If nutrition is neglected, then the following day to day function gets affected
- Very low energy levels
- Faster aging
- Affects proper brain function
- Poor immune system
- Weight gain
If you want to be more productive,energetic,live a longer healthy life, make sure you adopt a good healthy eating plan by consuming all the nutrients your body needs in a day. You need to consume proteins,carbohydrates,fats, water,fibre,vitamins,and minerals as a daily part of your diet.
But before..
Why nutrition is important?
Nutrition is the supply of quality food required by human cells to stay healthy and alive. All the organs in our body perform the desired function due to the presence of healthy cells that are constantly being repaired, replaced and rejuvenated by circulating stem cells in our blood stream.Good nutrition strengths the human cells to perform their functions in our body.Importance of nutrients in our body is a great topic to be understood by many in our modern society. One of the most critical issues faced in modern civilization is malnutrition.
Be it malnutrition due to poverty and
shortage of food as faced in poor countries, or witness substandard nutrition problems
common to the other parts of the world, we find horrible sufferings caused by
the way we consume food ourselves.
Therefore, due to ignorance and lack of interest
in maintaining a healthy lifestyle standard of our own bodies, we are slowly
bringing ourselves to the point of lower life expectancy.
For the past fifty years, medical science has
had an upper hand in the civilized world where any nutrition claim not proved scientifically,
it is treated as invalid and unworthy of anyone’s attention.
Foodstuff manufacturing giant organisations
have taken advantage of this phenomenon and flooded the markets with tasty artificial
foods. Thus most of us had fallen prey to these so called quick readymade
processed foods.
There is now a gradual shift in the
thinking. People have understood that the only person responsible in each one of
us is our own self, and that consumer realises that he is what he eats.
Consumers have also realised that food does
not nourish the physical body alone, but also mind and consciousness which
cannot be divided from the physical self.
Fortunately, our modern society has now
realised the importance of nutrition for healthy life and with this in mind we
now would like to elaborate about what nutrition is and why is it important to
all of us.
Nutrition for our body is derived by consuming a balanced diet containing all the needed nutrients by our body in a day that helps us stay mentally and physically healthy.
Remember, what you eat today, walks and talks tomorrow
Therefore, nutrition is important and it is the study of nutrients in food, how the body uses these nutrients, and the relationship between diet, health, and disease.
Nutritionists recommend that in order to stay
healthy one need to have a balanced diet. It is a diet selected to give the
daily requirements of the following nutrients to our body.
What nutrients should you include in your daily diet? (Fast facts on nutrients)
Micro
Nutrients
They are nutrients required in very small quantities. This is because our body uses
them directly without breaking them down. Whereas the nutrients like proteins
and carbohydrates are essentially broken down. Our body does not manufacture
them and is required to consume through our daily intake of food. They are
Vitamins and minerals.
Micro Nutrients like
·
Vitamins – Provide a source of
materials for growth and repair
·
Minerals – Provide nourishment for healthy teeth, bones, muscles etc.
Macro
Nutrients
They are nutrients required in large
quantities to our body for delivering the necessary energy and calories. This
helps growth, metabolism and for other functions of our body. They are
Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats and dietary fibber.
Macro Nutrients like
·
Carbohydrates – Provide the
source of energy.
·
Proteins – Are building blocks for growth and repair.
·
Fats – Provide
energy and absorbs certain fat soluble vitamins to maintain the body
temperatures.
·
Fibre – are required to help
your intestines function correctly; it is not digested
·
Water – helps body from
dehydration.
Micro
nutrients – Vitamins
There are so far 13 vitamins identified
that are essentially required by our body on a daily basis. There are two types
of Vitamins.
v Fat soluble vitamins
v Fat soluble vitamins
Vitamins | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Good for eyes, growth, bone development |
| Beta carotene acts as a powerful antioxidant | |
| Vitamin D | Bone development and stronger teeth |
| Helps calcium absorption | |
| Vitamin E | Antioxidant - protects body cells from damage |
| Helps maintain normal RBC | |
| Vitamin K | Helps blood clotting |
| Bone development |
v Water soluble vitamins
| Vitamins | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Vitamin B-B1 B2 B3 B5 B6 B9 B12 | Helps in breaking down of Carbohydrates and proteins and fats and energy production |
| Maintain a healthy skin | |
| Maintain health nervous system | |
| Helps develop Red Blood Cells. | |
| Vitamin C | Helps body cells to grow and stay healthy |
| Stronger defence system | |
| Helps faster healing process | |
| Acts as an antioxidant |
Micro Nutrients – Minerals
Minerals are also required in small
quantities for our body. Our body relies from external source. Therefore, it is
essential that our food intake contain the necessary minerals required by our
body. Listed are the minerals required on a daily basis to aid some
| Minerals | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Iron | Carrier of oxygen to various tissues |
| Magnesium | For muscles, nerves and strengthen immune system |
| Stronger bones | |
| Calcium | Stronger bones |
| Chromium | Glucose metabolism |
| Potassium | Essential for muscles and nervous system |
| Essential for heart and kidney function | |
| Body fluid regulation | |
| Phosphorous | Stronger bones and teeth |
| Converts the food in to energy | |
| Zinc | Quickens healing of wounds |
| Supports body enzymes | |
| Selenium | Prevents cell damage |
| Copper | Necessary for iron absorption and works with iron to form red blood cells. Helps maintenance of bone, connective tissue, brain, heart, and many other body organs, |
| Manganese | It helps formation of connective tissues, bones, initiating blood-clotting, and sex hormones and major contributor in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation. Manganese also helps normal brain and nerve function. |
| Chromium | Chromium helps form useful compounds with fatty acid and cholesterol that are important for brain function and other body processes. |
| Molybdenum | Its main function is in removing toxins particularly from the metabolism of sulphur containing amino acids. |
Macro Nutrients are further classified
under those that provide energy to our body and those that do not provide
energy to our body.
Carbohydrates
an energy macro nutrient (gives 4kcal per gram)
Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy. They contain the
elements Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. Most of the carbohydrates obtained from
starch. Our digestive system converts the starch in to glucose. The tissues in
our body use glucose. There is also another kind of carbohydrate called
sucrose. These are bigger molecules and needs digestion and converted in to
glucose.
Proteins
an energy macro nutrient (gives 4kcal per gram)
These constitute 20% of
our body weight next to water. Proteins are the body
builders in our body. Our body cannot directly absorb proteins being
macronutrients. Our digestive system converts them to amino acids that are
absorbed by our body. These acids once again re-converted to proteins.
There are 22 different amino acids. Out of
these 13 acids, our body makes without our knowledge. The balance nine relied
from external sources. These are the essential amino acids. We must eat protein
rich food to get these essential amino acids.
Our body needs on daily basis sufficient
amount of proteins. Proteins meant for
- Replacing old tissues
- Regulate water balance
- Transport of nutrients
- Creation of antibodies
- Carry oxygen through blood.
Your daily requirement of
proteins is equivalent to your weight in grams. This is the right amount of protein intake daily for every
individual. For instance, your
weight is 70 kilograms; you need to consume daily 70 grams of protein.
Fats
an energy macro nutrient (gives 9kcal per gram)
Fats are required for overall heath. They
help in repair of old cells, hormone production, Vitamin D and bile acids.
There are two types of fats.
- Bad Fats – Saturated fats
- Good Fats – Unsaturated fats (essential fatty acids) Omega – 3
and Omega – 6
Our body can synthesize only the saturated
fats where as the unsaturated fats need to be obtained from food source. Hence,
we need obtain from food source.
Fibre
a non-energy macro nutrient
Fibre is equally essential to improve our
intestinal health. Fibres are mostly available in plants. In plants, it is a
carbohydrate to make their cell walls. It is roughage. You need to essentially
consume foods; materials with higher fibre content or else you might end up
with problems of constipation leading to problems of colon and rectum. The
absence of fibre in the food creates problem of smooth movement of digested
food through the intestines. The result is obvious discomfort in our bellies.
Relying on fresh fruits and vegetables is
the best way to get all the above nutrients. We need to add servings of fruits
in such a way that it comprises a minimum of five different coloured fruits.
Include daily half-cooked or raw vegetables. Over cooked and spiced vegetable,
destroy the phyto-nutrients present in them. This might sound impractical, but
imagine the cost involved otherwise.
