Six Classes of Nutrition
When making food choices for a healthy diet, it is important to look at the nutrients they supply your body and understand what these nutrients' main functions are. A nutrient is defined as a chemical substance found in food that helps to provide the body with energy, structural materials and regulating materials while supporting the body's growth and maintenance through the generation and repair of tissue. There are six essential nutrients, and they are divided into two subcategories -- macronutrients and micronutrients -- based on their composition and function.-
Minerals
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Minerals are micronutrients. There are 16, and they are divided into two categories, major and trace. The major minerals are: sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sulfer. The trace minerals are iron, zinc, selenium, molybdenum, iodine, copper, magnesium, flouride and chromium. Their main function is to regulate musculoskeletal functions and nervous system transmission, but they also facilitate blood clotting and help maintain a normal heartbeat.
Carbohydrates
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Carbohydrates are a fuel-providing macronutrient. They contain about 4 calories per gram, and their main function is to provide our brains and bodies with glucose (sugar). The USDA suggests that to best support brain function, eat about 130 grams of cabs a day. Carbohydrates are divided into two types: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates require little energy to be broken down and digested and are found in fruit; complex carbohydrates require more energy to break down and are found in grains, vegetables and starches.
Lipids
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Lipids, or fats, are another energy-providing macronutrient. Among many functions, fats serve to transport and help the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Fat also protects our organs from injury and helps to regulate body temperature. Fat cells store excess energy and are burned as energy once the body has exhausted all immediate sources in foods. They can be simple, derived or compound, with each form representing a different chemical structure. Fats have about 9 calories per gram and should comprise about 20 percent to 30 percent of your daily intake of calories.
Proteins
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Proteins are perhaps the most essential nutrient for growth because they are the main building blocks as well as the repair kit for the body's tissues. Along with helping the body to maintain a normal balance of fluids, proteins make up the body's hormones, antibodies and enzymes. As a last resort, after carbohydrates and lipids, protein is also a source of energy. Proteins are also the building blocks for your hair, muscle, bones, blood and fingernails. They have about 4 calories per gram, and it is recommended that 10 percent to 15 percent of your daily calories come from proteins. There are plenty of non-meat sources of protein for vegetarians.
Water
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Water is also known as the "essential" nutrient. It is a macronutrient that mainly focuses on regulatory tasks within the body. Water regulates body temperature, maintains blood volume, and, while it has no energy-serving purpose, it is the main conduit for transporting all forms of nutrients and waste products in the body. This is why it is so important that each day we consume the recommended 64 oz., or eight glasses, of water. Water is found in virtually every corner of the body, The United States Geological Survey states that up to 60 percent of the human body is made of water: 70 percent of the brain, 90 percent of the lungs, 75 percent of muscles, 22 percent of bones and 84 percent of blood.
Vitamins
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Vitamins are a micronutrient that help put the other nutrients to use. Their main regulatory duties are to monitor growth, maintain the body's tissue and help release the energy that is stored in food so the body can use it. Some vitamins are also involved in the production of blood cells and hormones. There are two types, categorized by their solubility, or the means by which they are dissolved in the body. Water-soluble vitamins (B complex and C) dissolve in water, and the excess is expelled as waste. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, K, E and D) are stored in our body's fat stores until needed, so consuming more fat-soluble vitamins than your body needs can be harmful.
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