TYPES OF NUTRIENTS
It is known that in order to function properly and encourage the development and growth of the body, it is important to consume adequate amounts of food. They contain nutrients that the body needs to maintain health and development of physical and mental activities. Nutrients are essential for the functioning of the body.
What are the nutrients?
These are chemical compounds that cells need a body to fulfill various functions such as:
To provide heat and energy.
Helping the formation and repair of tissues.
Regular operation of tissues
The main nutrients are:
Proteins
The lipid or fat
Carbohydrates or carbohydrate
Vitamins and minerals
Let’s now look at what food groups are these nutrients:
Proteins
They are composed of organic acids nutrients, supplied by food, although some of them prepare the body itself. They are essential for growth and repair of tissues, performing work related to the assimilation of nutrients, oxygen transport and fats in the blood, among others. In our diet can be distinguished animal protein or plant origin.
The animal protein found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products. The vegetable can be found in abundance in nuts, grains, legumes, whole grains, soybeans and mushrooms.
The amount of protein required by the body depends on several factors such as age, health status of the intestine and kidney.
Lipids or fat
They are made up of nutrients oils, fats and glycerin. Its most important functions are to provide energy and contribute to the absorption of some vitamins. They are found in vegetable oils (olive, corn, sunflower) that are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and animal fats (bacon, butter, and lard), rich in saturated fatty acids.
Typically, the food we eat is a combination of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The saturated fatty acids are more difficult to prosecute by the body, so that sometimes can accumulate and form plaques inside the arteries producing and arteriosclerosis.
Carbohydrates or carbohydrate
They are nutrient composition of which come three elements: oxygen, hydrogen and carbon, including in some foods.
They constitute the main source of energy in the body, helping to maintain tissues, develop the vision and prevent infections.
From a nutritional point of view we can talk about three types of carbohydrates:
Starch: present in cereals, pulses, potatoes, etc..
Sugars: present in fruits, milk, white sugar, honey, etc..
Fiber: present in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and legumes whole.
Vitamins
They are organic substances that serve to regulate the functions of the body. Do not bring energy, but without them the body is unable to take advantage of the constructive elements and energy supplied by food.
Vitamins are found in foods of animal origin so as vegetable. One exception is vitamin D is formed in the skin with sun exposure.
There are two types of vitamins:
The fat-soluble: namely, that dissolves in fats and oils and vitamins A, D, E, K & F.
The water-soluble: so called because it dissolves in water. They belong to this group vitamin C and B complex. With a diet rich in fresh produce and natural, can consume all the necessary vitamins supplements without requiring pharmacists.
Minerals
They are inorganic components of food, which is found in nature rather than living beings. They serve a very important role in the body, because they are necessary for the development of tissues and the formation of hormones, enzymes and other substances.
It can be divided into three groups:
Microelement: are those the body needs in greater quantity and can be measured in grams. For example, the body needs plenty of calcium, an element which is the hard part of bones and teeth. In this group we sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, chlorine and sulphur.
Microelements: are needed in fewer than the previous ones and are measured in milligrams. The microelements are no major structural elements, but involved in the functioning of certain enzymes, acting much like vitamins. Among them are iron, fluorine, iodine, manganese, cobalt, copper and zinc.
Trace elements: Those are needed in small quantities. They receive the name because of trace elements found in very small quantities in the body. The trace elements and are active in living tissues at concentrations that are expressed in micro grams per gram or micro grams per milliliter. They are silicon, nickel, Chromium, lithium, molybdenum.
June 10 2008 07:49 pm | Calcium and Carbohydrates and Fat and Minerals and Nutrients and Nuts and Protein and Vitamins