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Nutrition

Essential Nutritional Elements of Food

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Apart from the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter human being also need certain other essential elements that can help in carrying on the processes of life efficiently known as nutritional elements of food.

Various nutritional elements of food
Basic nutritional elements food includes fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, fiber, proteins, and water which is involved in your diet as per the requirement of the body. The nutrients that are needed in larger quantity including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, and water are categorized as macronutrients whereas micronutrients include minerals and vitamins which are required in a lesser amount. Macronutrients also help in maintaining the metabolism of your body to keep you healthy.

  • Fats:

Fatty acids and glycerol included in your food are part of Fats. Glycerol in fats helps your body to produce glucose whereas fatty acids are needed for the dietary needs of your body. They are used by your body as an energy store. Fats also help in the functioning of cells and maintaining the temperature and absorbing various types of vitamins of your body. Nuts, butter, and oil are good sources of fats.

  • Carbohydrates:

The energy produced by the carbohydrates in your food help in the proper functioning of your body along with the calories produced by other nutrients in your food. Bread, rice, beans, and pasta are some of the carbohydrate-rich foods that can be easily digested. Carbohydrates are not the only essential nutritional element food as fats and proteins also provide energy to it.

  • Minerals:

Minerals like Oyster shell, iodized salt, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, iodine, potassium, iron, and zinc are found in your routine diet that helps in the healthy growth of your bones and general development of your body.

  • Vitamins:

Vitamins, hormonal elements present in your food, help in regulating the growth of cells and tissues of your body. The deficiency of these nutrients may cause various other health problems. Effect of different types of vitamins:

  • Vitamin A: It helps in improving eyesight which can lead to night-blindness if found deficit. cod liver oil and carrots are good sources of Vitamin A.
  • Vitamin B: Vitamin B is further divided into various forms including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12, attained by your body through various food items & help in the growth of different parts of your body.
  • Vitamin C: It helps in keeping teeth and gums healthy and increasing the absorption of iron content in your food containing cabbage, citrus fruits, broccoli, and pineapple.
  • Vitamin D: Sunlight, cheese, liver, and salmon are good sources of this vitamin which helps in absorbing phosphates and calcium content in the food.
  • Vitamin E: Vitamin E, richly found in green leafy vegetables and wheat germ, helps in maintaining the level of vitamins A and C due to its interrelated functioning.
  • Vitamin K: It helps in synthesizing proteins in plasma, bones, and kidneys. It is richly found in spinach, lettuce, cabbage, and cauliflower.
  • Fiber:

Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that helps in easing the defecation process of your body. The roughage in your food helps in improving your digestion. You should try to intake as much fiber as possible in your daily diet. You should include the fiber-rich foods in your daily diet. Fiber-rich foods will help you to lead a healthy life.

  • Proteins:

These nutritional elements food contain amino acids that help in building structural elements in your body. Grains, meat, milk, and eggs are the protein-rich foods that can help you in your growth period. The growth of bones and the addition of muscles in the body can’t be achieved without the proteins. You should include protein-rich foods in your daily diet.

  • Water:

70% of the human body is made of water which shows its importance for your body. You should consume water according to your physical activities to maintain the hydration in your body. The more water you intake the better it is for you.

Thus to maintain your health it is necessary to maintain the level of nutritional elements food.