What is nutrition?
Nutrition is all about eating the right foods to keep your body healthy. When you eat well, it gives your body the energy and nutrients it needs to work properly. The foods you eat provide important stuff for your body, like helping your brain think, your muscles move, and your bones stay strong. Good nutrition also helps you stay away from sicknesses like heart problems, diabetes, and even cancer.
There are two main kinds of nutrients in food: big ones called macronutrients and small ones called micronutrients. Macronutrients, like carbs, protein, and fat, give you energy and help build your body. Micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, help with different jobs in your body, like keeping your eyesight sharp and your immune system strong.
Why is nutrition important?
The term ‘essential’ refers to the attribute that these nutrients have to be provided by food because they cannot be synthesized by the body. Yet these nutrients are necessary for health. Being deficient in one or many of these nutrients will cause symptoms of ill health that can vary from minor (e.g. fatigue) to major (e.g. psychosis or even death). Deficiencies mostly manifest not only as a symptom but have side effects as well, which can be used for understanding. If you are interested in understanding your body, have a look at our app.
How much nutrition is necessary?
First of all it depends on many factors how much nutrition you need. First off your age, weight, biological sex and activity level play a huge role. Nevertheless the WHO has published a set of daily dose recommendations to get sense of the amounts necessary. Down below you can find an overview of Vitamins, Minerals, Trace Minerals, Amino Acids and Fatty Acids that are essential.
What are essential nutrients?
Essential nutrients are the key substances our bodies need to function properly but can’t produce on their own. They can be structured in 5 groups: Vitamins, Minerals, Trace Minerals, Amino Acids (Protein) and Fatty Acids (Fat). These nutrients are crucial for our health and well-being. Each plays a unique role in our body, from providing energy to supporting growth and repair, maintaining immune function, and keeping our organs functioning smoothly. Without an adequate intake of essential nutrients through our diet, our bodies may struggle to perform these vital functions, leading to various health issues. Therefore, ensuring we get a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients is fundamental for optimal health. Note that carbohydrates are not essential. This means that you can completely remove carbohydrates from your diet without facing any issues (Keto Diet). If you want to learn more about different diets, have a look at our diet overview.
How to know if I have a deficiency?
Recognizing deficiencies in essential nutrients is important for maintaining good health. Signs of deficiency vary depending on the specific nutrient lacking, but common indicators may include symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, frequent illness, slow wound healing, changes in appetite, skin problems, brittle nails, hair loss, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating. However, these symptoms can also be caused by other factors, so it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis if you suspect a deficiency. Early detection and management of nutrient deficiencies are crucial for preventing complications and promoting overall well-being. This is what we created the app nutrical for. With the app you can find out which deficiencies you might have and more importantly: what to eat in order to resolve the deficiency. You can analyze your symptoms on our anamnesis page for free!
Why is nutrition so complex?
Nutrition can seem overwhelming due to a couple of reasons. Firstly, there’s a wide variety of foods, each packed with its own set of nutrients. Remembering all this information and comparing it to your daily needs can be challenging. Secondly, it’s difficult to precisely meet your body’s daily nutrient requirements because of the sheer number of nutrients and their varying amounts in different foods. However, the good news is that some nutrients can be stored by the body, so you don’t need to hit the exact daily intake every time. Time also plays a role here since nutrient absorption and storage vary over time. All these factors combined make keeping track of your nutrition quite complex. If you’re keen on understanding your nutrition better, you might find our app, Nutrical, helpful.
What are all the essential nutrients?
Here is an overview of all essential nutrients. The links will redirect you to a detailed overview: