{"id":35,"date":"2019-03-11T16:10:48","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T16:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/sunyltnutrition\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=35"},"modified":"2019-04-04T18:48:11","modified_gmt":"2019-04-04T18:48:11","slug":"35","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/sunyltnutrition\/chapter\/35\/","title":{"raw":"1.2: What Are Nutrients?","rendered":"1.2: What Are Nutrients?"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"s441\" class=\"mt-include\">\r\n<div id=\"skills\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Define the word \u201cnutrient\u201d and identify the six classes of nutrients essential for health.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>List the three main energy (Calorie) yielding nutrients and how many Calories each of these nutrients provide.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"s441\" class=\"mt-include\">\r\n<div id=\"section_1\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"What_is_in_Food.3F-441\">What is in Food?<\/h2>\r\nYour \"diet\" is defined as the foods you choose to eat.\u00a0 The diet of most people contains a variety of foods: nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables and more!\u00a0 The foods we eat contain\u00a0<span class=\"margin_term\">nutrients<\/span>. Nutrients are substances required by the body to perform its basic functions. Nutrients must be obtained from diet, since the human body does not synthesize them, or does not synthesize them in large enough amounts for human health. Nutrients are used for many body functions such as:\u00a0growing, moving your muscles, repairing tissues and much more!\u00a0There are six classes of essential nutrients required for the body to function and maintain overall health. These six classes of essential nutrients are: carbohydrates, lipids (fats), proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals. Foods also contain non-nutrients.\u00a0 Some non-nutrients appear to be very important for human health, like fiber and antioxidants, some non-nutrients may be\u00a0harmful to human health such as: preservatives, colorings, flavorings and pesticide residues.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"580\"]<img class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/med.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/168\/63b3703b0e132ff861a95d4e960d64f2.jpg?revision=1&amp;size=bestfit&amp;width=580&amp;height=451\" alt=\"\" width=\"580\" height=\"451\" \/> 1.2.1:The Six Classes of Nutrients.\u00a0Source:\u00a0http:\/\/www.chemistry.wustl.edu\/~edudev\/LabTutorials\/Vitamins\/vitamins.html.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_2\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Macronutrients-441\">Macronutrients<\/h2>\r\nNutrients that are needed in large amounts are called\u00a0<span class=\"margin_term\">macronutrients<\/span>. There are three major classes of macronutrients: carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. All three of these nutrients are needed in relatively large amounts AND they contain Calories (note the capital C which indicates kilocalories) which can be \"burned\" in your body to create energy for your body cells. The energy from these macronutrients comes from their chemical bonds. This chemical energy is converted into cellular energy that is then utilized to perform work, allowing our bodies to conduct their basic functions. A unit of measurement of food energy is the Calorie.\u00a0 The next time you are eating a packaged food, look on the \"Nutrition Facts\" panel to find out\u00a0how many Calories you getting when you eat\u00a0one serving of that food. Water is also a macronutrient in the sense that you require a large amount of it, but unlike the other macronutrients it does not yield calories.\u00a0 One other possible component of the diet that can provide Calories is alcohol though it is generally NOT considered to be a nutrient.\u00a0 Alcohol (in the form of ethanol) provides about 7 Calories per gram.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"809\"]<img class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/med.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/169\/d79b1f12973d3a100bf1c6210fc0e012.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"809\" height=\"482\" \/> 1.2.2:\u00a0The Macronutrients:\u00a0Carbohydrates, Lipids, Protein, and Water[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_3\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Carbohydrates-441\">Carbohydrates<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s01_p01\"><span class=\"margin_term\">When you eat a food that co<\/span>ntains carbohydrate, like bread for example, you will be receiving approximately 4 Calories for every gram of carbohydrate you eat.\u00a0 Carbohydrates are molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The major food sources of carbohydrates are grains, milk, fruits, and starchy vegetables like potatoes. Non-starchy vegetables also contain carbohydrates, but in lesser quantities. Carbohydrates are broadly classified into two forms based on their chemical structure: fast-releasing carbohydrates, often called \"simple sugars\", and slow-releasing carbohydrates, often called \"complex carbohydrates\".<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s01_p02\">Fast-releasing carbohydrates consist of one or two basic sugar units.\u00a0 They are sometimes called \"simple sugars\" because their chemical structure is fairly simple with only one or two sugar units.\u00a0 If the carbohydrate has one sugar unit we call it a \"monosaccharide\".\u00a0 Mono means one and saccharide means sugar.\u00a0 Examples of monosaccharides you\u00a0have heard of are: Glucose (the sugar that is in your blood); Fructose (a sugar commonly found in fruit); and Galactose (a sugar that is found as part of milk sugar).\u00a0\u00a0If the carbohydrate has two sugar units we call it a \"disaccharide\".\u00a0 Di means two and saccharide means sugar.\u00a0 Examples of disaccharides you may be familiar with are: sucrose (table sugar); lactose (milk sugar) and maltose (malt sugar).\u00a0 Sucrose is made of a Glucose linked together with a Fructose.\u00a0 Lactose is made of Glucose linked together with Galactose.\u00a0 Maltose is made of two Glucose molecules bonded together.\u00a0 In order to digest a disaccharide, your body has to break the two sugars apart.\u00a0 We will talk more about this when we discuss lactose intolerance!<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s01_p03\">Slow-releasing carbohydrates are long chains of simple sugars (polysaccharides)\u00a0that can be branched or unbranched. Some polysaccharides that you have probably heard of are starch and fiber.\u00a0 During digestion, the body\u00a0does its best to break\u00a0down all slow-releasing carbohydrates like starch to simple sugars, mostly glucose. Glucose is then transported to all our cells where it is stored, used to make energy, or used to build macromolecules. Fiber is also a slow-releasing carbohydrate, but it cannot be broken down in the human body and passes through the digestive tract undigested unless the bacteria that live in the large intestine\u00a0break it down for us.