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Nutrition and its Importance

Abdulmohsin

Institution’s Name

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Nutrition and Its importance

Introduction

Nutrition is basically a process that involves providing for or obtaining food that is

essential for the health and growth of individuals. It is a science that involves

interpretation and interaction of various substances and nutrients that are found in

the food. These substances play a key role in allowing the body to grow, reproduce

and maintain health and proper body function [ CITATION Sri061 \l 1033 ]. The exposition

under discussion here talks about the importance that nutrition has for the human

body. It also discusses the constituents of nutrition such as vitamins, minerals etc.,

and the role that they play towards the human body.

Historical Background of Nutrition

Many of the discoveries in biology and food are associated to have happened in

modern science. However, history of nutrition in terms of association with science

actually dates back to the times of 400 B.C. The Greek physician Hippocrates of the

400 B.C, and who has also been known as the father of medicine famously said that

food should be the medicine and medicine should be the food. Greece, Pre modern

Europe and the whole of the Asia in that era was using food as a medicine for curing

various ailments. For instance, the deficiency of Vitamin A that was associated as a

cause of certain eye ailments were treated through the use of liver juice. Athletes

foot which is a very common and well known disease, was cured during that era

through using ginger and garlic because of their ability to boost the

metabolism[ CITATION Sri061 \l 1033 ]. DR. James Lind, who was a British navy

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physician in 1774 observed that sailors were facing the disease of scurvy as a

serious level and the only food that they were eating on their voyages were the

perishable food items like bread and meat. Therefore, he conducted an experiment

where he made 3 different groups. Salt water was fed to one of the group, the other

one was given vinegar and the last one was given limes. In the modern era, Vitamin

C is known to protect people from scurvy, but Vitamin C was not actually known to

exist at the time when this experiment as carried out. The group that was lime did not

faced the issue of scurvy[ CITATION Mcc12 \l 1033 ]. This finding under the experiment

was pivotal in terms of changing the way how the physicians looked at food as a

source of nutrition and its use as a medicine. It was only in 1930s when Vitamin C

was actually discover[ CITATION Mcc12 \l 1033 ].

Moving to the Victorian age and the age of enlightenment, development in medical

and scientific fields increased to a large extent. The conversion of the food and the

oxygen that is consumed by the human body into heat and water that results in

energy was actually discovered in the year 1770 by Antoine Lavoisier. The

elements such as hydrogen, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen were earlier isolated in the

1800s, and were soon related with the human health. The name Vitamins was

actually coined in 1912 by Casimur Funk who was a renowned Polish

doctor[ CITATION Mcc12 \l 1033 ]. The same was the year of discovery of Vitamin A.

Moreover, 1912 was also the year that in which disease like beriberi and Ricket were

associated with deficiency of certain Vitamins. This simply means that the end of the

18th century made considerable in roads in terms of the understanding of the nutrition

as an important source for the human body and an important source for ailing

various diseases. Diseases were previously associated to result as a cause of

external factors and food was not considered as a cause of diseases at a broad

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level. However, this changed when the use of nutrition and the role that they play in

terms of their constituents was unfold by different physicians and biologist [ CITATION

Sri061 \l 1033 ].

Importance of Nutrition

Coming to importance of nutrition and its constituents such as minerals and

Vitamins, the body requires a variety of constituents on a daily basis. The

constituents in the form of vitamins and minerals have a very important role towards

the functioning, growth and the health and maintenance of the human body.

Nutrients that are obtained through food serve as a most basic need for the body of

the humans. It serves as the basic source of energy that is required for conducting

the daily operations and protecting the body from different diseases. The energy that

is obtained through food is not only utilized for the purpose of carrying out the

physical activities, but is also essential for the purpose of cognitive thinking and the

cognitive activities[ CITATION Mei13 \l 1033 ]. Energy is even required at the time when

an individual sleeps. Food items that are consumed by humans breaks down into

constituent parts and it then releases the energy in the human body. The energy is

then used by the body for producing heat and power in the body. Food energy

creates a certain level of heat in the body in accordance with the energy value of the

food. For instance, egg and fish when eaten in winter causes to make the body

generate heat that is needed in winter. The body actually generates the heat through

the process of metabolism that is carried out when the food is broken down and

absorbed by the human body[ CITATION Kro111 \l 1033 ].

