It is no secret that nutritional nutrients are used by the body; moreover, we need their constant replenishment. But what role do they play, and in which particular products are they contained?
In total, there are six types of nutrients that the human body uses: water, minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates. These are the main useful substances derived from food, which are used to maintain the viability of tissues, renew them, generate energy for physiological activity and regulate metabolism. The need for them is tested throughout life, and each substance performs certain functions.
The mechanism of absorption of nutrients by the body
The absorption of nutrients occurs only after their breakdown, in their pure form they are not absorbed. Digested enzymes leak through the walls of the digestive tract, entering the bloodstream. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates provide the body with fuel in the form of calories. Water, minerals, vitamins perform the functions of building and consumables, which is no less important.
Water
This universal solvent is involved in almost all vital processes of the body:
- water nourishes the cells, preventing their dehydration;
- carries out the transportation of substances and hormones to all organs;
- water helps burn fats, processing these cells into energy; its use in sufficient quantities reduces appetite;
- activates the work of the kidneys;
- digestion and excretion of body waste products are carried out in a liquid medium.
A lack of water inevitably leads to a violation of the functions of internal organs, an increase in adipose tissue. Brain cells are the first to experience water shortages.
Minerals
Minerals can be divided into two groups: macro- and microelements. A sufficient number of them in the body is responsible for the strength of the musculoskeletal system, water and acid-base balance, promotes the connection of proteins with lipids, strengthens the nervous system, etc. Microelements, as a rule, are necessary for normal life in small quantities, and macroelements in large . The lack of a mineral in the body inhibits the activity of other minerals.
Vitamin Use
Such cell nutrients as vitamins play a very important role for human health, because their lack leads to a violation of metabolic processes in the body and a decrease in immunity. This aspect is so important that people leading an active lifestyle are recommended to take vitamin complexes in addition. In its pure form, there are no vitamins in nature: each of them exists in a complex biological complex, which, in fact, helps the body use them.
Protein use
Protein is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition, nutrients are used by the body in the production of hormones, enzymes and antibodies and the normal implementation of chemical reactions.
We consume proteins from meat, poultry, fish, cereals and legumes, milk, nuts and eggs. They contain amino acids, restore the energy expended and provide plastic processes in the tissues. An increased amount of protein food is recommended for children and pregnant women.
How fats are used by the body
The main nutrients, fats, are used by the human body to maximize the absorption of vitamins, generate energy and protect against colds. There are three types of fats: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Dairy products, red meat, coconut oil and some other foods contain high amounts of saturated fat; peanuts and olives are rich in monounsaturated fats; soy and vegetable oils (sesame, corn, etc.) are champions in polyunsaturated fats.
The supply of nutrients in this category ensures the plasticity of cells, restores the compounds necessary for energy production and renewal of the body as a whole.
The participation of carbohydrates in the life support of the body
Simple and complex carbohydrates (monosaccharides and polysaccharides, respectively) - are found in large quantities in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, etc. These nutrients are used by the body, primarily for the production of vital energy. Participate in the synthesis of cells, are in close connection with fats, which allows them to be interchanged with one another. A powerful source of carbohydrate is starch.
Indigestible fiber, useful for intestinal microflora, plays the role of a “panicle” that cleans it of toxins and toxins. It represents coarse plant fibers that are complex carbohydrates. A diet rich in fiber improves the digestive tract and the cardiovascular system, and increases resistance to various diseases.
Nutrient functions used by the body
All nutrients are used by the body in a special way, although the main functions can be divided into three types.
- A building function that restores the structure of cells and tissues. Useful substances are involved in the regeneration of internal and external organs. These are mainly proteins and some minerals, such as calcium, potassium phosphorus, etc .;
- Energy function: nutrients such as fats and carbohydrates, and secondly, proteins, are used by the body to generate energy for metabolism. They help maintain a certain body temperature, the performance of muscle movements, etc .;
- Regulatory function for which various vitamins and minerals are used. With their help, the chemical reactions of metabolism and the activity of the internal organs are regulated.
For a healthy diet, it is important to observe the ratio of all nutrients and not to forget about the proper combination of different products.
Nutritional groups and energy value
The nutrients in the products are contained in different quantities, which is why the food in the diet should be varied.
So, fruits are rich in sugars, vitamins and water; Sweet desserts are quickly absorbed and, when consumed in moderation, serve as a good source of energy. Vegetables should be eaten regularly, because with a minimum of the energy component, they have a sufficiently high content of vitamins and minerals responsible for metabolism.
Root crops and cereals are used by the body as a powerful source of energy, with a large number of complex carbohydrates.
Meat, fish and eggs are a storehouse of the “building material” of protein cells, and there are a lot of fats, proteins, as well as calcium and other valuable trace elements in milk and dairy products.
In calculating the energy value of food products, the unit of heat transfer is used - kilocalorie (kcal), which corresponds to the heat energy spent to raise the temperature of 1 liter of distilled water from 14.5 ° C to 15 ° C. Almost all the necessary nutrients are involved in the production of thermal energy for biochemical metabolic reactions, the implementation of the motor function of muscles and maintaining normal body temperature. It is the processing (digestion) of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that releases a certain amount of energy.
Digestion Nutrients
The content of nutrients in the cells is necessary for the metabolism. Protein breaks down non-stop and is synthesized by the digestive system. But how do nutrients change during processing?
Animal and plant foods possess all the necessary types of elements for the body. But by themselves, meat, milk or, for example, bread, are not absorbed by the cells. Only preliminary preparation guarantees the absorption of nutrients. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are broken down by the digestive system into simpler particles of which they are composed and which are then used in metabolic processes.
Proteins are composed of amino acids, to which they are broken down in the digestive tract. Fats are a complex compound of fatty acid with glycerin in a ratio of 3: 1 in one molecule. The acids are different, so they make different fats in composition.
Fiber, starch and other complex carbohydrates consist of monosaccharides, of which glucose is a well-known representative. These substances look like a chain of 6 carbon atoms, with oxygen and hydrogen atoms joined from the “side” according to the scheme: 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen atom per 1 carbon atom. As if the water molecule H₂O adhered to it, whence the name of this group of compounds - carbohydrates - came from.
Thus, if water, vitamins and minerals can be used by the body in its usual form, which is found in foods, then proteins during digestion are first broken down to amino acids, fats to glycerol and fatty acids, and carbohydrates to monosaccharides.
The digestion cycle consists in the mechanical (grinding, mixing, etc.) and chemical processing of food (splitting into simpler components). The above processes are performed under the influence of digestive juice enzymes. Thus, in these organs, work is carried out by muscle tissue and endocrine glands, for the functioning of which all the same nutrients that we talked about are needed.