Essential Nutrients
Essential Nutrients What is Nutrition? The study of how your body uses the food you eat What is a Nutrient? A chemical substance in the body that helps maintain the body 6 Classes of Nutrients Your body needs over 50 different nutrients which can be divided into 6 classes: Carbohydrates Fats Protein Vitamins Minerals Water CARBOHYDRATES WHAT ARE THEY? Essential Nutrients Make up the foundation of diets Predominant in plant based foods How much is recommended? A minimum of 130 grams of dietary carbohydrates is needed daily Recommended 45-65% of your daily calories comes from carbohydrates CARBOHYDRATES WHY DO YOU NEED THEM? (Functions) Most desirable source of energy for the body Main role is to supply fuel, primarily in the form of glucose (predominant sugar in high-carb foods) to your cells Your brain and red blood cells rely on glucose to function 4 calories of energy per gram ex: 10g of carbohydrates= 40 calories of energy CARBOHYDRATES simple vs. complex SIMPLE A category of carbohydrates that contain a single sugar unit (monosaccharide) or t wo sugar units combined (disaccharide) Monosaccharides: Glucose Fructose Sweetest of the Monosaccharides AKA Fruit Sugar Galactose Links with glucose to create the sugar found in dairy foods Disaccharides: Created from glucose, fructose, and galactose Glucose+Fructose=Sucrose Table Sugar 2 Glucose= Maltose Sugar found in grains Glucose +galactose=lactose Milk Sugar (Found in dairy foods CARBOHYDRATES COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates that contain many sugar units combined (Polysaccharide) Starch (The storage form of glucose in plants), fiber (a nondigestible polysaccharide), and glycogen (the storage form of glucose in humans and animals are the three groups of polysaccharides CARBOHYDRATES Where to get them? Breads Cereal Pasta Fruits Vegetables Whole Grains FATS WHY DO YOU NEED THEM? They are... A protective cushion for your bones, organs and ner ves Used for insulation and to maintain body temperature Provide energy Absorb certain nutrients Carries fat-soluble vitamins Provides essential fatty acids 9 Calories of energy per gram It is recommended that 20-35% of your calories come from fat FATS Fatty Acids Saturated- Raises LDL Polyunsaturated- Decreases LDL Monounsaturated- Decreases LDL and Increases HDL Cholesterol (Your body MAKES all the cholesterol it needs!) LDL- Low Density Lipoprotein Bad Cholesterol Deposits cholesterol in the walls of the arteries Can lead to heart disease HDL-High Density Lipoprotein Good Cholesterol Removes cholesterol from the tissues and delivers it to the liver to be used as a part of bile and/or be excreted from the body FATS Where to get them? Cheese Butter Nuts Meats Dressings Chocolate PROTEIN WHAT IS IT? Compounds in your body that consist of numerous amino acids found in all living cells Amino Acids- Building blocks of protein 4 calories of energy per gram How much is recommended? Healthy adults should consume enough dietary protein to replace the amount they use each day Pregnant women, people recovering from injury, and growing children need more to supply necessities for building new tissue PROTEIN WHY DO YOU NEED IT? (Functions) Provide structural and mechanical support Help maintain body tissues Needed by the body for growth and maintenance Help body make important substances Regulate body processes Supply energy ` COMPLETE Contains adequate amounts of all essential amino acids Sources: Meat Milk Eggs FIsh INCOMPLETE Lacks some amino acids Sources: Nuts Beans Peas What can happen if you... EAT TOO MUCH PROTEIN Increased risk for: Heart Disease Kidney Stones Osteoporosis- (Brittle Bones) Cancer EAT TOO LITTLE PROTEIN Increased risk for: Loss of bone mass Lack of sufficient protein and/or calories in the body.
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