WEEK 2: OVERVIEW OF

NUTRIENTS
Basic Nutrition for Wellness
1- Carbohydrates
Chemical substances in foods that consist of a single
sugar molecule or multiples of sugar molecules in
various forms. Sugar and fruit, starchy vegetables,
and whole grain products are good dietary sources.
Type of Carbohydrates
 What types of foods are considered low,
medium and high GI?
Low GI foods have a GI range of 55 or less and include
most fruits and vegetables, pasta, legumes, milk, and
pumpernickel bread.
Medium GI foods have a GI range of 56 – 69 and include
foods such as whole wheat products, brown rice, table
sugar, sugar confections, regular soda and cheese pizza.
High GI foods have a GI range of 70 – 99 and include
baked potatoes, watermelon, and graham crackers. A GI
of 100 represents pure glucose.
 High Glycemic Index (GI) and Low Gl

➢ It is now known that some types of simple and complex

carbohydrates in foods elevate blood glucose levels more than
do others.
➢ Such differences are particularly important to people with
disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
6

➢ This classification system is called the glycemic index.

Carbohydrates that are digested and absorbed quickly have a
high glycemic index and raise blood glucose levels to a higher
extent than do those with lower glycemic index values
High Glycemic Index (GI) and Low Gl
Food examples of High Glycemic Index (GI) and Low Gl
Recommended Intake Level

➢ Recommended intake of carbohydrates is based on their

contribution to total energy intake.
➢ It is recommended that 45–65 percent of calories come
from carbohydrates.
➢ Added sugar should constitute no more than 25 percent of
total caloric intake.

➢ It is recommended that adult females consume between 21

and 25 grams, and males 30–38 grams of total dietary fiber
daily.
Food Sources of Carbohydrates
Function of Carbs
Proteins
 2- Proteins
➢ Chemical substances in foods that are made up of chains of
amino acids. Animal products and dried beans are examples
of protein sources.

➢ Protein in foods provides the body with amino acids used to

build and maintain protein-based components of the body
such as muscle, bone, enzymes, and red blood cells. The body
can also use protein as a source of energy—it provides four
calories per gram.
Obtained from food
Synthesized by the
body
Function of Protein
digestion
 Recommended protein Intake

DRIs proteins should contribute 10–35 percent of total

energy intake per day.

Protein deficiency.
although rare in economically developed countries, leads to
loss of muscle tissue, growth failure, weakness, reduced
resistance to disease, and kidney and heart problems. It
contributes to the development of a severe form of protein-
energy malnutrition in young children known as kwashiorkor
Souses of Proteins
3- Lipids (Fats)
 3- Lipids (Fats)
Components of food that are soluble in fat but not in water.
They are more properly referred to as “lipids.” Most fats are
composed of glycerol attached to three fatty acids. Oil, butter,
sausage, and avocado are examples of rich sources of dietary
fats.
 Function of Fats
1. Normal growth and development.
2. Energy (very important souses of energy).
3. Aborting fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).
4. Maintaining cell membranes.
5. Suppliers of the essential fatty acids (required for
growth and health).
Essential Fatty Acids
 Recommended Intake of Fats

➢ Current advice indicates that dietary fat intake should be

within the range of 20 to 35 percent of total calories.

➢ There is no recommended level of cholesterol intake,

because there is no evidence that cholesterol is required in
the diet.

➢ The body is able to produce enough cholesterol, and

people do not develop a cholesterol deficiency disease if it
is not consumed.
Food Sources of Fat
 4- Vitamins
➢ Vitamins are essential organic nutrients, required in small
amounts.
➢ They cannot be synthesized by the body. Must be obtained
by outside sources like diet, rumen bacteria & sun.
➢ Required for growth, maintenance, reproduction and
lactation.

