Whenever we take any nutritious food or liquid, our body digests and absorbs the simple but essential minerals, vitamins, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and water in these nutritious foods or liquids and converts them into the bloodstream and energy that helps our body to grow and keep it healthy.
Nutritional value is the most important thing for the health of any individual. Food or liquids whenever we take them affect our body and our health as well. That is why it is very important that we are more aware of the food or liquids we take in our daily lives. A huge number of diseases occur only due to the wrong diet. A certain diet can itself cause disease or alter the course of a disorder known as diabetes, heart disease, or kidney disease.
Why is Nutrition important to us?
As we know, food and water are necessary to strengthen our body and keep it healthy. All good food and liquid contains some important nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate, fat, some vitamins, minerals, and water. All of these play a different role in keeping our body healthy and building new cells in our body.
These are the important foods and their role in our body:
protein:
Protein helps our body build muscle and a strong immune system. Basically, proteins are made up of long chains of amino acids. There are 22 different types of amino acids and our bodies need all of these amino acids to function properly. Protein is an abundant type of nutrient in our body that builds new tissue and repairs all the damaged cells in our body. It also helps in the formation of hormones and enzymes that perform a variety of functions in our bodies, such as metabolism and sexual development. There are many types of proteins that perform different types of important functions in our bodies. For example, collagen is a protein and it gives strength, elasticity and composition to our hair and skin. Some of the good sources of protein are lentils, low-fat dairy, tofu, nuts, seeds, peas, and tempeh. Some common foods like whole wheat bread, potatoes, corn, and pasta also contain protein. Soy protein is the most essential and strongest protein and is equal to any protein of animal origin.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates give us energy. This is an ideal source of energy for the body because carbohydrates are more easily converted to glucose. It helps our body to supply the energy for the formation of cellular constituents. Carbohydrates are made up of three compounds Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen formed by plants. There are four important types of carbohydrates: sugar, starches, fiber, and gums. If carbohydrates are taken regularly, they do not cause any weight gain, unless it is eaten as another food group. There are two types of carbohydrates: complex and simple. The efficiency of carbohydrates can cause the production of ketones in the body, which can result in a condition known as ketosis. Good examples of carbohydrates are bread, potatoes, pasta, soft drinks, chips, candy, cookies, desserts, cakes, sugar, bananas, etc.
fats:
Fat provides us with extra energy. It is a nutrient and a certain amount of fat is necessary for our body. It doesn’t always make us fat. It plays a role in insulating our bodies by giving us protection against sudden changes in temperature, and it also protects our vital organs. Fats are made up of a large group of compounds that are soluble in organic solvents and insoluble in water. Fats provide 9 calories per gram. When dietary fat is digested, fatty acids are produced. It is also important for skin health and blood pressure regulation.
There are two types of fats Saturated (solid at room temperature) and Unsaturated (liquid at room temperature). To get an adequate amount of linoleic acid, one of the few fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own. Any adult needs a tablespoon of unsaturated fat a day. Saturated fats are found primarily in dairy products such as butter, cream, cheese, and some chocolates. The source of unsaturated fats are soybean, sunflower and corn oils.
vitamins:
A vitamin is an organic compound, it regulates our body processes and plays an important role for our body to function properly. The term vitamin was derived from ‘vitamin’, a combination of the words from Vital and Amine. Today, a chemical compound is called a vitamin. Our body needs vitamins as substances to grow and develop normally. There are 13 vitamins necessary for our body. Some of them are A, B, C, D, E, K, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12. In our daily lives we get most of these vitamins from food, regardless of what we eat. Our body can also make vitamins D and K.
Each vitamin performs specific functions. Any particular low level of vitamins causes a deficiency disease. For example, if we don’t get enough vitamin D it can cause rickets. Vitamin ‘A’ deficiency can cause night blindness.
If we eat a balanced diet, we automatically get enough of the essential vitamin from our daily food or liquid. We don’t even need to take any particular vitamin separately. Only in some cases do we need to take a daily multivitamin for optimal health.
Minerals:
Minerals regulate our bodily processes and also make bodily tissues. Minerals make our bodies work properly, just like vitamins, but they don’t prevent weight loss. Although we get it from our daily meals, it is not necessary for us to take it separately. Minerals stimulate our immune system. Some important minerals are chloride, calcium, copper, chromium, fluoride, iron, and iodine. These types of minerals can be found in our daily food or in liquid supplements such as salt, soy sauce, milk, vegetable oils, whole grains, cheese, nuts, etc.
Water shapes cells and acts as a medium where bodily processes can occur. It is the well known but most important nutrient that our body needs. It is also the most abundant type of fluid found in our body, contributing 70% of our total mass. Helps dissolve and transport essential nutrients to all parts of the body. It is also needed to help maintain body temperature and helps remove waste products from the body.
Water:
In the human body there is 70% of the total mass covered by water. Water shapes cells and acts as a medium where bodily processes can occur. It is a much needed nutrient than all available nutrients. It is also the most abundant type of fluid found in the human body. Water helps maintain body temperature and helps remove waste products from the body.
We see that nutrition plays a very important role in our lives, each food and liquid contains its own nutritional value that is very necessary in our life. It could help extend or shorten our lifespan, as well as define our degree or livelihood. It also helps in our mental and physical development. We must be aware of the food and liquids that we usually take. Popper food in our daily life leads to lifelong habit towards long and healthy life.