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s01_p04\">One gram of carbohydrates yields four Calories of energy for the cells in the body to perform work. In addition to providing energy and serving as building blocks for bigger macromolecules, carbohydrates are essential for proper functioning of the nervous system, heart, and kidneys. As mentioned, glucose can be stored in the body for future use. In humans, the storage molecule of carbohydrates is called glycogen and in plants it is known as starches. Glycogen and starches are slow-releasing carbohydrates.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_4\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Lipids-441\">Lipids<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s02_p01\"><span class=\"margin_term\">Lipids<\/span>\u00a0are also a family of molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but unlike carbohydrates, they are insoluble in water. Lipids are found predominately in butter, oils, meats, dairy products, nuts, and seeds, and in many processed foods. The three main types of lipids are triglycerides (triacylglycerols), phospholipids, and sterols. The main job of lipids is to store energy. Lipids provide more energy per gram than carbohydrates (nine Calories\u00a0per gram of lipids versus four Calories per gram of carbohydrates). In addition to energy storage, lipids serve as cell membranes, surround and protect organs, aid in temperature regulation, and regulate many other functions in the body.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s03\" class=\"section\">\r\n<div id=\"section_5\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Proteins-441\">Proteins<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s03_p01\"><span class=\"margin_term\">Proteins<\/span>\u00a0are macromolecules composed of chains of subunits called amino acids. Amino acids are simple subunits composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. The food sources of proteins are meats, dairy products, seafood, and a variety of different plant-based foods, most notably soy. The word protein comes from a Greek word meaning \u201cof primary importance,\u201d which is an apt description of these macronutrients; they are also known colloquially as the \u201cworkhorses\u201d of life. Proteins provide four Calories of energy per gram; however providing energy is not protein\u2019s most important function. Proteins provide structure to bones, muscles and skin, and play a role in conducting most of the chemical reactions that take place in the body. Scientists estimate that greater than one-hundred thousand different proteins exist within the human body.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_6\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Water-441\">Water<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s04_p01\">There is one other nutrient that we must have in large quantities: water. Water does not contain carbon, but is composed of two hydrogens and one oxygen per molecule of water. Water does not provide any Calories.\u00a0 More than 60 percent of your total body weight is water. Without it, nothing could be transported in or out of the body, chemical reactions would not occur, organs would not be cushioned, and body temperature would fluctuate widely. On average, an adult consumes just over two liters of water per day from food and drink. According to the \u201crule of threes,\u201d a generalization supported by survival experts, a person can survive three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Since water is so critical for life\u2019s basic processes, the amount of water input and output is supremely important, a topic we will explore in detail in Chapter 7.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_7\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Alcohol_(not_a_nutrient)-441\">Alcohol (not a nutrient)<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s04_p01\">Alcoholic drinks\u00a0are a source of\u00a0Calories\u00a0even though they are\u00a0generally not considered nutrients. Alcohol itself provides approximately 7 Calories for every gram consumed.\u00a0In addition to alcohol, many alcoholic drinks contain carbohydrate\u00a0as well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_8\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Micronutrients-441\">Micronutrients<\/h2>\r\n<span class=\"margin_term\">Micronutrients<\/span>\u00a0are nutrients required by the body in lesser amounts, but are still essential for carrying out bodily functions. Micronutrients include all the essential minerals and vitamins. There are sixteen essential minerals and thirteen vitamins (Tables\u00a01.2.1<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;text-align: initial\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>&lt;span id=\"MathJax-Element-4-Frame\" class=\"MathJax\" style=\"display: inline-table; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; font-size: 14.4px; text-indent: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: lato, arial, helvetica, sans-serif, 'arial unicode ms'; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; position: relative;\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"presentation\" data-mathml=\"1.2.2\"&gt;<span id=\"MathJax-Span-19\" class=\"math\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-20\" class=\"mrow\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-21\" class=\"texatom\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-22\" class=\"mrow\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-23\" class=\"mn\">1.2.<\/span><span id=\"MathJax-Span-24\" class=\"mn\">2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1em\">\u00a0for a complete list and their major functions). In contrast to carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, micronutrients do not contain Calories.\u00a0 This is often confusing because most people have heard how tired a person will feel if they are low in a micronutrient\u00a0such as Iron.\u00a0 The tiredness can be explained by the fact that, micronutrients\u00a0<\/span><u style=\"font-size: 1em\">assist<\/u><span style=\"font-size: 1em\">\u00a0in the process of making energy by\u00a0being part of enzymes (i.e., coenzymes). Enzymes catalyze chemical reactions in the body and are involved in many aspects of body functions from producing energy, to digesting nutrients, to building macromolecules. Micronutrients play many roles in the body.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_9\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Minerals-441\">Minerals<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s02_s01_p01\">Minerals are solid inorganic substances that form crystals and are classified depending on how much of them we need. Trace minerals, such as molybdenum, selenium, zinc, iron, and iodine, are only required in a few milligrams or less and macrominerals, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and phosphorus, are required in hundreds of milligrams. Many minerals are critical for enzyme function, others are used to maintain fluid balance, build bone tissue, synthesize hormones, transmit nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and protect against harmful free radicals.