Nutrition Basics

Nutrients for our Body

Nutrition is the study of nutrients. There is nutrition for plants and nutrition for animals, but generally when we speak of nutrition it is human nutrition.

We like to do things. We like to move around, speak, run, jump, walk, and think. To do that requires energy. We get our energy from the nutrients we take into our body.

The six types of nutrientsare: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water.  Lipids are more commonly known as fats and oils.¹

Let’s explore each one briefly so you’ll know how each affects the human body.

Carbohydrates

Wheat - A Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are plentiful in fruits, vegetables, and grains.  They are also found in low amounts in dairy products.  There are practically no carbohydrates found in meat; thus, the strategy of the Atkins Diet.²

Carbohydrates are broken down into energy for our body. (See the post What are Carbohydrates for a more detailed explanation.)

They typical person, who doesn’t exercise and weighs 155 lbs (70 kg), eats 300 g of carbs per day.  The more active person can eat 400-600 g because that person needs more energy.  Beware, though, to get your carbs from good sources, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.  Soda pop is also a big source of carbohydrates, but beware of drinking too much because it damages your pancreas and alters blood sugar levels.  In fact, just cut out soft drinks all together.³ 

Already I feel like this post is too long, so I’ll talk about lipids in an upcoming post.

1. Insel, Paul, & Turner, R. Elaine, & Ross, Don (2004). Nutrition –2nd ed, pg. 11. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

2. Insel, Paul, & Turner, R. Elaine, & Ross, Don (2004). Nutrition –2nd ed, pg. 14. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

3. McArdle, William D. & Katch, Frank I. & Katch, Victor L. (2007). Exercise Physiology –6th ed, pg. 14. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Tags: Carbohydrate, Nutrition Basics