Introduction to human nutrition - basics
Food is the primary necessity of life and life cannot be sustained without adequate nourishment. Food helps to maintain growth, repair and to give energy thereby enabling human being to work , remain healthy and to live long.
Human being need food for sustenance. Man needs adequate food for growth development and to lead an active and healthy life.
Let's have an look to some basics of human nutrition.
Nutrition
It is defined as the science of food, the nutrients and the substances therein , their action , interaction and balance in relation to health and disease and the process by which the organism (I.e. body) ingests , digests , absorbs, transports, utilizes and excretes food substances.
Nutrients
Nutrients are the constituents in food that must be supplied to the body in suitable amounts. These include carbohydrates , proteins , fats , vitamins , minerals and water .
Chemical substances obtained from food are used in the body to provide energy, as structural materials and regulating agents to support growth , maintenance and repair of the body's tissues.
Nutrients are generally divided into Macronutrients and Micronutrients.
Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are macronutrients.
Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients.
Nutritional Status
It is the condition of health of the individual by the utilisation of the nutrients. It can be determined only by the correlation of information obtained through a careful medical and dietary history.
Bio Nutrition
It includes essential needs like :-
1. growth needs of the body
2. maintenance requirements
3. total well being or physical fitness
4. preventive treatment by boosting body resistance through improved immune system.
5. curative treatment in the case of some chronic maladies like cancers , diabetes, and vitamin deficiency.
Nutrition Security
It is an access to all the nutrients in optimum quantity for all people at all times to sustain a healthy and active.
Role of Nutrition in maintaining health
Health is related to the food we eat. To maintain good health we should ingest a diet containing the nutrients in correct amount. It is essential to ingest a diet containing the nutrients in correct amount.
A balanced diet is one which contains different types of food in such quantities and proportions so that the need for calories, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins is adequately met.
Food , water and oxygen are the life giving and life sustaining substances we need.
Food provides us with both energy and material needed to build and maintain all your body cells.
