Nutrients

Nutrients

1. What are nutrients?

   • Nutrients are substances found in food that you use to mostly obtain energy, but also build or repair tissue and regulate body functions.
   • The foods your eat are nutrient sources.
     • You need the right mix of nutrients to keep your body functions running smoothly.

2. Your body needs nutrients to...

   • Fuel your energy
   • Help you grow
   • Repair itself
   • Maintain basic body functions

3. The 6 essential nutrients (Only 3 make energy, marked in green)

   • Water: The most basic, and important nutrient. Without enough water, your body can't survive for a few days.
   • Carbohydrates: The ideal source of energy. Can be readily converted into glucose. Comes in 2 forms; Simple and complex, and you need some of each.
     • Simple carbs: Bad reputation; high in calories and low in nutritional value.
       • Found in candies, sodas, milk, yogurt and fruits.
     • Complex carbs: Excellent source of energy for the body; rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
       • Found in plant-based products
       • Fiber: Aids in digestion, and reduces risk of developing diseases like heart disease, diabetes and obesity, as well as certain cancers
         • Found in oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
   • Protein: Most people already get enough of this; made of amino acids and provides energy and body structure.
     • Can be saved for later use
     • 2 Types of Proteins:
       • Complete proteins: contains all 9 essential amino acids; found in animal sources.
       • Incomplete proteins: lacks one or more of the essential amino acids; found in plant sources.
         • 2 Incomplete proteins can combine into a complete protein.
   • Fat: The most concentrated form of calories; can be healthy or unhealthy.
     • Found in oils, butter, nuts and seeds, dairy products and meats.
     • Needed for growth and healthy skin; enhances texture and taste of food, and can carry fat-soluble vitamins through the body
       • 4 types of fats: Be careful with these!
         • Saturated fats; usually solid fats. Raise bad cholesterol and can raise heart disease risk
         • Cholesterol: a fat-like substance that is part of every cell in the body. Helps the body make necessary cells and aids in digestion
           • When cholesterol levels are high, heart disease risk raises
         • Trans fats: found in fried foods, some margarines, veggie shortenings, snack foods, anything labelled "partially hydrogenated"
           • More harmful than saturated fats, they raise cholesterol and bad lipid levels like saturated, but they also reduce the amount of good fats you have that you want to keep high.
         • Unsaturated fats: found in vegetable in fish oils. Light in color and odorless, can withstand high cooking temps.
           • Monounsaturated fats: play a role in reducing risk of heart disease, found in darker oils
   • Vitamins: Doesn't provide energy, but help break down and release energy from the ones that do have energy.
   • Minerals: Helps perform a wide variety of essential functions in the body.