\r\n<span style=\"font-size: 0.8em\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\"><b><i>Table 1.2.1<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/span><em style=\"font-weight: bold;font-size: 0.8em\"><strong>:\u00a0<\/strong>: Minerals and Their Major Functions<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"center\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th>Minerals<\/th>\r\n<th>Major Functions<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Macro<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Sodium<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Fluid balance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Chloride<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Fluid balance, stomach acid production<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Potassium<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Fluid balance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Calcium<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction, blood clotting<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Phosphorus<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, acid-base balance<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Magnesium<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Protein production, nerve transmission, muscle contraction<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Sulfur<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Protein production<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Trace<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Iron<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Carries oxygen, assists in energy production<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Zinc<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Protein and DNA production, wound healing, growth, immune system function<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Iodine<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Thyroid hormone production, growth, metabolism<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Selenium<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Antioxidant<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Copper<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme, iron metabolism<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Manganese<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Fluoride<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, tooth decay prevention<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Chromium<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Assists insulin in glucose metabolism<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Molybdenum<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_10\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Vitamins-441\">Vitamins<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s02_s02_p01\">The thirteen vitamins are categorized as either water-soluble or fat-soluble. The water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and all the B vitamins, which include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyroxidine, biotin, folate and cobalamin. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K. Vitamins are required to perform many functions in the body such as making red blood cells, synthesizing bone tissue, and playing a role in normal vision, nervous system function, and immune system function.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"center\"><caption><em><em><strong>Table\u00a0<span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">1.2.1<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/em><em>: Vitamins and Their Major Functions<\/em><\/caption>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th>Vitamins<\/th>\r\n<th>Major Functions<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Water-soluble<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">1<\/sub>\u00a0(thiamine)<\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">2<\/sub>\u00a0(riboflavin)<\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">3<\/sub>\u00a0(niacin)<\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">5<\/sub>\u00a0(pantothenic acid)<\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">6<\/sub>\u00a0(pyroxidine)<\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme, amino acid synthesis assistance<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Biotin<\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Folate<\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme, essential for growth<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">12<\/sub>\u00a0(cobalamin)<\/td>\r\n<td>Coenzyme, red blood cell synthesis<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>C<\/td>\r\n<td>Collagen synthesis, antioxidant<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Fat-soluble<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>A<\/td>\r\n<td>Vision, reproduction, immune system function<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>D<\/td>\r\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, immune system function<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>E<\/td>\r\n<td>Antioxidant, cell membrane protection<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>K<\/td>\r\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, blood clotting<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nVitamin deficiencies can cause severe health problems. For example, a deficiency in niacin causes a disease called pellagra, which was common in the early twentieth century in some parts of America. The common signs and symptoms of pellagra are known as the \u201c4D\u2019s\u2014diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and death.\u201d Until scientists found out that better diets relieved the signs and symptoms of pellagra, many people with the disease ended up in insane asylums awaiting death (Video 1.2.1). Other vitamins were also found to prevent certain disorders and diseases such as scurvy (vitamin C), night blindness (vitamin A), and rickets (vitamin D).\r\n<div class=\"mt-video-widget mt-video-width-50\">\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QeloeutvsqM[\/embed]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<em>Video 1.2.1: This video provides a brief history of Dr. Joseph Goldberger\u2019s discovery that pellagra was a diet-related disease.<\/em>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_11\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Food_Energy-441\">Food Energy<\/h2>\r\nThough this is only Chapter 1, you have already seen the words \"Calories\" and \"Energy\" used several times. \u00a0In everyday life you have probably heard people talk about how many Calories they burned on the treadmill or how many Calories are listed on a bag of chips. \u00a0Calories, are a measure of energy. \u00a0It takes quite a lot of Calories (energy) to keep us\u00a0alive. \u00a0Even if a person is in a coma, they still burn approximately 1000 Calories of energy in order for: their heart to beat, their blood to circulate, their lungs to breathe, etc... We burn even more calories when we exercise. \u00a0The carbohydrates, fats and proteins we eat and drink provide calories for us (and alcohol as well if we choose to consume it). \u00a0Sometimes people refer to these nutrients as \"energy yielding\".