Monday, July 29, 2013

Food Nutrition: Macro and Micro Nutrients and Their Health Implications


People's food intake has a different range of nutrients. Some of these nutrients provide the elements what a human body needs. One of those elements is energy that makes the body able to produce outputs. It also provides essential components for growth and maintenance of the body.

Macronutrients like fats, carbohydrates and proteins require a person a relatively good amount of intake of these nutrients. These macronutrients provide energy and building blocks responsible for the growth of the body and maintaining it healthy. Vitamins and minerals that belong to micronutrients though require only a minimal intake of the same, but they are classified essential for they play a great role as they are to keep the body healthy.

As anticipated in food nutrition, most people are expected to eat foods containing all the nutrients that are essential for a healthy lifestyle. An adequate understanding concerning nutrients and their implications to everyone's health is also necessary for the benefit of proper nutrients intake. Undeniably, not every single person has to take all of these nutrients for it will depend on the need of the individual body's intake. These nutrients have specific functions to the body. Pregnant women for instance are strongly recommended to have a large amount of folic acid supplement to avoid having instances of babies' deformity.

Below are the nutrients with their implications they affect to everyone's health:

Macronutrients

Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are coming from starchy foods such as: rice, bread, potatoes, pasta, and cereals. These are also found in starchy vegetable, milk, sugar, and preserves like fruit jams. As mentioned above, it provides energy to the body. Adequate intakes of carbohydrates will help keep the body reserve energy. On the contrary, too much intake of it will cause serious problems in health. That is why it is advised that a person should monitor his/her carbohydrates intake to avoid unfavorable and undesired results.

Protein. This nutrient provides Amino Acids which is responsible for building blocks that a human body can not make alone. It is essential for growth development of the body. Without protein, a human body will not be as strong as what is it expected. This nutrient can either be found in a lot of food sources such as fish, meat, eggs, dairy foods, and cereal products such as soya products, bread, pulses and nuts. Or through supplements like food supplements which only focus on providing protein to a person's body.

Fat. This is found in dairy foods, oily fish, biscuits, pastry products, meat products, crisps and chocolate. Interestingly, it plays a vital role basically in providing and maintaining healthy skin and hair and insulation of body organs against events that introduce shock. As people perceived it, fat is somewhat destruction for their diet but on the contrary, it provides more energy source and it maintains body temperature. Without fat, the ability of the body to digest foods will be impossible. When this nutrient is consumed properly and not too much, it will give a good impact to everyone's health.

Micronutrients

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin). This is found in meats, whole grains, fruit, nuts, fortified breakfast cereals and vegetables. Vitamin B1 (thiamin) is essential for it is responsible for releasing energy coming from the carbohydrates. Moreover its active involvement with the nervous system and heart is needed. Hence, without this nutrient, a human body will not be able to function well and will be unable to meet what is expected from the body. With this, unreleased energy from carbohydrates will translate into undesired results to the body.

Vitamin B2(Riboflavin). This nutrient can be enjoyed from eating green vegetables, mushrooms, fortified breakfast cereals, legumes, liver, milk, rice and eggs. Its main function is being responsible for discharging energy coming from macronutrients such as carbohydrate, protein and fat. Another function it does is its involvement with iron's transport and metabolism. It is also in charge of the skins' and body linings' normal structure and functions.

Vitamin B3(Niacin). Wheat and maize, eggs, meat, dairy products and yeast intake is the natural way to enjoy this nutrient. Vitamin B3 is necessary for healthy nervous system, brain function and sex hormones. Functions and benefits it gives to the body include being a great help in detoxifying or removing body toxins that normally cause harm to the body. It helps to have a good digestion and producing healthy skins. Vitamin B3 also can increase blood circulation and decrease cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine). Good food source of Vitamin B6 includes brewer's yeast, Oats, Wheat, Sardines, Beef, Mackerel, Free range eggs, Poultry, Bananas, Avocado, Cabbage, Brown rice, Dried fruit and Molasses. Vitamin B6 boosts immune system and helps relieve muscle cramps, vomiting and morning sickness. It is best also in helping with skin and nervous disorders and it contains anti-ageing components. Moreover, this vitamin protects against the rootless attack of cancer. Lack of Vitamin B6 intake will deprive the body from having enough Vitamin B12 absorption.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)To get this vitamin, one should have an intake of the following foods: Liver, Cheese, free range eggs, Kidney, Beef, Oily fish, Milk, Fortified cereals, Lamb and Pork. Keeping the nervous system healthy and making red blood cells are what Vitamin B12 is working on. It is one of the most important vitamins among the B-group insomuch that people who are strict vegetarians are recommended to have supplements from this vitamin. Its scope of functions are into protecting against anemia, increasing energy, being a good element for growth and increasing appetite most especially to children. It is likewise significant for brain functions improvement and in keeping healthy nervous system. The vitamin may also protect against cancer and soothe menstruation plus it fights against postnatal depression.

Folate/ Folic acid. Good food source of Folic acid are as follows: Liver, Peanuts, Almonds, Citrus fruits, Carrots, Green leafy vegetables, Apricots, Cantaloupe melons, Avocados, Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli, and free range eggs. It is part of vitamin B-complex and one of the most neglected vitamins for intake. This is somehow a substitute for Vitamin C supplement. However, a person is required to have a large amount of intake of folic acid to keep up with what Vitamin C can do to the body. Folic Acid is needed for involvement in formation of healthy red blood cells. This will help also for the development in unborn babies' nervous system and prevention against "spina bifida" (a bony defect in the spinal column). Just like the aforementioned, this also looks after for definite types of cancer probabilities. Folic Acid is also into helping digestion improvement and appetite enhancing.

Vitamin C. Good food sources for Vitamin C are Blackcurrants, broccoli, green peppers, kiwi fruits, Brussels sprouts, lemons, oranges, strawberries, cabbage and all other types of fruits with the similar or the same components from the mentioned fruits containing Vitamin C. And other types of vegetables which contain Vitamin C.This vitamin serves as an antioxidant (the substance that prevents damage to the body) and an important element for having body tissues organize and operate normally. It greatly helps the body during its absorption of iron from non-meat intakes. It also helps in healing process of any wounds caused by any types of physical damage. Vitamin C also is into protecting against cancer. Considering the fact that the vitamin does the prevention and fights infection, an individual can highly expect protection against the risk of having heart disease, deadly diabetes and arthritis. Vitamin C also helps overcome male's infertility.

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