We all know that the food we eat often provides us with essential nutrients.
Today we are going to talk about the basic nutrients that you get from your food and their functions.
Let’s get started with the nutrient, which dominates more than 60% of our body. We are talking about water.
Water
Even if you decide to go on a diet and not eat any proper meals, you can still survive. Although, you won’t make it without water. For every organ of your body to work properly, you need water. This liquid helps in your brain function, and cleanses your body of toxins. The cells in your body stay hydrated because of water. Apart from that, water also helps in the process of digestion. If you are someone who doesn’t drink water regularly, you might find yourself constipated more often than not.
If you aren’t drinking water properly, you will end up becoming dehydrated. That is not good for your body as it can affect its mental and physical performance. Not drinking enough water can also make you feel very tired and reduce your ability to concentrate.
Vitamins
The basic function of these nutrients is to keep away diseases and keep you healthy. Without a healthy dose of Vitamins, it would be difficult for your body to fight the microorganisms. While there are about 13 types of Vitamins that your body needs, four of them are extremely essential.
These are Vitamin A, B6, C and D. These four Vitamins play an important role in your body. In case you aren’t getting enough of these Vitamins, you might face some problems. For example, Lack of Vitamin B6 can cause your Blood Pressure to lower uncontrollably. Similarly, lack of other Vitamins may cause skin problems, vision problems and weakness. On the other hand, having enough vitamins in your body would mean that you will have a healthy immune system. The risks of getting lung or prostate cancer would also reduce with the proper intake of vitamins.
Additionally, Vitamins also have high levels of antioxidant properties that are good for your body.
Protein
This is the nutrient that gets most of the hype. Go to any nutritionist and they will suggest a lot of food items for the proper intake of protein. These include meat, eggs and some grains. So, why is protein so popular?
Well, protein is the building block of your body. No, we don’t mean just muscles. We are talking on a deeper level. Whether it’s your bones, muscles, skin, hair or even the cells of your body, everything contains protein. In fact, protein is responsible for a staggering 16% of the average human’s body weight.
Even your hormones and antibodies are composed of proteins. In other words, it would be very difficult to live without this nutrient. This begs the question, “What are Proteins made of?”
Well, the answer is fairly simple, they are made up of different types of amino acids. Your body needs protein so that it can function properly. This is why your nutritionists always stress that you have a lot of protein in your diet, even if you are looking to lose weight. So the next time they ask you to have scrambled eggs at breakfast, take that advice. They only want what’s good for you.
Fats
The nutrient that you want to avoid. Well, maybe you shouldn’t avoid it so much after all. Of course, an excessive amount of fats may be very dangerous for our body. Too much fat can cause problems for our blood pressure levels and heart as well as our digestive and respiratory systems.
So why are we saying you shouldn’t avoid fats? Well according to a study at Harvard Medical School, it was found that fat helps in the absorption of other nutrients. On top of that, fats play an important role in cell building. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, the study also showed that fats help to improve your muscle movement. While you might want to avoid fat because of the high amount of calories, it would be better if you ingest it and burn the calories instead.
Additionally, if you can consume fats at a controlled basis and burn calories them it will decrease the risk of heart diseases. More importantly, you will also have lower chances of getting Type 2 Diabetes. It has also been speculated that controlled intake of fat improves brain function.
Minerals
When we talk about minerals for our body, the first thing that might come to mind is Calcium. Although this isn’t the only one. Don’t forget about Iron and Zinc.
So, what does the terrific trio of Calcium, Iron and Zinc do for the body? Calcium is the mineral responsible for your strong bones. It also helps to transmit nerve signals from one part of the body to another. Calcium helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure, as well as improve muscle contraction and relaxation. Similarly, Zinc is your go to mineral when it comes to boosting your healing factor. Zinc improves your metabolism and strengthens your immune system. It also increases your resistance against diseases.
The last mineral here is Iron, which is responsible for the creation of your red blood cells. On top of that, Iron also plays an important role in the production of hormones in your body.
Carbohydrates
While the world is moving towards a low-carb diet, it still is one of the most important nutrients for our body. Carbohydrates serve as food for your brain and your central nervous system. For your brain and your nervous system to work properly, you need a decent amount of carbs. While, we wouldn’t ruin your diet plan by including too many carbs.
You should still consume a healthy amount of this nutrient in order to have a healthy lifestyle.
Best Regards!
Iqra & Ali