\u00a0 As you read above, carbohydrates provide 4 Calories for every gram we consume; proteins provide 4 Calories for every gram we consume; fats provide 9 Calories for every gram we consume and alcohol provides 7 Calories of energy for every gram we consume. \u00a0Vitamins, minerals and water do not provide any calories, even though they are still essential nutrients.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_12\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 id=\"Food_Quality:__Nutrient_Density_compared_to_Calorie_Density-441\">Food Quality:\u00a0 Nutrient Density compared to Calorie Density<\/h2>\r\nOne way to think about the quality of your food is to consider how many nutrients you receive from a serving of that food compared to the number of Calories you receive from one serving of the food.\u00a0 For example, a candy bar gives you quite a few Calories but not very many of the essential nutrients.\u00a0 We would say that the candy bar has Calorie density but low Nutrient density.\u00a0 An apple on the other hand, has quite a few essential nutrients but not very many Calories.\u00a0 We would say that the apple has high Nutrient density but low Calorie density.\r\nPlease watch the following Ted Ed video called\u00a0<a class=\"mt-disabled\" title=\"TextMaps\/Map:_An_Introduction_to_Nutrition_(Zimmerman)\/01:_Nutrition_and_You\/1.3:_What_Are_Nutrients?https:\/\/youtu.be\/VEQaH4LruUo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"broken\">\"What is a Calorie\"<\/a>\u00a0which will describe in more detail what a Calorie is and why you may\u00a0want to know how many Calories you are consuming compared to how many you are burning each day.\r\n<div class=\"mt-video-widget mt-video-width-50\">\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VEQaH4LruUo[\/embed]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p class=\"mt-align-center\"><em>Video: What is a calorie? - Emma Bryce<\/em>\r\nOne measurement of food quality is the amount of nutrients it contains relative to the amount of energy (Calories) it provides. High-quality foods are nutrient dense, meaning they contain lots of the nutrients relative to the amount of Calories they provide. Nutrient-dense foods are the opposite of \u201cempty-calorie\u201d foods such as carbonated sugary soft drinks, which provide many calories and very little, if any, other nutrients. Food quality is additionally associated with its taste, texture, appearance, microbial content, and how much consumers like it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"note\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n<h3 class=\"boxtitle\">FOOD: A BETTER SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s02_s01_p01\">It is better to get all your micronutrients from the foods you eat as opposed to from supplements. Supplements contain only what is listed on the label, but foods contain many more macronutrients, micronutrients, and other chemicals, like antioxidants that benefit health. While vitamins, multivitamins, and supplements are a $20 billion industry in this country and more than 50 percent of Americans purchase and use them daily, there is no consistent evidence that they are better than food in promoting health and preventing disease. Dr. Marian Neuhouser, associate of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, says that \u201c\u2026scientific data are lacking on the long-term health benefits of supplements. To our surprise, we found that multivitamins did not lower the risk of the most common cancers and also had no impact on heart disease. \u201d<span id=\"zimmerman_1.0-fn01_009\" class=\"footnote\">Woodward, K. \u201cMultivitamins Each Day Will Not Keep Common Cancers Away; Largest Study of Its Kind Provides Definitive Evidence that Multivitamins Will Not Reduce Risk of Cancer or Heart Disease in Postmenopausal Women.\u201d Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Center News<\/em>\u00a016 (February 2009).\u00a0<a class=\"link external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.fhcrc.org\/about\/pubs\/center_news\/online\/2009\/02\/multivitamin_study.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener\">http:\/\/www.fhcrc.org\/about\/pubs\/center_news\/online\/2009\/02\/multivitamin_study.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_13\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>Key Takeaways<\/h3>\r\n<ul id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s02_s01_l01\" class=\"itemizedlist\">\r\n \t<li>Foods contain nutrients that are essential for our bodies to function.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Four of the classes of nutrients required for bodily function are needed in large amounts. They are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and water, and are referred to as macronutrients.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Two of the classes of nutrients are needed in lesser amounts, but are still essential for bodily function. They are vitamins and minerals.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>One measurement of food quality is the amount of essential nutrients a food contains relative to the amount of energy it has (nutrient density).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch12_s04_s05_n03\" class=\"exercises \">\r\n<h3 id=\"section_17\" class=\"mt-section\">Discussion Starters<\/h3>\r\n<ol id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s02_s01_l02\" class=\"orderedlist\">\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"para\">Make a list of some of your favorite foods and visit the \u201cWhat\u2019s In the Foods You Eat?\u201d search tool provided by the USDA. What are some of the nutrients found in your favorite foods?<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s02_s01_p02\" class=\"para\"><a class=\"link external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ars.usda.gov\/Services\/docs.htm?docid=17032\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener\">http:\/\/www.ars.usda.gov\/Services\/docs.htm?docid=17032<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Have a discussion in class on the \u201cprogression of science\u201d and its significance to human health as depicted in the video on pellagra (Video\u00a0<span id=\"MathJax-Span-49\" class=\"math\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-50\" class=\"mrow\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-51\" class=\"texatom\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-52\" class=\"mrow\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-53\" class=\"mn\">1.2.<\/span><span id=\"MathJax-Span-54\" class=\"mn\">1).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<div id=\"s441\" class=\"mt-include\">\n<div id=\"skills\">\n<ul>\n<li>Define the word \u201cnutrient\u201d and identify the six classes of nutrients essential for health.<\/li>\n<li>List the three main energy (Calorie) yielding nutrients and how many Calories each of these nutrients provide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"s441\" class=\"mt-include\">\n<div id=\"section_1\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"What_is_in_Food.3F-441\">What is in Food?<\/h2>\n<p>Your &#8220;diet&#8221; is defined as the foods you choose to eat.