CELL NUTRIENTS

Nutrients
A nutrient is a chemical substance that comes from the food you eat. The energy you need for the metabolic
processes in your body and for maintaining a constant internal environment comes from these nutrients.

Essential Nutrients
Essential nutrients refer to classes of nutrients found in food. Essential nutrients are simply those that are
vital for the normal growth, maintenance and development of the body.

Types of Nutrients
 Macronutrients
 Macronutrients provide the bulk energy an organism's metabolic system needs to function while
micronutrients provide the necessary cofactors for metabolism to be carried out.
 The chemical elements humans consume in the largest quantities are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen,
phosphorus, and sulfur, or CHONPS.
 The classes of chemical compounds humans consume in the largest quantities and which provide bulk energy
are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Water and atmospheric oxygen also must be consumed in large
quantities, but are not always considered "food" or "nutrients".
 Calcium and salt (sodium and chloride), magnesium, and potassium (along with phosphorus and sulfur) are
sometimes added to the list of macronutrients because they are required in large quantities compared to other
vitamins and minerals. They are sometimes referred to as the macrominerals

Substances that provide Macronutrients: energy for the body

 Carbohydrates are sugar compounds that can be simple or complex. Complex carbohydrates can be
found as starch in cereals, pasta and potatoes, but also in fruit and vegetables. Simpler sugar compounds
reach the body, for instance, with sweet dishes and beverages. Glucose is the most simple sugar
compound. Because it does not need to be decomposed by the digestive system, it is available to the
body immediately via the blood circulation. 55 – 60 % of our energy intake should originate from
complex carbohydrates.
 Protein is a basic module of our cells. Via our nutrition, proteins supply our body with important amino-
acids. As a source of energy they are useful to it in emergencies, for example during a starvation diet
with no physical exercise, by decomposing albuminous muscle tissue. Albuminous (rich in protein)
foods are eggs, meat, fish and dairy products, but also pulses, nuts and cereals.

 Proteins are organic compounds that consist of amino acids joined by peptide bonds. The body cannot
manufacture some of the amino acids (termedessential amino acids); the diet must supply them.
Proteins, in nutrition, are broken down through digestion by proteases back into free amino acids.

 Fats has a very high energy content. Fats consist of a glycerin molecule with three fatty acids attached.
Fatty acids are unbranched hydrocarbon chains, connected by single bonds alone (saturated fatty acids)
or by both double and single bonds (unsaturated fatty acids). Fats are needed to keep cell membranes
functioning properly, to insulate body organs against shock, to keep body temperature stable, and to
maintain healthy skin and hair. The body does not manufacture certain fatty acids (termed essential fatty
acids) and the diet must supply them.

*Although alcohol provides energy, and can thus be compared to macronutrients, it is not a substance that is
essential for normal function. The acetic acid in vinegar also provides a similar amount of energy per gram, but
again, it is not a nutrient because it is not essential for normal function.

Substances that support metabolism

 Dietary minerals are generally trace elements, salts, or ions such as copper and iron. Some of these
minerals are essential to human metabolism.
  Vitamins are organic compounds essential to the body. They usually act as co-enzymes or cofactors for
various proteins in the body.
 Water is an essential nutrient and is the solvent in which all the chemical reactions of life take place.

Plants absorb nutrients from the soil or the atmosphere, or from water (mainly aquatic plants). The
chemical elements consumed in the greatest quantities by plants are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. These are
present in the environment in the form of water and carbon dioxide; energy is provided by sunlight. Nitrogen,
phosphorus, and sulfur are also needed in relatively large quantities. Together, the “Big Six” are the elemental
macronutrients for all organisms, often represented by the acronym CHONPS. Usually they are sourced from
inorganic or organic compounds, although elemental diatomic molecules of nitrogen and oxygen are often used.

 Micronutrients
Micronutrients are essential elements required by organisms in small quantities throughout life to
orchestrate a range of physiological functions to maintain health. These nutrients include minerals and vitamins.
Unlike macronutrients, these are required in very minute amounts. Together, they are extremely important for the
normal functioning of the body. Their main function is to enable the many chemical reactions to occur in the body.
Nevertheless micronutrients do not function for the provision of energy.Deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron,
iodine, vitamin A, folate and zinc can have devastating consequences. At least half of children worldwide ages 6
months to 5 years suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiency, and globally more than 2 billion people are
affected.
Micronutrients support metabolism.Dietary minerals are generally trace elements, salts, or ions such as
copper and iron. Some of these minerals are essential to human metabolism.Vitamins are organic compounds
essential to the body. They usually act as coenzymes or cofactors for various proteins in the body.

