Essential Nutrients and Healthy Diet: A Comprehensive Look

Posted on Jan 5, 2025 in Geology

Essential Nutrients and Their Functions

Nutrients are simple substances found in food that permit the realization of the organism’s vital functions. Supply is the incorporation of food into the body. It is a voluntary process, and there are many forms of food. Nutrition is the utilization and transformation of food by cells to get nutrients. It is an involuntary process. There is only one form of nutrition for each of us, and we are living heterotrophs.

Characteristics of Nutrients

Nutrients have three functions:

  • Energetic Function: Through cellular respiration, organic matter combines with water and oxygen to produce ATP for vital functions. These nutrients are: glucids, lipids, and proteins (in extreme cases).
  • Structural Function: They permit the manufacture of our own biomolecules, which permit the growth, repair, and regeneration of our tissues. These are minerals, proteins, and water.
  • Regulatory Function: They control the activities of the body. These are vitamins, water, and minerals.

Classification of Nutrients

1. Organic Nutrients

Their fundamental element is carbon, and only living things produce them. Their types are:

Carbohydrates

They have a structural and energetic function. Their classification is:

  • Monosaccharides: They are the simplest form of carbohydrates. Other carbohydrates are formed from monosaccharides. They have a sweet taste. Example: Glucose, the cellular combustible.
  • Disaccharides: They are formed by the union of two monosaccharides. They do not have a sweet taste. Example: Lactose in milk and sucrose in common sugar.
  • Polysaccharides: They are formed by the union of many monosaccharides. They do not have a sweet taste. Example: Starch is the energy reserve in plants, having an energetic function. Cellulose is found in the cell walls of plant cells, having a structural function. We do not digest it. Fiber avoids many diseases. Glycogen is the energy reserve polysaccharide in animals.
Lipids

They are water-insoluble organic nutrients. They are the main source of energy reserve and are found in adipose tissue.

  • Glycerides: They can contain fatty acids.
  • Saturated: They are bad because they increase blood cholesterol levels.
  • Unsaturated: They are good because they help lower blood cholesterol.

2. Inorganic Nutrients

Carbon is not shown as their fundamental element, and they are found in inert matter.

Water

It is the majority component of living beings (3/4). It has a structural function because it forms part of our organs. It has a regulatory function. It is obtained from food and liquids and is lost through sweat, urine, and tears.

Minerals

They are abundant in fruits and vegetables. They have a structural and regulatory function.

  • Calcium: Found in dried fruits and milk. Good for bones.
  • Phosphorus: Found in meat, fish, and legumes. Good for memory.
  • Iron: Found in beef, liver, and legumes. Good appearance because it prevents anemia.
  • Fats: Solid at ambient temperature because they contain saturated fatty acids. Example: Bacon, butter.
  • Oils: Liquid at ambient temperature because they contain unsaturated fatty acids. Example: Olive oil, palm oil.
  • Cholesterol: It does not contain fatty acids. In small doses, we form some hormones from cholesterol. It is found in buds.

Proteins: They are organic nutrients formed by the union of amino acids. They have a structural function because they are used to make tissues and organs. Example: Legumes, fish, meat, egg albumin, and casein. They are also energetic.

Vitamins: They are organic nutrients derived from glucids, lipids, or proteins. They are not needed in large quantities. We cannot make them, so we must take them daily in our diet. They are classified into:

  • Fat-soluble vitamins: They are soluble in lipids. Example: Vitamin A.
  • Water-soluble vitamins: They are soluble in water. Example: Vitamin C, good for colds.

Energy Value of Nutrients

Only glucids, lipids, and proteins have energy value. The energy value of food is measured in kcal or cal. 1 gram of lipids = 9.3 kcal, 1 gram of protein = 4.2 kcal, 1 gram of glucids = 3.8 kcal. The main reserves of calories are found in lipids. We first burn glucids, fundamentally glucose, and then use proteins. Proteins are used to maintain our body structure.

Basal metabolism is the energy needed daily to maintain vital functions at rest. It depends on sex, age, height, and weight. To the basal metabolism, we must add the cost of physical activity.

Food Groups

Food is a complex substance that contains nutrients. They can be of natural origin or distributed into seven groups:

  1. Dairy Products: Milk derivatives, rich in calcium. Structural function.
  2. Meat, Eggs, Fish: Rich in protein. Structural function.
  3. Tubers, Dried Fruits, Legumes: Rich in glucids and protein. Structural and energetic function.
  4. Vegetables: Rich in minerals and vitamins. Regulatory function.
  5. Fruits: Rich in minerals and vitamins. Regulatory function.
  6. Bread, Pasta, Sweet Rice, Cereal, Flours: Rich in glucids. Energetic function.
  7. Fats, Butter, Oil: Rich in lipids. Energetic function.

Organic Food: They are natural and seasonal. No fertilizers or pesticides are used. They are more expensive.

Food Preservation

1. Cold Preservation

Low temperatures slow down the life of microorganisms.

  • Refrigeration: Temperatures between 2 and 7 degrees. Duration is days.
  • Freezing: Temperatures of -6 to -7 degrees. The duration of food is months.

2. Heat Application

High temperatures kill microorganisms.

  • Pasteurization: Used to inactivate microorganisms. Temperatures of 80 degrees are used.
  • Sterilization: Kills microorganisms. Temperatures higher than 100 degrees are used.

3. Dehydration

It is the removal of water from food to avoid microorganisms.

  • Drying: Exposing the food to the air so that the water evaporates.
  • Heat Application: Example: Dehydrated purees.

4. Use of Additives

Chemical substances are added to food to make it last longer. Example: Preservatives in canned food.

  • Expiration Date: The food should not be consumed after this date.
  • Minimum Durability Date: The date from which the food loses some properties but can be consumed afterward.

Diet is the amount of food that a certain person takes. Serving is the quantity of a certain food that must be taken in a meal. A balanced diet is one that provides us with the necessary nutrients to cover our energy and structural needs and maintain weight without excess or defect. It should contain some food from all groups. It should have fiber to facilitate intestinal transit and avoid colon cancer and constipation.

Mediterranean Diet: It is based on the consumption of olive oil, fresh seasonal food, fish, meat, legumes, and spices.