The foods we eat are essential to keep our body functioning properly. Each food is made up of nutrients, which are the elements that allow our bodies to take them and transform the chemicals to be used for each process. Below are the types of nutrients that we consume daily are, their importance and where we can get, so you will understand better what you eat and why it is necessary to maintain a balanced diet.
What kinds of nutrients are there?
Nutrients can be categorized into: macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, all of which are the elements that we ingest through food and allow the operation of all processes in our body. Now I will discuss each of them:
Macronutrients include carbohydrates, fiber, protein and fats (also called lipids).
Vitamins: Vitamins are fulfilling many important functions in our bodies, and among them we have to thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, biotin, chorine and foliate.
Minerals: Minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and chloride are essential for the functioning of cells and our body.
Why are essential macronutrients in nutrition?
Knowing the types of nutrients is key to creating healthy dishes, so that nutritionists have always considered, and within them, macronutrients are those who can not miss. So, what are its features in detail:
Proteins: necessary for growth in children and the maintenance of body weight in adults. Proteins also supply energy, but less than carbohydrates and fats. The body continually loses a certain amount of protein, in a more simple amino acids, which are generated when coupled to different proteins that exist, being fundamental to many biological processes in our bodies. We can eat through the red and white meat, mainly.
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy that the body can use. The carbohydrates found in foods, glucose, fructose and sucrose. They are the cheapest source of energy for the body as they use requires little work on the part of our metabolism. As for all need energy (from breathing to get moving), it is important to consume foods rich in carbohydrates (like pasta).
Fats: are also an important energy source, in addition to providing essential nutrients such as fatty acids, and form part of the fat soluble vitamins. Fat is necessary for good health because our body is occupied constantly in all its functions, so when we say that ideally should not have fat in our body (for slim), which we refer to accumulates and produces fat, but they do not consume any of it.
What are minerals?
Minerals are essential for the formation of bones and teeth, and to maintain water balance in the body, or to form hemoglobin (which enables us to keep oxygenated), and for the proper functioning of many bodily processes. Diets should therefore provide adequate amounts of all minerals.
To achieve a balanced diet is necessary to consume different types of food, since they will make our body can incorporate all types of nutrients. For example, we have to eat fruits, vegetables, meats, cereals. Everything to make our body has all the components you need to function properly and allow us to be healthy.