\u00a0 The diet of most people contains a variety of foods: nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables and more!\u00a0 The foods we eat contain\u00a0<span class=\"margin_term\">nutrients<\/span>. Nutrients are substances required by the body to perform its basic functions. Nutrients must be obtained from diet, since the human body does not synthesize them, or does not synthesize them in large enough amounts for human health. Nutrients are used for many body functions such as:\u00a0growing, moving your muscles, repairing tissues and much more!\u00a0There are six classes of essential nutrients required for the body to function and maintain overall health. These six classes of essential nutrients are: carbohydrates, lipids (fats), proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals. Foods also contain non-nutrients.\u00a0 Some non-nutrients appear to be very important for human health, like fiber and antioxidants, some non-nutrients may be\u00a0harmful to human health such as: preservatives, colorings, flavorings and pesticide residues.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 590px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/med.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/168\/63b3703b0e132ff861a95d4e960d64f2.jpg?revision=1&amp;size=bestfit&amp;width=580&amp;height=451\" alt=\"\" width=\"580\" height=\"451\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">1.2.1:The Six Classes of Nutrients.\u00a0Source:\u00a0http:\/\/www.chemistry.wustl.edu\/~edudev\/LabTutorials\/Vitamins\/vitamins.html.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_2\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Macronutrients-441\">Macronutrients<\/h2>\n<p>Nutrients that are needed in large amounts are called\u00a0<span class=\"margin_term\">macronutrients<\/span>. There are three major classes of macronutrients: carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. All three of these nutrients are needed in relatively large amounts AND they contain Calories (note the capital C which indicates kilocalories) which can be &#8220;burned&#8221; in your body to create energy for your body cells. The energy from these macronutrients comes from their chemical bonds. This chemical energy is converted into cellular energy that is then utilized to perform work, allowing our bodies to conduct their basic functions. A unit of measurement of food energy is the Calorie.\u00a0 The next time you are eating a packaged food, look on the &#8220;Nutrition Facts&#8221; panel to find out\u00a0how many Calories you getting when you eat\u00a0one serving of that food. Water is also a macronutrient in the sense that you require a large amount of it, but unlike the other macronutrients it does not yield calories.\u00a0 One other possible component of the diet that can provide Calories is alcohol though it is generally NOT considered to be a nutrient.\u00a0 Alcohol (in the form of ethanol) provides about 7 Calories per gram.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 819px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/med.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/169\/d79b1f12973d3a100bf1c6210fc0e012.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"809\" height=\"482\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">1.2.2:\u00a0The Macronutrients:\u00a0Carbohydrates, Lipids, Protein, and Water<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_3\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Carbohydrates-441\">Carbohydrates<\/h2>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s01_p01\"><span class=\"margin_term\">When you eat a food that co<\/span>ntains carbohydrate, like bread for example, you will be receiving approximately 4 Calories for every gram of carbohydrate you eat.\u00a0 Carbohydrates are molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The major food sources of carbohydrates are grains, milk, fruits, and starchy vegetables like potatoes. Non-starchy vegetables also contain carbohydrates, but in lesser quantities. Carbohydrates are broadly classified into two forms based on their chemical structure: fast-releasing carbohydrates, often called &#8220;simple sugars&#8221;, and slow-releasing carbohydrates, often called &#8220;complex carbohydrates&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s01_p02\">Fast-releasing carbohydrates consist of one or two basic sugar units.\u00a0 They are sometimes called &#8220;simple sugars&#8221; because their chemical structure is fairly simple with only one or two sugar units.\u00a0 If the carbohydrate has one sugar unit we call it a &#8220;monosaccharide&#8221;.\u00a0 Mono means one and saccharide means sugar.\u00a0 Examples of monosaccharides you\u00a0have heard of are: Glucose (the sugar that is in your blood); Fructose (a sugar commonly found in fruit); and Galactose (a sugar that is found as part of milk sugar).\u00a0\u00a0If the carbohydrate has two sugar units we call it a &#8220;disaccharide&#8221;.\u00a0 Di means two and saccharide means sugar.\u00a0 Examples of disaccharides you may be familiar with are: sucrose (table sugar); lactose (milk sugar) and maltose (malt sugar).\u00a0 Sucrose is made of a Glucose linked together with a Fructose.\u00a0 Lactose is made of Glucose linked together with Galactose.\u00a0 Maltose is made of two Glucose molecules bonded together.\u00a0 In order to digest a disaccharide, your body has to break the two sugars apart.\u00a0 We will talk more about this when we discuss lactose intolerance!<\/p>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s01_p03\">Slow-releasing carbohydrates are long chains of simple sugars (polysaccharides)\u00a0that can be branched or unbranched. Some polysaccharides that you have probably heard of are starch and fiber.\u00a0 During digestion, the body\u00a0does its best to break\u00a0down all slow-releasing carbohydrates like starch to simple sugars, mostly glucose. Glucose is then transported to all our cells where it is stored, used to make energy, or used to build macromolecules. Fiber is also a slow-releasing carbohydrate, but it cannot be broken down in the human body and passes through the digestive tract undigested unless the bacteria that live in the large intestine\u00a0break it down for us.<\/p>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s01_p04\">One gram of carbohydrates yields four Calories of energy for the cells in the body to perform work. In addition to providing energy and serving as building blocks for bigger macromolecules, carbohydrates are essential for proper functioning of the nervous system, heart, and kidneys. As mentioned, glucose can be stored in the body for future use. In humans, the storage molecule of carbohydrates is called glycogen and in plants it is known as starches. Glycogen and starches are slow-releasing carbohydrates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_4\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Lipids-441\">Lipids<\/h2>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s02_p01\"><span class=\"margin_term\">Lipids<\/span>\u00a0are also a family of molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but unlike carbohydrates, they are insoluble in water. Lipids are found predominately in butter, oils, meats, dairy products, nuts, and seeds, and in many processed foods. The three main types of lipids are triglycerides (triacylglycerols), phospholipids, and sterols. The main job of lipids is to store energy. Lipids provide more energy per gram than carbohydrates (nine Calories\u00a0per gram of lipids versus four Calories per gram of carbohydrates). In addition to energy storage, lipids serve as cell membranes, surround and protect organs, aid in temperature regulation, and regulate many other functions in the body.<\/p>\n<div id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s03\" class=\"section\">\n<div id=\"section_5\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Proteins-441\">Proteins<\/h2>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s03_p01\"><span class=\"margin_term\">Proteins<\/span>\u00a0are macromolecules composed of chains of subunits called amino acids. Amino acids are simple subunits composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. The food sources of proteins are meats, dairy products, seafood, and a variety of different plant-based foods, most notably soy. The word protein comes from a Greek word meaning \u201cof primary importance,\u201d which is an apt description of these macronutrients; they are also known colloquially as the \u201cworkhorses\u201d of life. Proteins provide four Calories of energy per gram; however providing energy is not protein\u2019s most important function. Proteins provide structure to bones, muscles and skin, and play a role in conducting most of the chemical reactions that take place in the body. Scientists estimate that greater than one-hundred thousand different proteins exist within the human body.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_6\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Water-441\">Water<\/h2>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s04_p01\">There is one other nutrient that we must have in large quantities: water. Water does not contain carbon, but is composed of two hydrogens and one oxygen per molecule of water. Water does not provide any Calories.\u00a0 More than 60 percent of your total body weight is water. Without it, nothing could be transported in or out of the body, chemical reactions would not occur, organs would not be cushioned, and body temperature would fluctuate widely. On average, an adult consumes just over two liters of water per day from food and drink. According to the \u201crule of threes,\u201d a generalization supported by survival experts, a person can survive three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Since water is so critical for life\u2019s basic processes, the amount of water input and output is supremely important, a topic we will explore in detail in Chapter 7.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_7\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Alcohol_(not_a_nutrient)-441\">Alcohol (not a nutrient)<\/h2>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s01_s04_p01\">Alcoholic drinks\u00a0are a source of\u00a0Calories\u00a0even though they are\u00a0generally not considered nutrients. Alcohol itself provides approximately 7 Calories for every gram consumed.\u00a0In addition to alcohol, many alcoholic drinks contain carbohydrate\u00a0as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_8\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Micronutrients-441\">Micronutrients<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"margin_term\">Micronutrients<\/span>\u00a0are nutrients required by the body in lesser amounts, but are still essential for carrying out bodily functions. Micronutrients include all the essential minerals and vitamins. There are sixteen essential minerals and thirteen vitamins (Tables\u00a01.2.1<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;text-align: initial\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>&lt;span id=&#8221;MathJax-Element-4-Frame&#8221; class=&#8221;MathJax&#8221; style=&#8221;display: inline-table; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; font-size: 14.4px; text-indent: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: lato, arial, helvetica, sans-serif, &#8216;arial unicode ms&#8217;; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; position: relative;&#8221; tabindex=&#8221;0&#8243; role=&#8221;presentation&#8221; data-mathml=&#8221;1.2.2&#8243;&gt;<span id=\"MathJax-Span-19\" class=\"math\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-20\" class=\"mrow\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-21\" class=\"texatom\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-22\" class=\"mrow\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-23\" class=\"mn\">1.2.<\/span><span id=\"MathJax-Span-24\" class=\"mn\">2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1em\">\u00a0for a complete list and their major functions). In contrast to carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, micronutrients do not contain Calories.\u00a0 This is often confusing because most people have heard how tired a person will feel if they are low in a micronutrient\u00a0such as Iron.\u00a0 The tiredness can be explained by the fact that, micronutrients\u00a0<\/span><u style=\"font-size: 1em\">assist<\/u><span style=\"font-size: 1em\">\u00a0in the process of making energy by\u00a0being part of enzymes (i.e., coenzymes). Enzymes catalyze chemical reactions in the body and are involved in many aspects of body functions from producing energy, to digesting nutrients, to building macromolecules. Micronutrients play many roles in the body.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_9\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Minerals-441\">Minerals<\/h2>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s02_s01_p01\">Minerals are solid inorganic substances that form crystals and are classified depending on how much of them we need. Trace minerals, such as molybdenum, selenium, zinc, iron, and iodine, are only required in a few milligrams or less and macrominerals, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and phosphorus, are required in hundreds of milligrams. Many minerals are critical for enzyme function, others are used to maintain fluid balance, build bone tissue, synthesize hormones, transmit nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and protect against harmful free radicals.<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 0.8em\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\"><b><i>Table 1.2.1<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/span><em style=\"font-weight: bold;font-size: 0.8em\"><strong>:\u00a0<\/strong>: Minerals and Their Major Functions<\/em><\/p>\n<table cellpadding=\"0\" style=\"border-spacing: 0px; margin: auto;\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Minerals<\/th>\n<th>Major Functions<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Macro<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Sodium<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Fluid balance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Chloride<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Fluid balance, stomach acid production<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Potassium<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Fluid balance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Calcium<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction, blood clotting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Phosphorus<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, acid-base balance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Magnesium<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Protein production, nerve transmission, muscle contraction<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Sulfur<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Protein production<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Trace<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Iron<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Carries oxygen, assists in energy production<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Zinc<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Protein and DNA production, wound healing, growth, immune system function<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Iodine<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Thyroid hormone production, growth, metabolism<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Selenium<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Antioxidant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Copper<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme, iron metabolism<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Manganese<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Fluoride<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, tooth decay prevention<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Chromium<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Assists insulin in glucose metabolism<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Molybdenum<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_10\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Vitamins-441\">Vitamins<\/h2>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s01_s02_s02_p01\">The thirteen vitamins are categorized as either water-soluble or fat-soluble. The water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and all the B vitamins, which include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyroxidine, biotin, folate and cobalamin. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K. Vitamins are required to perform many functions in the body such as making red blood cells, synthesizing bone tissue, and playing a role in normal vision, nervous system function, and immune system function.<\/p>\n<table cellpadding=\"0\" style=\"border-spacing: 0px; margin: auto;\">\n<caption><em><em><strong>Table\u00a0<span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">1.2.1<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/em><em>: Vitamins and Their Major Functions<\/em><\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Vitamins<\/th>\n<th>Major Functions<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Water-soluble<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">1<\/sub>\u00a0(thiamine)<\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">2<\/sub>\u00a0(riboflavin)<\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">3<\/sub>\u00a0(niacin)<\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">5<\/sub>\u00a0(pantothenic acid)<\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme, energy metabolism assistance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">6<\/sub>\u00a0(pyroxidine)<\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme, amino acid synthesis assistance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Biotin<\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Folate<\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme, essential for growth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>B<sub class=\"subscript\">12<\/sub>\u00a0(cobalamin)<\/td>\n<td>Coenzyme, red blood cell synthesis<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>C<\/td>\n<td>Collagen synthesis, antioxidant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Fat-soluble<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>A<\/td>\n<td>Vision, reproduction, immune system function<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>D<\/td>\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, immune system function<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>E<\/td>\n<td>Antioxidant, cell membrane protection<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>K<\/td>\n<td>Bone and teeth health maintenance, blood clotting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Vitamin deficiencies can cause severe health problems. For example, a deficiency in niacin causes a disease called pellagra, which was common in the early twentieth century in some parts of America. The common signs and symptoms of pellagra are known as the \u201c4D\u2019s\u2014diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and death.\u201d Until scientists found out that better diets relieved the signs and symptoms of pellagra, many people with the disease ended up in insane asylums awaiting death (Video 1.2.1). Other vitamins were also found to prevent certain disorders and diseases such as scurvy (vitamin C), night blindness (vitamin A), and rickets (vitamin D).<\/p>\n<div class=\"mt-video-widget mt-video-width-50\">\n<div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"pellagra video\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QeloeutvsqM?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Video 1.2.1: This video provides a brief history of Dr. Joseph Goldberger\u2019s discovery that pellagra was a diet-related disease.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_11\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Food_Energy-441\">Food Energy<\/h2>\n<p>Though this is only Chapter 1, you have already seen the words &#8220;Calories&#8221; and &#8220;Energy&#8221; used several times. \u00a0In everyday life you have probably heard people talk about how many Calories they burned on the treadmill or how many Calories are listed on a bag of chips. \u00a0Calories, are a measure of energy. \u00a0It takes quite a lot of Calories (energy) to keep us\u00a0alive. \u00a0Even if a person is in a coma, they still burn approximately 1000 Calories of energy in order for: their heart to beat, their blood to circulate, their lungs to breathe, etc&#8230; We burn even more calories when we exercise. \u00a0The carbohydrates, fats and proteins we eat and drink provide calories for us (and alcohol as well if we choose to consume it). \u00a0Sometimes people refer to these nutrients as &#8220;energy yielding&#8221;.\u00a0 As you read above, carbohydrates provide 4 Calories for every gram we consume; proteins provide 4 Calories for every gram we consume; fats provide 9 Calories for every gram we consume and alcohol provides 7 Calories of energy for every gram we consume. \u00a0Vitamins, minerals and water do not provide any calories, even though they are still essential nutrients.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_12\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 id=\"Food_Quality:__Nutrient_Density_compared_to_Calorie_Density-441\">Food Quality:\u00a0 Nutrient Density compared to Calorie Density<\/h2>\n<p>One way to think about the quality of your food is to consider how many nutrients you receive from a serving of that food compared to the number of Calories you receive from one serving of the food.