The 6 Essential Nutrients

What is a Nutrient?
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. So if you think about all the basic reactions going on in your body to keep you
breathing, your heart beating, your brain working and allowing you to move about, they all derive
their energy from nutrients.

What are Essential Nutrients?

Essential nutrients refers 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.
There might be a slight confusion about essential nutrients that must be addressed. The term
essential when applied to amino acids and certain fatty acids, applies to those that need to be taken
in the diet as they are not synthesized by the body. Essential amino acids include Methionine, Valine,
Leucine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, Threonine and Lysine. Essential fatty acids are
Linolenic acid, Linoleic acid and Arachidonic acid, to name a few.

The 6 Essential Nutrients you cant live without

Again the term essential implies that these six essential nutrients are necessary in order to maintain
and develop a healthy body.
These are the 6 Essential Nutrients your body needs daily:
1. Proteins they make up most of the cell structure including the cell membrane. Genetic
information in the cell is stored as Protein in the form of DNA. All the enzymes, that catalyze
metabolic reactions in the human body, are protein in nature.
2. Fats are used in making steroids and hormones. Cholesterol also makes up the cell membrane
and provides a degree of rigidity to it. Fats also serve as solvents for hormones and fat-soluble
vitamins.
3. Carbohydrates form the major part of stored food in the body for later use of energy. Glucose
which is a monosaccharide is the bodys primary source of energy. When in excess, it is stored in the
liver as Glycogen. Carbohydrates are also important for fat oxidation and can also be converted into
protein.

4. Vitamins are mostly co-enzymes which are required for the normal functioning of enzymes.
Vitamin C and E are antioxidants, while Vitamin K is required for blood clotting. They cannot be
synthesized in the body, so must be taken in the diet.
5. Minerals are needed in small amounts to make co-factors. These are inorganic ions needed by
the enzymes for activation. Other minerals are systemic electrolytes and essential in co-regulation of
ATP.
6. Water serves as a carrier, distributing nutrients to cells and removing wastes through urine. It is
also a compulsory agent in the regulation of body temperature and ionic balance of the blood. Water
is completely essential for the bodys metabolism and is also required for lubricant and shock
absorber.
Of the six essential nutrients you just read about, 3 of them are called Macronutrients, while the
other 2 are Micronutrients.

Macronutrients
Macronutrients include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. They are called macronutrients as they are
required in large amounts to fuel the body. Energy is measured in calories and they are essential for
the body to grow, repair and develop new tissues, conduct nerve impulses and regulate life process.

Carbohydrates are required for energy. Glucose, which is a monosaccharide, is the most
essential source of energy in the body. The brain works entirely on glucose alone. When an
immediate source of energy is required, glucose is converted into glycogen which is stored in
the liver. When energy is needed it is converted into glucose again and used to release
energy. Carbohydrates provide 17 kilojoules of energy per gram.

Fats have the highest caloric content. This means they provide the largest amount of
energy when burnt. When measured by a calorimeter, fats provide about 37 kilojoules per
gram, making them twice as energy-rich than protein and carbohydrates. Extra fat is stored
in adipose tissue and is burnt when the body has run out of carbohydrates. Fat is also
needed to take up fat-soluble vitamins.

Proteins are the third and last source of energy. They are the last to be used of all
macronutrients. In cases of extreme starvation, the muscles in the body, that are made up of
proteins, are used to provide energy. This is called muscle wasting. Proteins also provide 17
kilojoules per gram.

Is Water a Macronutrient?
You probably wonder if water should be included in this category. Water might not always be
considered a macronutrient, but it sure is an essetial nutrient needed for all body functions in large
amounts. For example the USDA lists water as part of Macronutrients (see here). Then again you
have UNICEF not including water as not part of macronutrients.
Water is found in the bodys cells and transports nutrients to cells and removes toxins from our body.
Water regulates the body temperature by our sweat. We get about 50% of the water we need from
our food. Remember that water contains no calories.

Micronutrients
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.

Vitamins are essential for normal metabolism, growth and development, and regulation of
cell function. They work together with enzymes and other substances that are necessary for
a healthy life. Vitamins are 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. This
means that you do not need to eat them as often as Water soluble vitamins. The latter are
excreted in urine when in excess and so need to be taken daily. Water soluble vitamins
include Vitamin B and C. Green leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamin B, whereas Vitamin C is
found abundantly in citrus fruits. Fat soluble vitamins are Vitamin A, D, E and K. Green leafy
vegetables, milk and dairy products and plant oils provide these vitamins.

Minerals are found in ionized form in the body. They are further classified
into macrominerals andmicrominerals (or trace minerals). Macrominerals present in the body
include Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Sodium and Magnesium to name a few. Iron is a
constituent of Hemoglobin which is present in blood. Hence macrominerals constitute a
larger percent of the body and are needed in more amounts, as compared to micro minerals.
Microminerals include Copper, Zinc, Cobalt, Chromium and Fluoride. They are mostly cofactors, and are necessary for the function of enzymes in the body, but are needed only in
minor quantities. Approximately 4% of the bodys mass consists of minerals