Nutrient Basics

Nutrient Basics

Substances found in food
Used to obtain energy, build or repair tissue & regulate body functions
Only Carbohydrates, Protein & Fat provide energy
6 essential nutrients are water, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins & minerals
Water
1. Most basic nutrient
2. Your body can't survive more than a few days without water
Carbohydrates
1. Simple & complex.
2. Main source of energy & provide the body's need for fiber
3. Come from a variety of foods like grains, fruits, milk yogurt & sweets
4. Can be converted more readily into glucose
5. Should be 55-65% of your food intake
6. Simple carbohydrates are high in calories & low in nutreients
7. Simple carbohydrates can also be found in fruits, vegetables & dairy products
8. Complex carbohydrates are a source of energy & rich in vitamins, minerals & fiber
Protein
1. Most people get plenty of
2. It provides energy & helps build, maintain & repair body tissues
3. Cant be stored for later use
4. Most of the body's proteins are continually broken down
5. The more active you are the faster your proteins break down
6. Made up of chemical compounds called amino acids
  1. There are 20 amino acids
  2. The body can produce 11/20 of the amino acids
7. Complete proteins: contain all 9 essential amino acids & are found in animal sources
8. Incomplete proteins: Lack one or more essential amino acid(s) & are found in plants
Fat
1. Without healthy fat your brain & nerves wont work well
2. Most concentrated form of food energy
3. (Calories)
4. Has substances needed for growth & healthy skin, required to carry "fat-soluble" vitamins throughout the body & provides energy
5. Saturated Fats
  1. Animal products & tropical oils like butter, coconut, fatty meats, etc.
  2. Solid at room temp
  3. Causes bad cholesterol & increases risk of heart disease
6. Trans Fat
  1. Created in food manufacturing when liquid vegetable oils are turned into solid fat using a process called hydrogenation
  2. Increases risk of heart disease by raising cholesterol
  3. Thought to be more harmful than saturated fats
  4. Have been removed from restaurants in several states
  5. Watch for the words "hydrogenated" & "partially-hydrogenated"
7. Unsaturated Fats
  1. Polyunsaturated: Provides 2 essential fatty acids. Found in vegetables & fish oils
  2. Monounsaturated: May reduce heart disease. Found in darker oils, nuts, seeds & more
Vitamins
1. Help break down & release energy
Minerals
1. Help perform a wide variety of body functions
Fiber
1. indigestible but helps digestion
2. Reduces the risk of some diseases like heart disease, diabetes & obesity, & certain types of cancer
3. Attracts water to the digestive track
4. Exercises muscles of the digestive tract
5. Speeds up food passage, which helps prevent cancer causing agents exposure to the digestive tract
6. Binds with cholesterol & carries it out of the body, reducing the risk of heart disease
Cholesterol
1. A fat-like substance that is part of every cell of the body
2. Comes from animal products
3. Helps the body make cells & aids in digestion
4. When cholesterol levels are high there is a greater risk for heart disease
5. Not being active & eating too much saturated/trans fat will raise cholesterol

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	Created by Deandra Ribar about 9 years ago