 Vitamins
 are essential for normal metabolism, growth and development, and regulation of cell function
 work together with enzymes and other substances that are necessary for a healthy life
 either fat-soluble or water-soluble
 fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the fatty tissues in the body when in excess, and so are not excreted
easily
 water-soluble vitamins are excreted in urine when in excess and so need to be taken daily
 fat-soluble vitamins are vitamin A, D, E and K
 water-soluble vitamins are vitamin B and C

 Minerals
 are found in ionized form in the body
 classified into macrominerals and microminerals (or trace minerals)
 macrominerals present in the body include Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Sodium and Magnesium to name a
few
 macrominerals constitute a larger percent of the body and are needed in more amounts
 microminerals include Copper, Zinc, Cobalt, Chromium and Fluoride
 micromineralsare mostly co-factors, and are necessary for the function of enzymes in the body, but are
needed only in minor quantities
 approximately 4% of the body’s mass consists of minerals

 Iron
 Iron is an essential mineral critical for motor and cognitive development
 Low hemoglobin concentration (anemia) affects 43% of children 5 years of age and 38% of pregnant
women globally
 Anemia during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal and perinatal mortality and low birth weight
  Flour fortification with iron and folic acid is globally recognized as one of the most effective and low-cost
micronutrient interventions

 Iodine
 Iodine is one of the most important minerals required by a fetus for brain and cognitive development
 18 million babies are born mentally impaired because of maternal iodine deficiency and 38 million are
born at risk of iodine deficiency
 Fortification of salt with iodine has been one of the most successful nutrition interventions to date–71% of
global households have access to iodized salt

 Vitamin A
 Vitamin A is necessary to support healthy eyesight and immune system functions
 Vitamin A supplementation of children 6-59 months has been shown to be highly effective in reducing
mortality from all causes in countries where vitamin A deficiency is a public health concern
 found in two forms; retinol in foods from animal sources and carotenoids (the most abundant of which is
the beta-carotene) from plant sources
 retinol is found in liver and whole milk
 carotenoids are found in dark green leafy vegetables, carrots and orange coloured fruits

 Vitamin D(Cholecalciferol)
 needed for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous from foods, to keep bones healthy
 found in the diet, but most of our vitamin D is made in the body the action of ultra violet rays on the skin
 occurs naturally in some animal products, including fish liver oils, oily fish, egg yolk, and butter
 Deficiency of vitamin D leads to rickets and the formation of soft bones

 Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
 is a group of similar molecules with common properties and functions
 acts as an antioxidant and protects cells in the body against damage
 is mainly found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and wheat germ
 vitamin E has a low toxicity, but in very large doses may interfere with absorption of vitamin A

 Vitamin K
 needed for normal clotting of blood and is also required for normal bone structure
 also produced by the bacteria in the gut
 found in green leafy vegetables e.g. broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, spinach and meat and dairy products

 Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
 needed for the release of energy from carbohydrate
 mainly found in whole grains, nuts, meat (especially pork), fruit and vegetables and fortified cereals
 thiamin deficiency can lead to the development of the disease beri-beri

 Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
 needed for the release of energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat
 involved in the transport and metabolism of iron in the body and is needed for the normal structure and
function of skin and body linings
 found in milk, eggs, rice, fortified
 breakfast cereals, liver, legumes, mushrooms and green vegetables
 Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
 important for releasing energy from food, and is important for the normal structure of the skin and body
linings
 needed for the normal functioning of the nervous system
 meat, wheat and maize flour, eggs, dairy products and yeast
 deficiency of niacin can result in the disease pellagra

 Vitamin B12
 needed for the formation of red blood cells and the normal functioning of the nervous system
 found exclusively in animal products, plant products do not provide any vitamin B12

 Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

 needed to make collagen which is required for the normal structure and function of body tissues, such as
skin, cartilage and bones
 also acts as an antioxidant that protects the body from damage by free radicals
 sources of ascorbic acid include fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits and berries, green vegetables, peppers
and tomatoes

 Zinc
 Zinc is a mineral that promotes immunity, resistance to infection, and proper growth and development of
the nervous system, and is integral to healthy pregnancy outcomes