NUTRITION

NUTRITION
 Nutrition is the study of nutrients in food, how the
body uses nutrients, and the relationship between diet,
health, and disease.

 Nutrition, nourishment, or aliment, is the supply of

materials - food - required by organisms and cells to
stay alive.

 In science and human medicine, nutrition is the science

or practice of consuming and utilizing foods.
FACTS
!!!  The human body requires seven major types of
nutrients.

 Not all nutrients provide energy but are still

important, such as water and fiber.

 Micronutrients are important but required in

smaller amounts.

  Vitamins are essential organic compounds that the

human body cannot synthesize.
NUTRIENTS
 A nutrient is a source of nourishment, a component of food,
for instance, protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin, mineral,
fiber, and water.

 Macronutrients are nutrients we need in relatively large

quantities.

 Micronutrients are nutrients we need in relatively small

quantities.

 Macronutrients can be further split into energy

macronutrients (that provide energy), and macronutrients
that do not provide energy.
ENERGY MACRONUTRIENTS

- provides energy, which is measured either in

kilocalories (kcal or calories) or Joules.

• 1 kilocalorie (calorie) = 4185.8 joules.

 Energy macronutrients include:

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins
• Fats
ENERGY MACRONUTRIENTS

• Carbohydrates - 4 kcal per gram

Carbohydrate molecules include
monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose),
disaccharides, and polysaccharides (starch).

• Nutritionally, polysaccharides are favored over

monosaccharides because they are more
complex and therefore take longer to break
down and be absorbed into the bloodstream.
ENERGY MACRONUTRIENTS
 Proteins - 4 kcal per gram

• There are 20 amino acids - organic compounds found in

nature that combine to form proteins.

• Some amino acids are essential, meaning they need to be

consumed. Other amino acids are non-essential because
the body can make them.

 Fats - 9 kcal per gram

- Fats are required in the diet for health as they
serve many functions, including lubricating joints,
helping organs produce hormones, assisting in absorption
of certain vitamins, reducing inflammation, and
preserving brain health.
 MACRONUTRIENTS THAT DO NOT
PROVIDE ENERGY
These do not provide energy, but are still important:

• Fiber
• Water

Fiber
- Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate that is incompletely absorbed in
humans and in some animals. Like all carbohydrates, when it is metabolized
it can produce four Calories (kilocalories) of energy per gram.

• However, in most circumstances it accounts for less than that because

of its limited absorption and digestibility.
 MACRONUTRIENTS THAT DO NOT
PROVIDE ENERGY
Water
- About 70 percent of the non-fat mass of the human body is water. It
is vital for many processes in the human body.

• Water is excreted from the body in multiple forms;

including urine and feces, sweating, and by water vapor in the exhaled
breath. Therefore, it is necessary to adequately rehydrate to replace
lost fluids.

• Early recommendations for the quantity of water required for

maintenance of good health suggested that 6–8 glasses of water daily is
the minimum to maintain proper hydration
MICRONUTRIENT
S

Micronutrients are required in smaller quantities.

The micronutrients are: 

• Minerals
• Vitamins
MICRONUTRIENTS

• Minerals
- minerals helps in supporting the body. They’re essential for
many body functions, including building strong bones and teeth,
regulating your metabolism, and staying properly hydrated.

• Some of the most common minerals are calcium, iron, and

zinc.
MICRONUTRIENTS

• Vitamins
- are vital for warding off disease and staying healthy. The body needs
these micronutrients to support its functions.

• There are 13 essential vitamins that the body needs to function properly,
including vitamins A, C, B6, and D.

• Each vitamin plays an important role in the body, and not getting enough of
them can cause health problems and disease.
MACROMI
NERALS
• Many elements are essential nutrients called dietary minerals.
Some have roles as cofactors, while others are electrolytes.

• Elements with recommended dietary allowance (RDA) greater

than 150  mg/day are, in alphabetical order:

• Calcium
- a common electrolyte, but also needed structurally (for
muscle and digestive system health, bone strength, some forms
neutralize acidity, provides signaling ions for nerve and
membrane functions)
MACROMI
NERALS
• Chloride
- electrolyte

• Magnesium
- required for processing ATP and related reactions
(builds bone, facilitates peristalsis)

• Phosphorus
- required component of bones; essential for energy
processing
MACROMI
NERALS
• Potassium
- an electrolyte (heart and nerve functions)

• Sodium
- an electrolyte; common in food and manufactured
beverages, typically as sodium chloride.

*Excessive sodium consumption can deplete calcium

and magnesium, leading to high blood pressure.
TRACE
MINERALS
• Trace minerals
- Many elements are required in trace amounts, usually
because they play a catalytic role in enzymes.

•  Some trace mineral elements (RDA < 200 mg/day) are,

in alphabetical order:
• Cobalt 
- required for biosynthesis of vitamin B12 family
of coenzymes.

