6 Essential Nutrients and Their Fuction
Nutrients are substances that are essential for the growth, development, and maintenance of the human body. They are obtained through the food and beverages we consume, and they provide the energy and building blocks needed for various physiological functions.
What is essential nutrient?
An essential nutrient is a nutrient that the body cannot synthesize on its own -- or not to an appropriate amount -- and must be provided by the diet. These nutrients are required for the body to function correctly. The six vital nutrients encompass carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water.
Pic: 6 Essential Nutrients, Photo Credit: freepik.
Six essential nutients with their function
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are the major energy source for the brain. Without carbohydrates, the body could not function properly. Sources cover fruits, breads and cereal, starchy vegetables and sugars. Make at least half of the cereals you consume whole cereal. Whole cereal and fruit are full of fiber, which reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and helps continue normal blood glucose levels.On average, people should get 45 to 65% of their calories from carbohydrates every day.
Protein:
Protein is the crucial structural component of cells and is responsible for the structure and repair of body tissues. Protein is broken down into amino acids, which are building blocks of protein. Nine of the 20 amino acids, known as essential amino acids, must be supplied in the diet as they cannot be synthesized in the body. Ten to 35 percent of your daily calories should come from lean protein sources such as low-fat meat, dairy, beans or eggs.
Fat:
1 gram of fat provides 9 calories of energy. As food, an adult needs about 50 grams of fat per day.Fat is one of the essential nutrients for human body. Eighty percent of the brain is made up of fat. These fats helps the body produce heat energy, the brain development, the production of a number of hormones, the absorption of fat soluble vitamins( A, D, E, K) and the health of skin and other organs. Basically, fat acts as an insulator to maintain the optimum body temperature.
A common misconception among us is fat means bad, unhealthy. But there is also good fat. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for our health. Apart from that, all kinds of nutrients should be in proper balance in a balanced diet. It is not right to omit any of them.
Vitamins:
Organic nutrients that are present in small amounts in a number of foods, help the organism to grow normally and enhance immunity, are called vitamins. For example Vitamin A, D, E, K, B etc.Vitamins are essential for normal growth of the organism. The function of vitamins is to prevent disease.
Minerals:
Adequate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fat and vitamins should be included in the daily diet. But in addition to these nutrients, the body needs the appropriate amount of certain minerals. These nutrients are very important for building, growth and overall well-being. Minerals keep teeth and bones strong, and play an important role in keeping the brain’s nervous system functioning. The minerals that are required in large quantities are called macro minerals. For example, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
Water:
Water, a substance composed of the chemical atoms hydrogen and oxygen and existing in gaseous, liquid, and solid states. It is one of the most abundant and essential of compounds. As a tasteless and odorless liquid at room temperature, it has the ability to dissolve many other substances. Indeed, the versatility of water as a solvent is essential to living organisms. Life is believed to have originated inside the aqueous answers of the arena’s oceans, and residing organisms rely on aqueous solutions, such as blood and digestive juices, for organic tactics. Water additionally exists on other planets and moons each within and beyond the solar system. In small portions water seems colorless; however water definitely has an intrinsic blue color because of slight absorption of light at purple wavelengths.
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