Nutrition (part 1): The basics of nutrition
By: Ronald Abvajee
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 Are you a food lover? People can be divided into two camps according to their reactions to food- those who live to eat and those who eat to live. Still, we all recognize the vital importance of food for life.
A nutrient is a substance in food that is used by the body to promote normal growth, maintenance and repair. The nutrients needed for health are divided in to six categories. Three of these- carbohydrates, fats (lipids) and proteins- are collectively called the major nutrients and make up the bulk of what we eat. Vitamins and minerals, though equally crucial for health, are required in minute amounts. In a strict sense, water, which accounts for about 60% of the volume of the food we eat, is also a major nutrient. Most foods offer a combination of nutrients. For example, a bowl of cream of mushroom soup contains all the major nutrients plus some vitamins and minerals.
Good nutrition results from a diet in which foods are eaten in the proper quantities and with the needed distribution of nutrients to maintain good health in the present and in the future. Malnutrition, on the other hand, is the outcome of a diet in which there is an under-consumption, over-consumption, or unbalanced consumption of nutrients that leads to disease or an increased susceptibility to disease. Implicit in the above definitions is the fact that proper nutrition is essential to good health! A history of poor nutritional choices will eventually lead to health consequences such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The public is bombarded with messages about nutrition, and it is often difficult for you to distinguish good information from bad. Nutrition Zone is going to make understanding the importance of nutrition for a healthy body as easy as1, 2,3. Join us on this journey of the discovery of proper nutrition.
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