6 Essential Nutrients of Human Diet

A balanced human diet must have a proper combination of all the essential nutrients ranging from Carbohydrates to Vitamins and from Fats to Water.

Fitness is an essential part of a healthy life. There are a number of ways to stay fit but one thing that stays important in all instances is your diet. In order to keep the weight in check, some people look towards sports or work-out while others tend to do that through rigorous dieting. Dropping the amount of diet may reduce your weight but the purpose of becoming fit stays unfulfilled because the body is deprived of the essential nutrients it needs to carry out the rigorous tasks. Consequently, it can be concluded that we need to have a balance between the energy consumed and the calories burned to maintain good body shape. Following is a list of 6 essential nutrients that should be included in everyone’s diet plan.

Carbohydrates

They are the source of the energy that is used by our muscles and other body organs to perform their designated tasks. Basically, these sugars are converted into glucose before they can be assimilated to all the cells of our body. Carbs can be stored inside our liver and muscles in the form of glycogen that can be used whenever excessive energy is needed by the body. Having said that, too much consumption of carbohydrates can lead to some disastrous results. This essential nutrient is richly found in items like vegetables, fruits, cereals, lentils, and rice.

Proteins

Known as the main constituent of the body, proteins are used for construction and maintenance of body muscles and organs. Similarly, they are a major component of DNA as well as RNA of our bodies. The ability of proteins to help in the absorption of carbohydrates adds even more worth to this essential nutrient. 9 out of 20 kinds of protein-producing amino acids are not produced by the human body and that’s the reason why it is highly recommended to include a protein-rich item in every meal of the day. All kinds of meat are a perfect source of protein. Other useful diets containing proteins are pulses, beans, and eggs.

Fats

Despite the general belief that fats have an injurious effect on our bodies, they make it to the list of essential nutrients due to their health benefits. They provide our body with fatty acids which are extremely important for the proper functioning of different body parts. For instance, fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamin D) cannot be synthesized without these useful components. Fats are also a source of energy because they have the ability to convert into carbohydrates when needed. Nuts, fish, milk, and milk products are good sources of fats.

Vitamins

Vitamins do not provide us with energy but assist the body in breaking down bigger, complex molecules (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins). Some of the most important vitamins are A, B complex, C, D, K, and Folate. The deficiency of these essential nutrients can lead to various diseases like Scurvy, Osteoporosis, premature aging, and a weakened immune system. On the other hand, consuming too many fat-soluble vitamins can result in a vitamin overdose, which is quite risky in itself. Therefore, a proper balance is incredibly vital when it comes to vitamins. Some popular sources of vitamins are fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.

Minerals

Minerals are often referred to as inorganic matters of the body. The term ‘Mineral’ is a general term that is used for all the chemical elements that are found in the human body. A total of 16 minerals are vital for proper human health. This list includes Oxygen, Calcium, Carbon, Iron, Zinc, Hydrogen, Chromium, and Nitrogen. Lack in any of these minerals can lead to some serious medical conditions such as poor blood oxygenation and brittle bones. Similarly, overdosing of these essential nutrients can result in different life-threatening conditions like improper kidney function. Meat, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and seaweed have abundant supplies of different useful minerals.  

Water

Water constitutes more than 70% of our body. This shows the importance of this blessing of nature. It is needed for almost all the functions performed inside our body. Therefore, maintaining a balanced quantity of this nutrient is critically vital for our bodies. On average, most adults should try to drink 8-10 glasses of water on a daily basis. As an alternative to water, fruits, vegetables, and fruit juices can also be consumed.