Nutrients

NUTRIENTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS.

Despite the variation in taste and ingredients in food, they all have some common components that our body needs to grow and sustain. These components are called nutrients.

The major nutrients in our food are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals. These are the building blocks that help to build you strong, healthy and free from diseases. In addition to these nutrients, our body also needs dietary fiber and water. Dietary fiber and water are essential for our body to work properly.

Now let’s have a closer look at these nutrients, dietary fiber and water. What do they do for our body and where do they come from.

WHAT NUTRIENTS DO FOR OUR BODY AND WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?

• Carbohydrates: These are known as giving energy foods as they give us the energy that we need to walk, play and even think. Some important sources of carbohydrates are: rice, wheat and other grains, potato, banana, sugar, corn and all other starchy foods

• Fats: Fats also give us energy. In fact, fatty foods give us more energy than carbohydrates. Along with that they cushion our vital organs and are needed to absorb some very important oil-soluble vitamins like vitamin A and E. Some important sources of fats are butter oil, nuts and dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt.

• Proteins: Foods that are rich in proteins are called body building foods so therefore proteins are essential for the growth and repair of our body. Proteins can be found in a wide range of plant and animal products. Some important sources of plan protein include soya bean, kidney, chick peas, nuts and seeds like sesame and sunflower seeds. Some important sources of animal proteins are milk, cheese, eggs, chicken, meat and fish.

• Vitamins: Foods that are rich in vitamins are called protector foods as vitamins protect our body from diseases. Vitamins also help in keeping our eyes, bones, teeth and gum healthy. There are different kinds of vitamins and each one plays a very specific role in caring our body. Some of these vitamins are vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.

Now let’s look at some food sources that provide us with these vitamins: eggs, milk, whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, chicken, fish and meat are great source of vitamins. So make sure that you have lots of them in your food every day for a good and healthy growth.

• Minerals: Minerals are needed by our body in small quantities. They help in its growth and maintenance. Some important minerals that our body needs are calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and iodine. Milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, meat, chicken, fish, pulses and green vegetables are some great source of minerals.

Now, along with all of these nutrients our body also needs dietary fiber. Dietary fiber or roughage adds bulk to our food that helps the body to get rid of undigested food. Dietary fiber mainly comes from plant products in our food. Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables are important source of dietary fiber.

Along with that our body also requires lots of water. Water helps in the absorption of nutrients from food. It also helps to eliminate waste from our body in the form of urine and sweat. We get most of our water from the liquids that we drink like fruit juices, other drinks and vegetables. Water is also added to our food while it’s cooking