Why does body need nutrients

Nutrients are the good things that we get through food which we need to nourish and nurture ourselves, and to be happy and healthy people. In scientific terms, nutrition is the supply of food that we need as an organism to feed our cells and keep them alive. We can get nutrients from products such as vitamin supplements, however when we talk about nutrition we mostly mean the nutrients we get from food. The secret to why nutrition is essential for people is in the word itself — nutrition comes from nutrients.

Without nutrition, we grow weak, sick and at the very worst can even die. Nutrients are the fuel we need to enable the body to break down food and then put this to use in the body to repair and build cells and tissue, which is basically our metabolism.

The healthy human body needs seven different kinds of nutrients to thrive; proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water. Macronutrients are the ones we need lots of, while with micronutrients the vitamins and minerals we can get by with a bit less.

The minerals we need include magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, chloride, sodium, manganese, copper, and several more. There are 16 different minerals that we need to thrive. A nutritional imbalance happens when you are not getting the right amounts of all of the nutrients you need. You can have too much of something, but it is generally more serious to have too little of a nutrient.

To help maintain your body and keep it strong you need to have a balanced diet as well as a nutritional one. Different nutrients have very different jobs in the body and show up as different kinds of deficiency when they are lacking. Our nutrition guide can help you get on the right track.

Sign up and get it free! Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. How to explain basic nutrition concepts. Gupta C, Prakash D. Phytonutrients as therapeutic agents. J Complement Integr Med. What Are Phytonutrients?

Produce for Better Health Foundation. US National Library of Medicine. Dietary fiber. Updated December Gropper, Sareen Annora Stepnick, et al. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. Australia, Cengage Learning, Nutrition: Science and Applications. Third Edition. Wiley Publishing Company, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFit.

At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.

We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. The Basics of a Healthy, Balanced Diet. Increase Your Intake of Phytonutrients. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. Dietary fiber, on the other hand, is also known as the sixth major nutrient and is the indigestible portion of food that is not broken down by human digestive enzymes.

It helps to increase the number of good bacteria in the digestive tract, maintain the balance of bacteria in the intestines, and as such is very beneficial for the body.

Fats can be found in abundance in the fatty portion of meats and in cooking oils, and sugars can be found in ample quantities in grains, potatoes, sugar, and fruit.

Vitamins and minerals are not used as energy, but instead aid in breaking down and building up proteins, fats, and sugars, and are an essential nutrient for keeping the body healthy and in good working order. Vitamins can be broken down into two categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K dissolve easily in fats and can lead to a vitamin overdose if consumed in large amounts.

Water-soluble vitamins B vitamins, C dissolve easily in water and thus carry very little risk of overdose. Vitamins can be found in large amounts in fruit and vegetables. The Japanese diet underwent drastic changes after Nutrient intake levels changed substantially, with vegetable proteins and other categories declining as animal proteins and fats became more predominant.

Moreover, in recent years new issues including often skipping breakfast and insufficient dietary fiber intake have surfaced. One characteristic of dietary fiber is its tendency to expand after absorbing water, which not only helps to improve bowel movements and keep your stomach clean, but can also suppress high blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol.

Some foods that are high in dietary fiber include vegetables such as artichokes, peas, broccoli, and potatoes, mushrooms, and seaweed. The modern diet with its focus on meat and fish tends to lack adequate dietary fiber.

Whereas the Japanese Dietary Standards published by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare recommends over 18 g of dietary fiber a day for women, and over 20 g a day for men both figures apply to those between the ages of , the average rate of intake for those in their 20s is only 12 g National Health and Nutrition Survey Report, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, This is far below the recommended level.

Nutrition Category menu. Delivering rehydration that is essential to the body while replenishing electrolytes ions.