Nutrition And You EssayNutrition is the relationship of foods to the health of the human body . Proper nutrition means that you are receiving enough foods and supplements forthe body to function at optimal capacity.
It is important to remember that nosingle nutrient or activity can maintain optimal health and well being, althoughit has been proven that some nutrients are more important than others. All ofthe nutrients are necessary in different amounts along with exercise to maintainproper health. There are six main types of nutrients used to maintain body health. They are: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water .
Theyall must be in balance for the body to function properly. There are also fivemajor food groups. The groups are: fats and oils, fruits and vegetables, dairyproducts, grains, and meats. Exercise is also an important part of nutrition.
Exercise helps toneand maintain muscle tissue and ensure that the body’s organs stay in goodcondition. Healthy eating without exercise will not result in good nutritionand a healthy body – neither will exercise without nutrition. The mostimportant thing about exercise is that it be practiced regularly and that it bepracticed in accompaniment with a healthy diet. It is also desirable topractice more that one sport as different sports exercise different areas of thebody.
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are the sources of energy for the body. The contained energy is expressed in calories. There are 9 calories per gram infat and there are about 4 calories per gram in proteins and carbohydrates . Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body. This energy is mostlyused for muscle movement and digestion of food. Some sources of carbohydratesare : grains, fruits, vegetables, and anything else that grows out of the ground.
The energy in carbohydrates is almost instantly digested. This results in aquick rise in blood sugar which is soon followed by a drop in blood sugar whichis interpreted by the body as a craving for more sugars. This sugar low mayalso result in fatigue, dizziness, nervousness, and headache. However, not allcarbohydrates do this.
Most fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains aredigested more slowly. Fats, which are lipids, are the source of energy that isthe most concentrated. Fats produce more that twice the amount of energy thatis in carbohydrates or proteins. Besides having a high concentration of energy,fat acts as a carrier for the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K.
Also, byhelping in the absorption of vitamin D, fats help make calcium available tovarious body tissues, in particular, the bones and teeth. Another function offat is to convert carotene to vitamin A. Fat also helps keep organs in place bysurrounding them in a layer of fat. Fat also surrounds the body in a layer thatpreserves body temperature and keeps us warm.
One other function of fat is toslow the production of hydrochloric acid thereby slowing down digestion andmaking food last longer. Some sources of fats are meats and nuts as well asjust plain oils and fats. Proteins, besides water, are the most plentifulsubstance in the body. Protein is also one of the most important element forthe health of the body. Protein is the major source of building material in thebody and is important in the development and growth of all body tissues.
Protein is also needed for the formation of all hormones. It also helpsregulate the body’s water balance. When proteins are digested they are brokendown into simpler sections called amino acids. However, not all proteins willcontain all the necessary amino acids.
Most meat and dairy products contain allnecessary amino acids in their proteins. Proteins are available from bothplants and animals. However, Animal proteins are more complete and thusdesirable. Knowledge of the nutrients and their function is essential tounderstanding the importance of good nutrition. As mentioned above, there aresix nutrients. All vitamins are organic food substances that are found only inliving things, plants and animals .
It is believed that there are about twentysubstances that are active as vitamins in human nutrition . Every vitamin isessential to the proper growth and development of the body. With a fewexceptions, the body cannot make vitamins and must be supplied with them. Vitamins contain no energy but are important as enzymes which help speed upnearly all metabolic functions.
Also, vitamins are not building components .
