Most people take advantage of their health, and fail to recognize the importance of having the essential nutrients in the body. One would not be able to function optimally without them. They are crucial in supporting one’s reproduction, good health, and growth. These essential nutrients are compounds that the body cannot make or produce in sufficient quantities, but are required by the body for growth, maintenance, repair, and other benefits.
Essential Nutrients: Micro and Macro
The essential nutrients are divided into two categories — micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients are those that a person needs in smaller amounts, which consists of vitamins and minerals. They are vital for healthy growth, metabolism, and development, while regulating cell function as well. And to make sure that you get an adequate amount and balance of micronutrients, it is important to include in your routine a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other sources of calcium. And though the body only needs only small amounts of these nutrients, a micronutrient deficiency can cause ill health.
Macronutrients, on the other hand, are those nutrients that the body needs to consume in larger amounts. This category includes water, protein, carbohydrates, and fats — which provides the body with energy. This type of nutrients provide energy that helps grow new cells and tissues, conduct nerve impulses allowing one to sense and interact with the environment, develop and repair new tissues, and regulate vital bodily processes. Macronutrients are those that are not naturally produced by the body. Thus, you must be able to include foods containing these nutrients in your diet, or drink supplements that will help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
There are six essential nutrients that your body must have to maintain optimal health, namely protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. All these are required for the body to have for proper function.
Protein
Protein belongs to the macronutrient category that provides the building blocks of the body, which is an important part of every diet, essential for better health. It is primarily used for growth, health, and maintenance, thus you need some for your body to perform in its optimum state. This nutrient is made up of several amino acids which can be created by the body, though there are still some that can only come from food. Your body has the ability to complete proteins from the food you eat throughout the day.
The food that one can consume that contains protein include lean meats, poultry, fish and seafood, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and beans. There are also some grain and cereal-based products that can be a source of protein, but they do not give out as high nutrients as meat and meat-alternative products.
Carbohydrates
Like any other essential nutrients, carbohydrates are used by the body to perform in its optimal state, and are necessary for a healthy body. These are the sugars and starches that provide energy for all the cells and tissues in one’s body. They have the ability to fuel the body, especially in the central nervous system and brain, which can protect you from illnesses and diseases. This nutrient should make up 45 to 65 percent of the total calories you gain each day. Consuming the right carbohydrates as well is essential for a steady blood sugar level, while getting sufficient nutrients for vital health.
Foods such as white bread, pasta, and rice, containing simple carbohydrates, should be consumed. However, you must still limit the intake to avoid a massive increase in the blood sugar levels. Overly processed products that contain bleached, white flour, and foods with added sugar should be avoided as well. However, the body needs complex carbohydrates for supporting the immune system, brain function, and the nervous system.
Fats
Fats are often considered to be part of the unhealthy elements within the body. However, they have been proven to provide benefits that are essential for a healthy diet. They have the ability to support several functions of the body. This includes vitamin and mineral absorption, blood clotting, building cells, and also muscle movement.
Fat is high in calories. And the calories you get from this type of nutrient are important as an energy source for the body. Including them in your diet can help balance the blood sugar. It can even decrease the risk of certain conditions and issues like heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. They are also powerful anti-inflammatories, which hold the capacity to lower the risk of arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Vitamins
As one of the micronutrients that the body needs, vitamins play an important role in the body as a means to support bodily functions. They are vital to keep your body from diseases and to stay healthy. This is especially for a healthy vision, skin, and bones. Without them, the body can result in several health problems and conditions. Vitamins are powerful antioxidants as well, so they have the ability to lower the risk of lung and prostate cancer. However, as a micronutrient, your body only requires you to take vitamins in small quantities.
There are a number of essential vitamins that contribute to better health such as vitamin A, C, D, E, K, and many more. Vitamin C is known to boost the immune system while helping the body heal. Vitamin D, on the other hand, has the ability to promote healthy bones and teeth. It even supports immune, brain, and nervous system heath. And aside from supplements, you can be able to get them through fatty fish and seafoods, and even from just adequate exposure to sunlight. There are a wide array of benefits that vitamins can provide. You just have to consume foods or supplements containing these nutrients in a balanced way.
Minerals
Similar to vitamins, minerals help support the body. It is essential for various body functions such as building strong bones and teeth, regulating the metabolism, and staying properly hydrated. It also has the ability to optimize immunity as well as the production of energy. They can also be beneficial to maintain healthy blood pressure and with muscle contraction and relaxation. And like vitamins, minerals also interact with each other. When you have too much of one type of mineral, it might create imbalances in another type. For instance, with your body getting too much manganese, it can trigger iron deficiencies.
Some common minerals that the body needs would be calcium, iron, and zinc. Iron can be helpful in supporting your body’s red blood cells and hormone creation. With zinc, it has the power to boost the immune system and wound healing.
Water
Since water is the main thing that a human body is made of, it is the most important nutrient that your body needs. About 62 percent of one’s body weight is water. You can go for weeks without food. But you cannot last a few days without water as it is crucial for every system in one’s body. Which is why sufficient water intake becomes very important for every body function. It improves the brain function as well as mood. It even acts as a shock absorber and a lubricant in the body. Water also flushes out toxins to hydrate the body, and prevent constipation as well.
Key Takeaway
One’s body needs the right and balanced amount of nutrients for your body to function optimally and properly. There are certain foods and supplements with components that supply the necessary nutrients. Eating a balanced diet with these foods, with fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins and fats, is one of the most effective ways to get enough of these six essential nutrients that the body needs, to ensure the best possible health. The nutrients mentioned above all support vital functions, which includes growth and immunity.