• Copper 
- required component of many redox enzymes.
TRACE
MINERALS
• Chromium
- required for sugar metabolism

• Iodine
- required not only for the biosynthesis
of thyroxine but also — it is presumed — for other
important organs as breast, stomach, salivary glands,
thymus, etc.
- for this reason iodine is needed in larger quantities
than others in this list, and sometimes classified with
the macrominerals.
TRACE
MINERALS
• Iron 
- required for many enzymes, and for hemoglobin and some other proteins

• Manganese
- processing of oxygen

• Molybdenum 
- required for xanthine oxidase and related oxidases

• Selenium 
- required for peroxidase (antioxidant proteins)

• Zinc
- required for several enzymes such as carboxypeptidase, liver alcohol
dehydrogenase, and carbonic anhydrase.
THE FOOD PYRAMID
THE 3 BASIC
FOOD GROUPS
 GO, GLOW & GROW
- Foods from the basic food groups provide the
nutrients essential for life and growth. These foods are
also known as “everyday foods”.

Each of the food groups provides a range of nutrients,

and all have a role in helping the body function.
THE 3 BASIC
FOOD GROUPS
• GO FOOD GROUP
- gives our body heat and energy.

*Foods rich in carbohydrates and starchy foods

such as rice, corn, bread, oatmeal, macaroni,
noodles, potatoes, camote, gabi, cassava and
others.

*Food rich in sugar are cakes, candies, honey, jam,

jellies, molasses and ice cream
THE 3 BASIC
FOOD GROUPS
 GROW FOOD GROUP
- repairs and build our body cells and tissues.
It makes us grow

*Food rich in protein are poultry foods, meat,

meat products, eggs, milk products, fishes,
shrimps, crabs, mongo, beans, gelatin, soya, bean,
peanuts, cereals like rice and corn.
THE 3 BASIC
FOOD GROUPS

 GLOW FOOD GROUP

-  regulate and protect our
body. Glow foods are rich in
minerals and vitamins.
MALNUTRITION
- Malnutrition is a condition that results from nutrient deficiency or
overconsumption.

Types of malnutrition include :

• Undernutrition: This type of malnutrition results from not getting

enough protein, calories or micronutrients. It leads to low weight-
for-height (wasting), height-for-age (stunting) and weight-for-age
(underweight).

• Overnutrition: Overconsumption of certain nutrients, such as

protein, calories or fat, can also lead to malnutrition. This usually
results in overweight or obesity.
 DISEASES CAUSED BY NUTRITIONAL
DEFICIENCIES

• Rickets
Deficiency of Vitamin D along with calcium and potassium in the body
causes rickets. Rickets is characterized by weak and soft bones, bowed
legs and bone deformities. Fish, fortified dairy products, liver, oil and
sunlight are some rich sources of Vitamin D. One may need to resort to
dietary supplements for making up for the lack of the “sunshine vitamin” in
the body.
 DISEASES CAUSED BY NUTRITIONAL
DEFICIENCIES

• Pellagra
Dementia, diarrhea, dermatitis and death are “the four Ds” that
characterize Pellagra, a disease caused by the lack of Niacin or B3 in the
body. The deficiency of niacin is also accompanied by a short supply of the
amino acids, tryptophan and lysine or the excessive presence of lysine in
the body. Foods enriched with niacin are tuna, whole grains, peanuts,
mushrooms, chicken etc.
 DISEASES CAUSED BY NUTRITIONAL
DEFICIENCIES

• Scurvy
Alarmingly reduced levels of Vitamin C or ascorbic acid in the body can
cause scurvy. Scurvy basically inhibits the production of collagen in the
body which is the structural protein that connects the tissues. Decaying
of the skin and gums, abnormal formation of teeth and bones, delay or
inability to heal wounds and bleeding are the effects of scurvy on the
body. One must ensure optimal consumption of Vitamin C.
 DISEASES CAUSED BY NUTRITIONAL
DEFICIENCIES
• Beri Beri
Lack of Vitamin B1 or thiamine in the body leads to the disease called beri beri. The
most common symptoms of this illness are altered muscle coordination, nerve
degeneration and cardiovascular problems. Meat, eggs, whole grains, dried beans etc
are rich in thiamine and thus, should be consumed in proper amounts everyday to
avoid this painful ailment.

• Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is a disease caused by the deficiency of iron in the body. It
is characterized by a decrease in the red blood cell count or hemoglobin in the
body, resulting in fatigue, weakness, dyspnea and paleness of the body. It can be
easily treated by changing to a healthy diet and consuming iron supplements on a
regular basis.
 DISEASES CAUSED BY NUTRITIONAL
DEFICIENCIES

• Goiter
Iodine in the body is essential for normal cell metabolism in the body and
deficiency of iodine may cause goiter. Goiter leads to enlarged thyroid
glands causing hypothyroidism, poor growth and development of infants in
childhood, cretinism and even mental retardation. This disease is
commonly found to occur in places having iodine deficit soil. Iodized salt
and saltwater fish are rich sources of iodine, and must be consumed
regularly to avoid goiter.
 DISEASES CAUSED BY NUTRITIONAL
DEFICIENCIES

• Kwashiorkor
Kwashiorkor is a deficiency disease caused by lack of protein and energy
in the body. It is characterized by anorexia, an enlarged liver, irritability
and ulcerating dermatoses. These are the one of the nutritional
deficiencies in children, especially from famine-struck areas and places
with poor food supply, Kwashiokor is caused by malnutrition. A healthy and
balanced diet enriched with protein and carbohydrate sources like eggs,
lentils, rice etc. helps combat this problem.