Nutrients are biologically significant elements. Modern nutrients: description, types, role

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Many women become true experts in he althy eating in their lifetime. They memorize the calorie content of a particular product and by eye can determine the content of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in a particular dish. However, the term nutrients is already something not entirely clear, sort of related to nutrition, but rather abstract. Today we want to reveal this concept and once again raise the topic of rational nutrition. No, not a diet, but a balanced diet that provides you with activity, vigor and excellent he alth.

What is this

Nutrients are biologically significant elements that are necessary for every living organism. There are not so many of them, only five large groups. All of them are 100% irreplaceable. That is, the body cannot synthesize them on its own. With a serious shortage of one or more groups, a metabolic imbalance occurs, which is the basis for the development of serious diseases or minor deviations that will undermine your he alth and eventually result in illness. Nutrients are the whole range of nutrients. No product can fully providethe body with all the necessary substances for growth and development, and therefore every day we need a significant set of them, as well as biologically active food supplements.

Five nutrient groups

First of all, you need to select two large blocks. Nutrients is a common name, and they are divided into macro- and micronutrients. The first group includes substances that are vital to us in large quantities. This is our source of energy, a battery that supports all biological processes in the body. Of course, you have already guessed what we are talking about. These are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The basis of the food pyramid and our life with you.

The second big block is micronutrients. What is it that our body needs every day in microdoses? Of course, vitamins and minerals. They go to synthesize hormones and enzymes, as well as other substances, without which it is impossible to imagine normal growth and development.

Let's take a closer look at them

So, nutrients are nutrients that enter our body with food. However, the classification does not end there. Each of the main groups includes dozens of different types of energy sources. Today we will only superficially go over them so that you get a fairly complete impression. First of all, proteins fall into the field of our attention. The most important elements, the basis of our entire body, a source of energy and building material for muscles. And in this block there are different typesnutrients. Proteins are fast and slow. Fast is the one in which the amino acids are in the most split state. The body does not expend effort to assimilate them, because their design does not require additional splitting. Examples include egg and milk proteins. They are needed after a workout, sleep or a long break in food.

Slow protein is a different variety. The amino acids here are in bound form. Therefore, the protein is split for a long time and slowly absorbed, while supplying the body with building material for a long time. The best time to eat such food is dinner (if you do not eat after six in the evening) or the morning when you are going to leave for work (especially if the busy schedule does not include meal breaks). It can be cottage cheese and casein.

The second big group is fats

Now we are looking at the main nutrients that should be in your diet in sufficient quantities every day. The second group is fats. You do not need to immediately disown them, they are also necessary for the body, just in reasonable quantities. However, it is necessary to clearly understand which fats are good and which are bad. Saturated foods are butter, mayonnaise, sausage, fried foods. Their number in the diet should be minimal. To fully satisfy your needs, a piece of butter weighing 10 g is enough. The second group is unsaturated fats. They are needed for the normal functioning of the body every day. Sources are fish and avocado, sunflower andlinseed oil, and nuts.

The most problematic category is carbohydrates

Today, indeed, this is becoming a disease of all mankind. Carbohydrate food - buns and hamburgers, pizza, all kinds of pastries, cookies, cakes, everything that you can quickly eat. These are sources of fast carbohydrates. Add potatoes to this and our habit of eating everything with bread, and after eating tea, always with sugar or sweets, and you will understand how overloaded our diet is with them.

In fact, the need for nutrients is, first of all, our body's desire for harmonious nutrition. So, carbohydrates are simple and complex. The former often have a sweet taste. This is honey and jam, rolls, sweets. They quickly enter the bloodstream and raise insulin levels. Complex carbohydrates differ from them in their high content of dietary fiber. That is, such carbohydrates are absorbed slowly, gradually giving up nutrients and maintaining satiety. These are cereals and legumes. The second group is preferred in the diet, while fast carbohydrates can be snacked after a workout. But before going to bed, it’s better to forget about them completely.

Distribution of nutrients throughout the day

It should be noted that the deficiency of nutrients, as well as their excess, is very harmful to your body. Therefore, during the day it is necessary to maintain a balance between their consumption. The very first meal should be about an hour after you wake up. Therefore, if you leave early for work, it is advisable to get up even earlier. Breakfast should be completethat is, combine fast and slow carbohydrates, as well as fast proteins. Milk porridge and a bun will do. During the day, it is better to give preference to slow carbohydrates and proteins. Porridge with meat will be an excellent option for lunch. For dinner, cut out carbs entirely and opt for a slow protein like low-fat cottage cheese or boiled chicken breast.

The ratio of the main nutrients for the energy supply of normal life activity

The content of nutrients is, first of all, a certain supply of energy that they give to the body. Moreover, each of these groups carries its own energy load. However, the meaning still remains the same, the human body receives energy not from food as such, but from the nutrients that it consists of. Then we have to go back to the definition again. This is what will lead us to a simple, but such an important formula. A nutrient is any substance that must necessarily be part of the food consumed by a person in order to provide him with energy. At the same time, the supply that food nutrients give will be different. For example, one gram of protein or carbohydrates will give you 4 kcal. In this case, one gram of fat will give 9 kcal. Based on this, we get the most important principle of he althy eating.

Compliance with energy consumption and energy costs

This must be known and remembered. Daily consumption must necessarily correspond to spending. There are no foods that make you gain weight, there are those that give you a lot of energy that remains unspent. But even this is not entirelycorrect understanding. In fact, the body does not care what you get energy from. Only 300 g of Napoleon cake will give you approximately 1800 kcal, that is, the daily energy requirement. If you stop there and don’t eat anything more during the day, then you won’t be overweight. At the same time, apples eaten in large quantities after dinner will also cause excess weight, and all because more energy was received than consumed. This is called energy balance. That is, it does not matter what you overeat. Whether it was fried meat or lean cottage cheese, if you consume more than you spend, you will be overweight.

Dietary supplements

In the understanding of many, modern nutrients are not food, but various supplements and dietary supplements, that is, additional sources of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins. In fact, calculating the diet using this approach is much easier. To do this, you will need several servings of a protein shake, a couple of tablespoons of any cold-pressed vegetable oil, and whole grain bread as sources of fiber. Vitamin deficiency will be able to compensate for the vitamin-mineral complex. However, all this can only optimize the power system, but not completely replace it. Therefore, contact a professional nutritionist, develop the most optimal nutrition system for yourself, but it must include natural products, otherwise you are guaranteed various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as other organs and systems. NotRemember that too much of one group of nutrients or too little of the other is equally harmful, so try to stick to the sweet spot.

Summarize

Food nutrients are natural macro- and microelements, real building blocks for our body, as well as sources of energy. We all know how important it is to fill an airplane or a car with the right fuel, and so, in the case of our body, everything happens in exactly the same way. Therefore, on your table every day should be meat and fish, cottage cheese and kefir, vegetables and fruits, whole grain bread and cereals. If you do not eat fried foods and sweets that are full of calories and fats, then the daily allowance (2300 kcal) allows you to include a sufficiently large number of dishes in the diet, so that you do not have to feel hungry. At the same time, the weight will be normal, and the state of he alth is wonderful.