Nutrition
Certain materials, specifically those in the form of food, which are provided to the human body in order to sustain health and life, are referred to as nutrients. The intake and provision of these nutrients to the body’s cells, organs, and other organisms in order to support and sustain life is called nutrition. Proper nutrition not only helps to sustain life, but it also is perceived to alleviate and prevent the more common health issues and related problems. The consumption of nutrients, or what the organism eats, is referred to as its diet.
Past history has proven that there is no doubt that poor nutrition leads to detrimental impacts on health. Improper and insufficient nutrition have lead to deficiency diseases beriberi and scurvy. Additionally, other health and even life threatening conditions, namely metabolic issues and obesity, can arise from improper nutrition. It has also been proven that it can lead to a variety of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even osteoporosis.
Nutrients are classified in seven separate categories as follows:
- carbohydrates
- fats
- fiber
- minerals
- proteins
- vitamins
- water
They are normally broken down into macro-nutrients (intake needed in large amounts) and micro-nutrients (intake needed in smaller quantities).
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