Nutrition is the biological and metabolic process by which an organisms uses food to sustain its existence. It involves absorption, assimilation, production, catabolism, and disposal. It also involves building and repairing of the body structures, growth and development of cells and tissues. The primary functions of nutrition in the body are: providing energy; regulating body metabolism; preventing and controlling chronic diseases; and promoting growth and development.
There are three major categories of nutrition: animal nutrition, plant nutrition and human nutrition. Animals manufacture proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in their diet and use them to survive. Human beings have adapted a way of obtaining these components from the environment and from other sources, but they cannot produce all at once. Plant nutrition on the other hand provides the elements necessary for the human body and is usually referred to as primary or secondary nutrition.
Plants are the main article of nutrition. These organisms are surrounded by a complex web of related components such as micro-nutrients and trace elements. Each one of these elements plays a vital role in the development of the organisms, but only a few are actually responsible for the development of the body tissues. These elements include the macronutrients and trace minerals.
The main function of the macronutrients is to supply energy to the organisms that require it. The main article of animal nutrition is protein. Protein is made by the animal tissues, and they can be either plant or animal. Fishes are the main source of proteins for human nutrition. The secondary article of human nutrition is fat.
The main article of plant nutrition is starch. It is a combination of sugars and starches that are needed for plant growth and development. The starch that is not plant origin is made up of glucose and amino acids. Fishes provide a high level of starch through their diet, while other animals provide plant nutrition through their meat.
The main nutritional role of organic compounds in plants is to serve as energy source. There is a great variety in the metabolic processes of these organisms. Some metabolic processes involve energy conversion, and others use carbon compounds as an energy source. The organic compounds that constitute the plant structure also provide a supply of food for the organisms that eat them.
The main article of animal nutrition is protein, which is made up of amino acids. Plants also contain proteins, which are also a form of amino acids. The secondary articles of animal nutrition are fats and carbohydrates. Fishes produce the bulk of the animal fats that are used as food, while the carbohydrates are made up of fruits and vegetables. The organic compounds that constitute plant life provide the primary food sources of the organisms that consume them.
The primary function of carbohydrates in human body is to produce energy for the human body. Water, on the other hand, is used for many other purposes, including respiration, concentration and respiration. Carbohydrates, therefore, are very important to human body. It is important to control consumption of carbohydrate to control body weight.
A large number of carbohydrates are used by the human body in order to generate energy. One of the major functions of carbohydrates is to produce energy through respiration. The human body also produces certain secondary calories, such as kilojoules and thus needs the energy provided by carbohydrates. Kilocalories, however, are measured in megojoules. Kilocalories are divided into megabytes (MB), grams and pounds.
The human body uses up energy in the form of carbohydrates and fats. The diet of humans consists mainly of fats and kilocalories, whereas animal products like meat, milk and eggs constitute carbohydrate content. The dietary fiber forms a major part of the nutrition, especially in case of animal protein. Animal products are high in protein and kilojoules but low in carbohydrates.
Humans, unlike animals, are adapted to getting enough nutrients through diet. However, getting enough carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals is often a problem. The main reason behind this is modern lifestyle that has led to vitamin deficiency. Although vitamin D, calcium and other essential nutrients are not difficult to get, they are most readily found in fatty fish and fortified dairy products.
One of the most prominent reasons for vitamin and mineral deficiency is drugs. Certain medications can affect the absorption of these nutrients in the body. Certain antibiotics are known to reduce the immune system's ability to fight infections and diseases and may lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Vitamin D is only synthesized in the skin when it becomes exposed to sunlight. It is difficult to raise your body's level of vitamin D through diet alone.