To stay healthy our bodies need good quality food with nutrients in them. Without these 5 nutrients carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals our bodies would not survive. A good balanced diet is needed to get the right amount of each nutrient in your body. In this article i will go through each nutrient and tell you what each does and where to find them.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are used for energy. They are broken down to glucose in your gut and used as fuel for all respiration. Carbohydrates are found in sweet and starchy foods such as bananas and other fruits, bread, biscuits, cereals, rice, potatoes and spaghetti.
Fats:
Fats are also used for energy. Muscles use a mixture of fats and glycogen. The mixture depends on how intense the exercise is, how long it lasts and how fit you are. Example: Start jogging and the muscles will start using more glycogen than walking. Switcvh to a sprint and the muscles will use glycogen only and fat is required for use.
A lot of fat is found in butter, margarine, sunflower oil and other cooking oils, hamburgers, red meats, sausages, bacon, cheese and cream.
Protein:
Our bodies need protein to build cells, to make blood and to restore and repair tissues.
Protein is found in meat, liver, chicken, eggs, fish, beans, peas, lentils and nuts. Our bodies can also use protein for energy but only if it has run out of carbohydrates and fats.
Vitamins and Minerals:
Our bodies need only tiny amounts of vitamins. Vitamins A and D can be stored in your liver. Vitamin C can't be stored. If you eat more than you need, the extra is excreted. That means you must eat it regularly.
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Minerals are just as important as vitamins. There is enough Iron in our bodies to make a large nail. Without Iron your blood cant carry oxygen. Without calcium you'd have no bones, teeth or muscle contractions.
Water:
Water does not give you energy, but around half your weight is water. Some is in your blood and other body fluids. Most is in your body cells where it plays a vital part in reactions.
You could last for several weeks without food but only 4 or 5 days without water. Once the level in your blood and body fluids falls too low, water is drawn out from cells. You die! We need to drink at least 6 glasses of water a day. If you play sports you may need to drink more.
Fiber:
Fiber is a substance called cellulose from the cell walls of plants. You find it in fruit, veg, brown bread, bran and other cereals. You cannot digest it. It passes straight through the gut and is excreted as feces. But it is very important because:
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- It makes a bulky mass which the muscles of your gut can grip and push along quickly. This prevents constipation and bowel cancer.
- It absorbs poisonous wastes from digesting food.
- It makes you feel full, so you eat less.
There is the info about the 5 nutrients our bodies need and Fiber. Now to test you here are a few questions:
- 1. What are the 5 nutrients our bodies need to survive?
- 2. In what type of foods do we find carbohydrates?
- 3. What do our bodies use fat for?
- 4. What do our bodies use protein for?
- 5. Where is most of the water in our bodies?
Answers
- 1. Carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.
- 2. Sweet and starchy foods.
- 3. energy and insulation
- 4. To build cells, make blood and restore and repair muscle and other tissues.
- 5. Body cells
How did you do?
- 0-1 Get studying
- 1-3 read article again
- 3-4 you getting it
- 5 congratulations you know you nutrients
AJ