Minerals and Vitamins Sources

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The huge variety of food that we eat have a different composition and concentration

in term of the different vitamins and minerals. The different vitamins and minerals in

the food belong to different nutrient categories. The significant aspect here is that

the nutrients in food have their distinct role and they support distinct organs and

functions in the body. Not all the nutrients in the food support all the body functions

and this makes it very important for the humans to obtain a variety of foods that have

a variety of different nutrients. This simply means that a certain type of vitamin or

mineral is not enough for the body to perform different functions and not all the body

organs will function properly in case of deficiency [ CITATION Kro111 \l 1033 ]. Starting

with the example of calcium, calcium is found in the human bones and they require

an intake of calcium to maintain proper health of the bones. Bones keep the

structure of the body in shape and healthy bones protect the body from various

diseases which includes cancer. Now, milk is known to be a very important source of

calcium for the human body along with other nutrients. So along with the other food,

the body requires the intake of milk to maintain the health of bones. Simply eating

bread and avoiding the use of milk will not be beneficial for the health of the bones.

However, the calcium needed by the bones cannot be absorbed by the human body

if it is deficient in Vitamin D. Vitamin D causes to break down the calcium obtained

from food and allow it to be absorbed by the body [ CITATION Mei13 \l 1033 ]. This means

that the intake of calcium alone will not prove to be beneficial for the body unless the

body has proper levels of Vitamin D. So, the intake of one nutrient while deficiency

of the other nutrient will result in lack of proper body functions. This requires the

individuals to make sure that are eating a variety of food so that they can get a

combination of nutrient that function in combination and individually towards the

performance of various body functions[ CITATION Kro111 \l 1033 ].

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Source: http://byjus.com/biology/vitamins-and-minerals/

Not only food serves as a source of vitamins and minerals for the human body, but

there are other sources as well. One of the most renowned sources that are used by

people across the globe is the food supplements that are manufactured by different

companies at local and international level [ CITATION Cab09 \l 1033 ]. It is a huge

industry, especially in the developed countries. The food supplements that are used

by masses are generally in form of liquid, pills, capsules, powder and they contain

various minerals and vitamins. The question that comes here to mind is that when

food gives the desires nutrients to the human body, then why so many people use

supplements all over the world. From the point of view of the health practitioners and

the doctors, the human body needs vary in terms of the health condition, the age, the

habits, and the eating habits. The geographical location is also another reason why

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people use food supplements. The doctors do not normally prefer the use of the

food supplements. They recommend food supplements to their patients when they

see that some patient is suffering from some deficiency and requires a regular intake

of certain level of vitamin which the patient might not be getting from food. Eating

habits and preferences of the humans do not allow them to obtain all the variety of

foods that the body needs[ CITATION Cab09 \l 1033 ]. For instance, some people do not

like drinking milk and where they are not using other food containing calcium, they

suffer from deficiency of calcium. When such deficiency is extreme, the doctors

recommend the intake of calcium supplements such tablets. They recommend a

certain dose on daily basis to meet that deficiency. Many people have financial

issues that disables them from eating certain foods that are expensive and that they

cannot intake regularly. Therefore, food supplements might be a more affordable

option from them[ CITATION Cab09 \l 1033 ].

The condition of the human body is another factor that causes the people to use

certain food supplements. Some people are allergic to certain types of food that

contain their needed nutrient in the form of vitamins or minerals. Such people might

be recommended by doctors to intake food supplement that are mixed with

compounds or elements that prevent the allergy [ CITATION Kro111 \l 1033 ]. Issues of

digestion may also cause people to avoid certain food. Sometimes the stomach

becomes weak to absorb certain food and thus people might use the supplements as

an alternative source. Deficiency of Vitamin D is often solved through Vitamin D

supplement because many people do not often take food that are rich in Vitamin D.

The food supplements have the desired nutrients in ready form and they absorb in

the body or are more readily available for absorption as compared to food. Extreme

deficiency of Vitamin D results in chronic fatigue, extreme constipation and

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osteoporosis, and requires fast intervention which is met through the use of Vitamin

D supplements[ CITATION Cab09 \l 1033 ]. Many times doctors recommend vitamin D

supplements to people of elderly age for ensuring that their bones have the desired

strength.

Deficiency of Nutrients and the associated diseases

Deficiency of different vitamins and minerals is known and proven to be a cause of

various diseases. Since the vitamins and minerals perform different and even

combined roles in the body, thus the deficiency of these nutrients result in

malfunctioning or cause different diseases. For instance, water soluble vitamins like

Vitamin B12, C, and Thiamine causes to give rise to diseases like fatigue, gums

issues, burning feet, gastro issues and swelling [ CITATION Kro111 \l 1033 ]. The Vitamin

B12 serves as another significant Vitamin that is derived from almond, soya, eggs,

yogurt and liver. Deficiency of such vitamins causes to result in sore lips,

conjunctivitis, anxiety, fatigue and dermatitis.

The minerals are different from the Vitamins in the sense that they have an inorganic

nature and they are not broken down in terms of the structure. Renowned and

significant minerals that are very important for the human body includes calcium,

potassium, phosphorus, sodium, sulphur, magnesium and chlorine. Fluoride, iodine,

Zinc, selenium and copper are the trace minerals. All minerals have their importance

for the human body and they give rise to different diseases in case of deficiency. For

example, fluoride causes to result in decay of teeth, zinc deficiency causes blood

clotting and heart attack, and it can also cause anemia and diarrheal

disease[ CITATION Sri061 \l 1033 ]. The following table gives sources, functions,

symptoms and the associated diseases of various minerals and vitamins.

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Vitamin/Mineral Source Indications Functions Diseases due

s to deficiency
Vitamin A Fortified milk Eyes issue Assists body Reduces hair

and liver like night in terms of growth,

food vision), teeth, riding causes night

hair, skin, environmental blindness,

bones, pollutants causes dry

immune skin, cause

system, the dry eyes,

reproductive weakens the

organs and immune

liver system, and

also causes

loss of

appetite
Vitamin D Milk, Cod, Bones and Stabilizes Softening of

Yolk, Egg, teeth heartbeat and the human

Liver Oil, health ,body the nervous bones in the

Exposure to immunity, system, and adults, cause

sun, issues of enhances the rickets in

Avocado, heart , and absorption of children,

alfalfa, Garlic, the nervous calcium, causes

sprouts, system issues phosphorous osteoporosis,

greens leafy and protects and blood

blood clotting. clotting

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vegetable healing formation of deficiencies,

brown rice, issues, the the red blood cause nerve

oils, soya reproduction cells. They abnormalities,

bean oil, issues, low have dry skin

germs, nuts, levels of red antioxidant

wheat. blood cells, properties,

and blood and can cause

clots to reduce

chances of

various types

of cancer.
Vitamin K Green Blood clotting Normalizes Defect in

vegetables, blood clotting blood

and liver coagulation

(mineral) sardines, nerve and those body functions,

Cheese, muscle enzymes that muscles

Broccoli and functions, are required cramps,

turnip and the blood for the osteoporosis

clotting purpose of in the adults

converting the and rickets in

food in energy the children.

Conclusion

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We can conclude here that the science of nutrition is well over 100 years and it

gained importance in the 18th century. The importance of nutrition for the human

body started to become evident during that period not only in terms of body

functioning, but also as a source of protecting from various diseases and curing

them. Vitamins and minerals serve as important nutrients that are obtained from food

and they have their distinct functions in the human body. Human body requires a

variety of vitamins and minerals to function properly and such vitamins and minerals

can be obtained by using a variety of different food. Using one type of food that

might be healthy and nutritious can result in different diseases because they cannot

provide all the nutrients.

References

Caballero, B. (2009). Guide to Nutritional Supplements. New York: Academic Press.

Kroner, Z. (2011). Vitamins and Minerals. London: ABC-CLIO.

Mccollum, E. V. (2012). A History of Nutrition: The Sequence of Ideas in Nutrition

Investigations. London: Literary Licensing LLC.

Meier, R. F., Reddy, B. R., & Soeters, P. B. (2013). The Importance of Nutrition as

an Integral Part of Disease Management: 82nd Nestlé Nutrition Institute

Workshop, Gurgaon, New Delhi, October 2013. Karger Medical and Scientific

Publishers, 82, 1664-2147.

Srilakshmi, B. (2006). Nutrition Science. New Delhi: New Age International.

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