NutritionNutrients is what your body needs in order to function each day properly.

What is Nutrition?

• Nutrition is the process by which the body takes in and uses food.

• Nutrients are the substances found within foods that the body needs to work properly.

• Calories are a unit of energy. The unit of heat measures the energy used by the body and the energy that foods supply to the body.

Types of Nutrients

Together nutrients supply energy, regulate body functions, promotes body growth and repairs any damaged tissues. The 6 types of nutrients are:

• Proteins *• Carbohydrates *• Fats *• Vitamins• Minerals• Water

*Nutrients that supply energy to the body.

Protein

• Proteins make up 50% of your total body weight.

• Helps the body maintain strength and resist infection.

• Needed for growth and to build and repair body tissues

• Needed to regulate body processes and to supply energy.

Protein continued

• Each gram of protein provides 4 calories.• A daily diet deficient in proteins may stunt

growth, affect development of certain tissues and affect your mental development.

• Excess protein is burned as energy or stored as fat.

2 Types of Proteins

Complete Protein contain all of the essential amino Acids.

• Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein.– Your body needs 20 amino acids to function

properly, but your body can only produce 11 amino acids.– The 9 amino acids your body cannot make are

called essential amino acids. These must be consumed by food such as:»Meat, fish, poultry, milk, yogurt, and eggs,

2 Types of Proteins continued

Incomplete Protein are from a plant source that does not contain all of the essential amino acids. Such as:

• Grains (whole grains, pasta, corn)• Dried beans• Peas• Nuts and seeds

Carbohydrates

• Main source of energy• Each gram of carbohydrates provides four

calories.• Your body can only store limited amounts of

carbs. Excess carbs are stored as fat.• Carbohydrates includes sugars, starches, and

fiber such as:– Veggies, beans, potatoes, pasta, bread, rice,

popcorn, and fruit.

2 Types of Carbohydrates

• Simple Carbs are sugars that enter the bloodstream quickly and provide quick energy.– Simple carbs provide calories, but few vitamins

and minerals– Natural sugars are found in fruits, honey, and milk– Processed sugars are found in cakes, candy,

ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and soda.

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• Complex Carbs are starches and fiber.– Most of your calories should come from complex carbs.

• grains (bread, pasta) and veggies (beans and potatoes).• Starches which are made and stored in most plants and

provide long lasting energy.– While eating, they are changed by saliva and other

digesting juices to a simple sugar called glucose.• Glucose provides energy and heat and the excess is stored as

glycogen.• Glycogen is stored in the muscles and when needed it is

converted to gluclose.

Fiber

• The parts of grains and plant food that can be digested.

• While it supplies no nutrients or calories, fiber performs many important biological functions.

• Fiber helps food move through the digestive system.

2 Types of Fiber

• Insoluble Fiber helps prevent constipation and other intestinal problems by binding with water.– Associated with reduced risk of colon cancer.– Insoluble fiber foods are wheat products, leafy

veggies, and fruits.

2 Types of Fiber continued

• Soluble Fiber reduces your blood cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease.

• Soluble fiber foods are wheat, bran, barley, rye, oats, whole grain pastas, breads and cereal, popcorn, brown rice, dried beans, fruits and veggies.

Fats

• Provides energy and helps the body store and use vitamins.

• One gram of fat equals 9 calories of energy.• Stored as fat tissues that surrounds and cushions

internal organs.• Body NEEDS fat to maintain body heat, energy

reserve, and build brain cells and nerve tissues.• No more than 30% of our daily caloric intake

should come from fats.

Types of Fats• Saturated fat found in dairy products, solid vegetable fat, and

meat and poultry.– Usually solid form when at room temperature.– Contributes to the level of cholesterol in someone’s blood stream.

• Unsaturated fat obtained from plant products and fish.• Polyunsaturated fats include in sunflower, corn, and soybean

oils• Monounsaturated fats olive oil and canola oils.• Trans-fatty acids formed when vegetable oils are processed

into solid fats such as margarine or shortening. This is called hydrogenation.

Vitamins

• Helps the body use carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

• Provides no energy to the body, but helps to release energy that is stored.

2 Types of Vitamins

• Fat Soluble Vitamins dissolve in fat and can be stored– Vitamins A, D, E, and K

• Water Soluble dissolves in water and cannot be stored.– Vitamin C and B complex

Minerals

• Regulates many chemical reactions

2 Types of Minerals• Macro Minerals required in amounts greater

than 100 mg.– Calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus,

potassium• Trace Minerals needed in very small amounts.– Iron, zinc, copper, iodine

Water

• Makes up the basic part of the blood, helps waste removal, regulates body temperature, and cushions the spinal cord and joints.

• Makes up more than 60% of body mass.• Water leaves the body in a form of

perspiration and urine.

Dehydration

• Water content of the body has fallen to and extremely low level.

• Can only live without water for three days.• Caused by lack of water intake, dry environment,

fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.• Signs of dehydration: fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness,

weakness, headache, dry skin, rapid pulse.• You lose about ten 8oz. Glasses of water daily through

perspiration, urine, bowel movements and exhalation.

Cholesterol

• Waxy, fat-like substance produced by the body.

• Cholesterol is needed to:– Make vitamin D useful to the body– Makes hormones– Build cell structure by forming cell membranes– Make bile acids to help digest fats– Build nerve tissue

Types of Cholesterol

• LDL low density lipoproteins– “bad” cholesterol- deposits into the arteries.

• HDL high density lipoproteins– “good” cholesterol- removed from circulation and

transported to the liver to be eliminated.

RDA or recommended daily allowance is 300 milligrams a day or less.

Functions of Nutrients

Source of Energy

• Carbohydrates• Proteins• Fats

Promotes growth and development

• Proteins Fat• Vitamins Minerals• Water

Regulate Body Functions

• Protein Fat Vitamins• Minerals Water