Why are nutrients essential for humans?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 30-year-old female. I heard about a word called nutrition. What are nutrients, and why are they essential for the human body? What are the main categories of nutrients, including macronutrients and micronutrients? How do macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) contribute to our daily energy and nutrition needs? What are micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and what are their specific roles in maintaining health? Are there essential nutrients that the body cannot produce on its own and must be obtained from the diet? What are the primary food sources of essential nutrients, and how can one ensure a balanced diet?

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Nutrition present in food helps the body to get energy for body functions and maintaining metabolism. All possible food has a combination of carbohydrates, fat, and proteins along with micronutrients like minerals and vitamins.

The body uses carbohydrates as a source of energy.
The body uses protein for cell recovery and muscle building.
Fat is used as storage to give energy in negative metabolism along with storage for fat-soluble vitamins.

It is a very vast topic to add in one answer but you can make healthy choices here. Feast on colorful foods. Fill your plate with vibrant fruits and veggies; red, orange, yellow, and deep green.

Get plenty of grains, and legumes. Whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, chickpea pasta, and cereals are all great high-fiber options. Black, red, and kidney beans are high in fiber and antioxidants.

Choose proteins and fats wisely. You need a balance of lean protein (like skinless chicken), fatty fish like salmon (with omega-3 fats), and vegetable protein like 2 percent milk, fat-free milk, or low-fat paneer, or cheddar cheese.

Avoid trans and saturated fats, like fats found in butter, margarine, salad dressing, fried foods, snack foods, and sweets. Vegetable oils (like olive oil and peanut oil) are good fats.

If you are using ready-to-cook or eating products, check the labels, and add servings.

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.