Nutritional Facts

The importance of knowing the facts about food cannot be overestimated. To maintain health our body needs a steady supply of nutrition or food.

What are nutrients? They are the nutritious elements of the food belonging to one of six groups: protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and water.

This site will present the facts about the nutrients in a brief but informative way. In particular the importance of the essential nutrients, which we need in sufficient amounts to maintain our health, will be stressed.

Protein

Protein is the most important nutrient in the human body. Protein is present in all cells making up enzymes, structural components (tendons, ligaments), contractile proteins (muscle, including the heart), antibodies, hormonal, transport and storage proteins. More about proteins here.

Fat

The body fat stores energy and insulates against cold. It is also an important constituent of the brain and the nerves, but most importantly it is making up the membranes of all cells.

Of the fats only the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential nutrients. More about fats here.

Carbohydrate

The body uses carbohydrate as fuel - especially in the muscles, heart and brain. However, carbohydrate is NOT an essential nutrient. More about carbohydrates here.

Vitamins

Vitamins are vital nutrients required in tiny amounts by the body.

They include: vitamin A (retinol), vitamin Bp (choline), vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folic acid), vitamin B12 (cobalamin), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin D (calciferol), vitamin E (tocopherol), vitamin K (naphthoquinoids). All the vitamins are essential for our health. They have different functions - some work as coenzymes in metabolic processes - some have antioxidant effects.

Minerals

Some elements need be present in the diet in relative large amounts. They include: calcium (Ca), chloride (Cl), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), and sulfur (S).

Other elements are only required in trace amounts. They include: chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iodine (I), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn). All the above mineral elements are essential nutrients.

Some minerals are present in extremely small amounts (less than 0.0001% by weight) in biological tissues. Nevertheless they may still have a role to play. They are called ultratrace elements. These include boron (B), bromine (Br), cadmium (Cd), fluorine (F), lead (Pb), lithium (L), nickel (Ni), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), and vanadium (V).

Water

Water is lost from the body mainly as urine, sweat, and by evaporation. We need at least 6–8 glasses of water daily to maintain proper hydration. Water is an essential nutrient. More about water here.

Other possible nutrients

These include some antioxidants and phytochemicals. The role of these substances for the health of humans is not yet fully illuminated.

References: 1 , 2 , 3