Water
a non-energy macro nutrient
Water occupies about 70 % of the non-fat
mass of the body. Water is used by our body for performing various other
processes.
There are no definite guide lines for the
amount of water that need to be consumed by our body daily. The amount varies
between 1 litre to 7 litres. This quantity is dependent on the individuals body size, age, environmental temperatures,
physical activity, different states of health, and dietary habits; for
instance, somebody whose daily intake of salt is
greater than 3.75 grams of salt or 1500 mg of sodium or 0.75 teaspoons,
will have to drink more water than any other similar person.
Where do you get all these nutrients daily?
It is very difficult to keep track which foods give what nutrients for our daily nutrition requirements.Fortunately, the Food and Drug Administration has prepared daily values in the form of a chart.Take a look at this chart which can help you identify which foods give you the daily requirement of micro and macro nutrients.
You get all these nutrients by eating …..
- 30 whole
eggs
- 4
avocados
- 150ml
milk
- 1 cup
lentils
- 1 cup
cauliflower
- 2 cups
green peas
- 7 oz.
beef
- .66 cup
sunflower seeds
- 0.5 of
one prune
- 0.75 cup
sweet potatoes
- 5.5 cup
broccoli
- 10 whole
dried apricots
- 1 orange
- 100 cups
yoghurt
- 3 oz.
almonds
- 0.5 cup
spinach leaves
- 9 cups of
cooked rice
- 2.5
pounds of chicken meat
- 3 cups of
oat meal
- 1.25
pounds of white cheese
- 2 cups of
peanuts
Above
is the list of foods needed to be consumed in a day to satisfy the daily requirement
of macro nutrients and micro nutrients for our body. This is considered as the
balanced nutrition.
Just imagine the calories intake and the
cost involved in getting these items. This is a hard way of eating.
All foods contain nutrients but all nutrients are not present in one food
You
may manage to eat a “healthy” diet; however studies have indicated that it is absolutely
impossible in a modern lifestyle full of activities, to get all the required nutrients,
vitamins and minerals only from food we cook and eat. There was a paper byscientists from the food council in United States that the majority of the foodsconsumed by Americans had micronutrient insufficiency.
How do we get all the macro and micro nutrients?
Who needs nutrition supplements?
If you are healthy and eat a wide variety
of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy
products, lean meats and fish, required by your body daily, then you do not
need supplements.
But if your diet is not a nutritious one
then you need to rely on supplements or fortified foods. Consumption of
supplements might also be appropriate in some cases like:
-
Women who may become pregnant
should consume at least 400 micrograms a day of folic acid from fortified foods
or supplements, in addition to eating foods that naturally contain folates.
-
Women who are pregnant should consume
vitamin that includes iron or a separate iron folic supplement.
-
Adults of age above 50 should
eat foods fortified with vitamin B-12, such as fortified cereals, or take a
multivitamin that contains B-12 or a separate B-12 supplement.
-
Adults above age 65 should consume
800 international units of vitamin D daily to reduce the risk of falls.
Dietary supplements also may be appropriate
if you:
-
Are poor
eater or in the habit of eating junk foods containing lesser calories than
needed
-
Are a vegetarian who has the
habit of consuming few varieties of vegetables and stick on the same type of
preparation.
-
Follow altogether a different type
of diet which is lacking a specific essential nutrient in their daily foods
-
Do not obtain two to three
servings a week of seafood, which supplies omega-3 fatty acids for heart health
-
Have limited or no milk at all due
to lactose intolerance or milk allergy. If you are staying away from enough
dairy foods
-
Have heavy bleeding during your
menstrual period
-
If you have problems, such as
chronic diarrhoea, food allergies, food intolerance, or a disease of the liver,
gallbladder, intestines or pancreas that normally has varied absorption levels
of nutrients.
-
Have undergone any critical surgery
on the digestive tract which prevents proper digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Conclusions
Whatever changes in the type of supplements
you decide to consume make sure to consults your doctor or a dietician. Enquire
about which supplements and doses are appropriate for you. Also ask about
possible after effects that can occur by consuming such supplements with clear
direction of remedial measures.
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