Nutrients,
Vitamins and Minerals
Food
comprises of macronutrients and micronutrients. The nutrients required in
largerquantitiesarecalledmacronutrients, whereas those required in small
quantities are called micronutrients. -Essential nutrients cannot be
synthesized by the body; they have to be included in the diet. Macronutrients
are lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and the micronutrients are vitamins and
minerals. Water plays an important role in the metabolic processes and
prevents- dehydration of the body.
Intake of
too much of food or lesser amount of food than the basic requirement is called malnutrition. A diet which can provide
all the metabolic requirements of the body in a right proportion is called balanced diet. That means it should
contain carbohydrates and fats for energy yielding, proteins for growth and
replacement; and vitamins, minerals and water for physiological regulation.
Vitamins
are naturally occurring organic substances regularly needed in minute
quantities for maintaining normal health as metabolic regulators. The
identified vitamins are classified as fat soluble (A,D,E and K) and vitamin B
and vitamin C are water soluble. Vitamin A, D, E and K, if consumed beyond
required level may cause defects, commonly referred to as hypervitaminosis.
These are
the inorganic chemical elements, i.e., Ca, Fe, I, K, Mg, Na, P, S, etc needed
for regulation of various physiological functions. These can be classified into
major minerals (Na, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cl) and others are trace minerals such as
Fe, Cu, Zn, Co, Mn,
I, and fluorine. Sodium ions are more abundant than any other cation in the
body fluids.
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