\u00a0 For example, a candy bar gives you quite a few Calories but not very many of the essential nutrients.\u00a0 We would say that the candy bar has Calorie density but low Nutrient density.\u00a0 An apple on the other hand, has quite a few essential nutrients but not very many Calories.\u00a0 We would say that the apple has high Nutrient density but low Calorie density.<br \/>\nPlease watch the following Ted Ed video called\u00a0<a class=\"mt-disabled\" title=\"TextMaps\/Map:_An_Introduction_to_Nutrition_(Zimmerman)\/01:_Nutrition_and_You\/1.3:_What_Are_Nutrients?https:\/\/youtu.be\/VEQaH4LruUo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"broken\">&#8220;What is a Calorie&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0which will describe in more detail what a Calorie is and why you may\u00a0want to know how many Calories you are consuming compared to how many you are burning each day.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mt-video-widget mt-video-width-50\">\n<div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-2\" title=\"What is a calorie? - Emma Bryce\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VEQaH4LruUo?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mt-align-center\"><em>Video: What is a calorie? &#8211; Emma Bryce<\/em><br \/>\nOne measurement of food quality is the amount of nutrients it contains relative to the amount of energy (Calories) it provides. High-quality foods are nutrient dense, meaning they contain lots of the nutrients relative to the amount of Calories they provide. Nutrient-dense foods are the opposite of \u201cempty-calorie\u201d foods such as carbonated sugary soft drinks, which provide many calories and very little, if any, other nutrients. Food quality is additionally associated with its taste, texture, appearance, microbial content, and how much consumers like it.<\/p>\n<div id=\"note\">\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<h3 class=\"boxtitle\">FOOD: A BETTER SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS<\/h3>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s02_s01_p01\">It is better to get all your micronutrients from the foods you eat as opposed to from supplements. Supplements contain only what is listed on the label, but foods contain many more macronutrients, micronutrients, and other chemicals, like antioxidants that benefit health. While vitamins, multivitamins, and supplements are a $20 billion industry in this country and more than 50 percent of Americans purchase and use them daily, there is no consistent evidence that they are better than food in promoting health and preventing disease. Dr. Marian Neuhouser, associate of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, says that \u201c\u2026scientific data are lacking on the long-term health benefits of supplements. To our surprise, we found that multivitamins did not lower the risk of the most common cancers and also had no impact on heart disease. \u201d<span id=\"zimmerman_1.0-fn01_009\" class=\"footnote\">Woodward, K. \u201cMultivitamins Each Day Will Not Keep Common Cancers Away; Largest Study of Its Kind Provides Definitive Evidence that Multivitamins Will Not Reduce Risk of Cancer or Heart Disease in Postmenopausal Women.\u201d Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Center News<\/em>\u00a016 (February 2009).\u00a0<a class=\"link external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.fhcrc.org\/about\/pubs\/center_news\/online\/2009\/02\/multivitamin_study.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener\">http:\/\/www.fhcrc.org\/about\/pubs\/center_news\/online\/2009\/02\/multivitamin_study.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_13\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n<ul id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s02_s01_l01\" class=\"itemizedlist\">\n<li>Foods contain nutrients that are essential for our bodies to function.<\/li>\n<li>Four of the classes of nutrients required for bodily function are needed in large amounts. They are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and water, and are referred to as macronutrients.<\/li>\n<li>Two of the classes of nutrients are needed in lesser amounts, but are still essential for bodily function. They are vitamins and minerals.<\/li>\n<li>One measurement of food quality is the amount of essential nutrients a food contains relative to the amount of energy it has (nutrient density).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch12_s04_s05_n03\" class=\"exercises\">\n<h3 id=\"section_17\" class=\"mt-section\">Discussion Starters<\/h3>\n<ol id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s02_s01_l02\" class=\"orderedlist\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"para\">Make a list of some of your favorite foods and visit the \u201cWhat\u2019s In the Foods You Eat?\u201d search tool provided by the USDA. What are some of the nutrients found in your favorite foods?<\/p>\n<p id=\"zimmerman_1.0-ch01_s02_s02_s01_p02\" class=\"para\"><a class=\"link external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ars.usda.gov\/Services\/docs.htm?docid=17032\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener\">http:\/\/www.ars.usda.gov\/Services\/docs.htm?docid=17032<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>Have a discussion in class on the \u201cprogression of science\u201d and its significance to human health as depicted in the video on pellagra (Video\u00a0<span id=\"MathJax-Span-49\" class=\"math\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-50\" class=\"mrow\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-51\" class=\"texatom\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-52\" class=\"mrow\"><span id=\"MathJax-Span-53\" class=\"mn\">1.2.<\/span><span id=\"MathJax-Span-54\" class=\"mn\">1).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-35\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>What Are Nutrients?. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Medical LibreTexts Contributors. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Libretexts. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/med.libretexts.org\/Courses\/Sacramento_City_College\/SCC%3A_Nutri_300_(Coppola)\/Chapters\/01%3A_Nutrition_and_You\/1.2%3A_What_Are_Nutrients%3F\">https:\/\/med.libretexts.org\/Courses\/Sacramento_City_College\/SCC%3A_Nutri_300_(Coppola)\/Chapters\/01%3A_Nutrition_and_You\/1.2%3A_What_Are_Nutrients%3F<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>What Are Nutrients?. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Maureen Zimmerman and Beth Snow. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lardbucket. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/an-introduction-to-nutrition\/s05-02-what-are-nutrients.html\">https:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/an-introduction-to-nutrition\/s05-02-what-are-nutrients.html<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":44985,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"What Are Nutrients?\",\"author\":\"Medical LibreTexts 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