrients are proteins, fats, water, and carbohydrates; micronutrients – vitamins, minerals, and various phytonutrients. The daily requirement for nutrients depends on the level of physical activity, gender, age, and body weight of an individual.