Question

List various types of nutrients and write the functions of each.

Answer 1

Our bodies are solely built and powered by what we eat and drink. Nutrition is the source of all the requisite energy. Nutrients found in food are also composed of the components of the structures that make up the human body, such as muscles , organs, and bones.

Complete Answer:
There are two types of nutrients in general:
A. Macronutrients
B. Micronutrients

Nutrients could be extracted from the atmosphere above. Macronutrients provide a living being with energy for the metabolic system to work. They have massive energy as it is converted to obtain energy. Fats, proteins , and carbohydrates comprise macronutrients.
Micronutrients provide important components for the success of metabolism. In order to regulate the body function, they also build and restore damaged tissues. Calcium, iron, proteins, iron, minerals, and vitamin C are micronutrients.

Nutrients are the substances found in food that are important for the human body and that drive biological activity. Proteins, fats , carbohydrates (sugars, dietary fibre), vitamins , and minerals are categorised and perform the following vital functions.
1 .Building all aspects of the body, including the muscles , bones, teeth, and blood.
2. Energy (power and heat) output
3. Keeping the organism in good working order

a. Proteins: The body's main constituent is protein, which makes up the muscles, internal organs , skin, and blood, etc. That will be the material from which the body and engine are produced as compared to a vehicle. Much as a car can not be powered quickly without a solid foundation, the human body can not be kept in a stable condition without protein. There are 20 types of protein-forming amino acids, 9 of which are not synthesised in the body and are thus referred to as essential amino acids. These amino acids, which are basic, must be supplemented from meals.

b. Fats/Carbohydrates: While eating too much fat can lead to obesity, small amounts can provide a highly efficient energy source (9kcal per gram). Carbohydrates can be broken down further into the two sugar and dietary fibre groups. Sugars are carbohydrates which can be used to drive the body as an energy source (such as during exercise) and are stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Sugars are also the primary source of energy for the brain.
On the other hand, dietary fibre is also known as the sixth major nutrient and is the indigestible portion of food which human digestive enzymes do not break down. It helps to increase the amount of good bacteria in the digestive tract, to preserve the balance of the intestinal bacteria, and to be very beneficial to the body as well. In the fatty portion of meat and in cooking oils, fats can be found in abundance, and sugars can be found in ample amounts in rice , potatoes, sugar and fruit.

c. Vitamins/Minerals: Vitamins and minerals are not used as energy, but instead help to break down proteins , fats, and sugars and build them up and are a necessary food to keep the body healthy and in good working order. 'Vitamin' is the general term for organic compounds (carbon-containing compounds) that are often impossible for the body to synthesise, and various deficiency-related diseases may result from a lack of those vitamins.
- You can break down vitamins into two categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are readily dissolved in fats, and can lead to an overdose of vitamins if consumed in large quantities. Water soluble vitamins (B vitamins, C) are readily dissolved in water and therefore carry very little risk of overdose. In fruit and vegetables, vitamins can be found in large amounts.
- Mineral, also referred to as inorganic matter, is a general term that excludes oxygen, carbon, hydrogen , and nitrogen from the chemical elements that make up the human body. There are 16 different minerals, including calcium , iron, and sodium, which are necessary for the human body, and they can be found in abundance in fruit , vegetables, seaweed, and milk / dairy products.

Note: The significant nutrient functions include:
- They are the body 's main source of energy.
- They help to build and repair tissues in the body.
- It increases the absorption of vitamins soluble in fat.
- Assists in collagen synthesis.