What is nutrition?
Nutrition is the intake of food fueling the body's dietary requirements. It is a process of acquiring energy from various food sources for metabolic activities and proper growth.
The body gets nutrients during digestion. Eating a healthy meal and having a nutritious diet have shown to reduce the chances of developing various diseases and are suitable for improving a person's overall health.
A balanced diet should contain adequate proportions of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and meat for overall well-being and nourishing the body.
All these foods provide a quality source of nutrients that enhance physical and mental health. To get the most out of a healthy diet, it is essential to know the types and functions of nutrition.
What are the types of nutrition?
Nutrition is classified mainly into two types, namely micro nutrients and macro nutrients.
The micronutrients include calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients required for the body's metabolic activity. These micronutrients help to repair and build damaged tissues to support organs and their functioning.
Macronutrients are sensual for providing energy to the body when the food items are broken down during digestion. Compounds like fats, proteins and carbohydrates are called macronutrients.
Our body cannot produce most of the nutrients, so a person needs to consume enough fruits and vegetables to meet the body’s requirements.
Nutrition is segregated into two categories called autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition.
Autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition
Autotrophic nutrition
The term autotrophic nutrition involves two words - auto and tropic, meaning self and nutrition, respectively. The organisms under this category contain a pigment, typically green-coloured, called chlorophyll, that traps energy from sunlight.
These organisms prepare their food from inorganic minerals like water, carbon dioxide and mineral salts during the process of photosynthesis.
Plants break down the food compounds into glucose for survival. Photosynthesis is plants' process that converts water, carbon dioxide and sunlight into glucose.
Chemotropic nutrition is also a part of nutrition where the organism synthesises organic food by chemical reactions.
Heterotopic nutrition
Heterotrophic organisms cannot produce food independently and rely on plant or animal food sources. These organisms are categorised into three types depending on the food choice and their mode of feeding.
Holozoic organism feed on plants and animals for the nutrition they require for survival. Carnivorous, omnivorous and herbivorous organisms are holozoic organisms.
Symbiotic organisms depend on each other for food.
Saprotrophic organisms mostly rely on the dead and decaying matter as a source of nutrition.
But humans follow a heterotroph mode of nutrition and largely depend upon fruits, vegetables and meat to nourish them with essential nutrients required by the body.
What are the types of nutrition we require?
Several nutrients are essential for the well-being of humans. The seven significant nutrients are as follows.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are also called carbs and are distinguished based on the number of monomers and polymers like monosaccharides, polysaccharides and disaccharides.
The human body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, supporting body and brain function. Consuming foods that have complex carbohydrates can keep an individual fuller and helps with body weight management.
Foods like rice, bread, greens and noodles are rich in carbohydrates.
Fat
Fats are essential to support proper cell growth and provide energy to the body. The body uses fat to absorb essential vitamins and minerals. Fats are also applauded because they keep the body warm and energetic.
Fats are classified into two types - good and bad fat. The food we consume contains saturated and unsaturated fats. Consuming food with minimal saturated fat like butter, cheese, coconut oil, dark chocolate and seafood is considered healthier.
Proteins
Proteins are molecules that are formed from amino acids. We must have learnt in our early schooling that proteins are bodybuilding food and help in muscle formation.
Proteins are popular among athletes and bodybuilders to improve muscle formation and secrete enzymes and hormones. Almost 20 amino acids in the body are protein, half of which are absorbed from the diet a person consumes.
The body requires amino acids to produce protein and repair damaged proteins. Consuming foods like red meat, eggs, dairy, nuts and beans can provide a high-quality protein to the body.
Water
Most living organisms require water for survival. Water is essential for life. Humans must consume adequate water daily, depending on their body weight.
Water helps in the formation of digestive juices and regulates body temperature. Water also plays a significant role in other critical functions like maintaining cell function, lubricating joints, keeping the bladder clean and reducing the risk of cystitis.
Minerals
Minerals are vital micronutrients for the body that helps in building strong muscles and bones and maintaining a healthy heart rate.
Chloride, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur and calcium are some of the body's essential minerals.
Fibre
Dietary fibre is a form of carbohydrate that helps the body in digestion. Our body barely gains any nutrients or calories from the fibre we consume. However, fibre is important in removing waste from the digestive system and regulating bowel movement. It can also reduce the risk of cancer to an extent. Wheat, nuts and vegetables are good sources of fibre.
Vitamins
Vitamins are crucial for the body. They are consumed through diet or supplements because the body cannot produce vitamins. Our body requires minimal vitamins to function effectively. Vitamins are fat or water soluble.
Vitamin A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin C, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 are water-soluble vitamins stored in the body cells.
Benefits of eating healthy
Learning to eat healthily is not complicated. There are a few factors to remember for a healthy diet.
Drinking a lot of water, minimising intake of salt, alcohol, sugar, trans-fat, consuming a variety of foods, including multiple servings of fruits and vegetables, whole grain products, lean meat, poultry, eggs, fish, beans and low-fat dairy products can improve a person's overall health.
Healthy eating plays a significant role in improving a person's overall health.
A person's health can depend on age, sex, lifestyle, physical activity, culture and dietary food customs.
Considering all the factors, consuming food that is suitable for a person and eliminating processed food can provide adequate nutrition and keep a person healthy.
To sum up
A well-balanced diet has the right amount of vegetables, fruits, seeds and meat for overall health.
These foods can provide a good source of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can keep a person physically and mentally healthy.
Restricting some foods and limiting the consumption of alcohol can provide overall health benefits.
FAQs
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A healthy diet can also reduce the chances of developing obesity, heart disease, Diabetes and a specific type of cancer.
