THE ONE SIMPLE thing to remember is – Eat a wholesome balanced diet and all nutrients can be taken care of, you can avoid being deficient in most cases. We cannot ignore the deficient sources of food these days, for example depleted soils, pesticides etc. but we can be close to perfect.
What is the best way to remember if you are not learner of health science but want to understand and act in your best interest?
Remember from school? Carbohydrates, Fats & Proteins – These are the Macro Nutrients – like the name indicates, they are required in big quantities to provide you energy and body function and repair material
Others called Vitamins and Minerals are the Micro Nutrients – needed in very small quantities which our bodies have but due to improper food habits, we end up destroying their balance and hence need to supplement them.
Above all, let us not undermine the importance of Water while we talk about nutrients. Water is what our body is made up of. We are 72% water. So, this need must be taken care of intelligently.
Carbohydrates: Simple and Complex or Starchy foods
Fats: Saturated and Unsaturated.
Best way to remember – Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and Unsaturated ones are liquid at room temperature. Saturated are the culprits.
Proteins: made up of Amino acids. Some are produced within the body and some must be obtained from food.
Vitamins: Do not provide energy but very important for functioning of the body. They are fat soluble (A, D, E & K) and water soluble (B, C & B-complex)
Minerals: Very important and required for all the processes of body functioning. Examples – Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc, Iodine and 8 more)
Line of Advice: Take care of what you put in your body and it will take care of the nutrient balance inside.