➢ Vitamins do not provide energy, serve as structural

components of the body.
 Role of Vitamins in the body
➢ There are 13 vitamins that are essential for body
function.
➢ vitamins are a group of substances that are
essential for overall health, normal cell function,
growth and development.
➢ All essential vitamins can be found in food sources
as well as supplemented in various forms.
 Classes of Vitamins

Fat Soluble Vitamins: Water Soluble Vitamins:

stored in tissues not stored in tissues, must have
constant supply
Examples
A
Examples
D B, B1, B2, B6 & B12
E Niacin
K Folic Acid
C
Classes of Vitamins
Vitamin C Protects the body
Function:
against infection
(Ascorbic
Citrus fruits,
Acid) Food Source: strawberries, broccoli
and tomatoes

Scurvy (Breakdown of
Deficiency: collagen, bleeding gums
and skin hemorrhages)

Kidney stones,
Toxicity: interferes with
Vitamin E.
 Scurvy
Swollen and Bleeding Gums
B9 (Folate/Folic Acid)
Helps the body make new
Function:
cells
Dark green leafy
Food Source:
vegetables

Spina Bifida
(Neural tube defect that affects
Deficiency:
the spinal cord during fetal
development)

Toxicity: Masks B12 Deficiency

Vitamin K
Helps blood clot
Function:
normally

Dark green leafy

Food Source: vegetables (spinach, kale,
collard greens, parsley, etc.)

Deficiency: Bleeding and Bruising

Jaundice-breakage of
Toxicity:
red blood cells
 Vitamin A
➢ Promotes good vision
➢ Promotes healthy skin ➢ Beta-carotene is converted
Function: ➢ Helps with growth and into vitamin A.
maintenance of bones,
teeth, and cell structure ➢ RDA: 900 micrograms for
males; 700 micrograms for
Food Red, orange and dark females
Source: green vegetables

Deficiency: Night Blindness

Loss of appetite, blurred

Toxicity:
vision, joint pain
 Vitamin D (“The Sunshine
Vitamin”)
- Builds and maintains
bones and teeth.
Function: -Responsible for
absorption and
utilization of calcium
Milk/Dairy Products &
Food Source:
Sunlight

Rickets
Deficiency:
(Bowed Legs)

Nausea and vomiting,

Toxicity:
kidney damage
Rickets
Vitamin E
Protects the
Function: membranes of white
and red blood cells

Vegetable Oils, Fruits

Food Source:
and Vegetables
Poor nerve
connection and
Deficiency:
neurological
problems
Headaches, brain
Toxicity: hemorrhages, muscle
weakness
Recommended Intake of Vitamins
5- Minerals
5- Minerals

➢Essential inorganic nutrients, required in

small amounts.
➢As many as 20 minerals may be required!
➢Required for growth, maintenance,
reproduction and lactation.
5- Minerals

The Macrominerals:
1. Calcium Ca
2. Phosphorous P
3. Potassium K
4. Sulfur S
5. Sodium Na
6. Chlorine Cl
7. Magnesium Mg
Calcium
Strengthens bones and
Function:
teeth

Milk/Dairy Products,
Food Source: Whole Grains, Dark Green
Leafy Vegetables

Osteoporosis
Deficiency: (Bones become weak and
brittle due to mineral loss)

Toxicity: -Kidney stones

Osteoporosis
 5- Minerals

The Microminerals
Iodine (I)
Copper (Cu)
Iron (Fe)
Selenium (Se)
Manganese (Mn)
Molybedenum (Mo)
Zinc (Zn)
Iron
Helps make red blood
Function: cells, helps our muscles
store and use oxygen
Animal products, meat,
Food Source: dark green leafy
vegetables
Anemia
Deficiency: (Low red blood cell
formation)

Heart disease, elevated

Toxicity:
LDLs
Please check more vitamins and minerals at
pages 13 to 21.
6- Water
6- Water
An essential component of the diet provided by
food and fluid.

Functions of Water:
a. Carries water soluble vitamins
b. Regulated body temperature
through perspiration
c. Carries waste products
through and out of the body
d. Prevents dehydration
 6- Water

How much water should we drink every day?

At least 8 cups a day (or 64 fl. oz.)

*Water is the MOST important

nutrient our body needs! If you’re
thirsty, you’re already dehydrated
Dietary Sources of Water
➢ The best sources of water are tap and bottled
water; fruit juice, milk, and vegetable juice;
and brothy soups.
➢ Caffeinated beverages are hydrating in people
who are ac- customed to consuming them. 21
How many calories are in Water, Vitamins and Minerals?
ZERO! They may not provide any energy, but they are
ESSENTIAL in keeping our bodies running!

Nutrient Calories Per Gram

Carbohydrates 4
Fat 9
Protein 4
Vitamins 0
Minerals 0
Water 0
Answer Questions (Test Your Knowledge)
1 There are four classes of nutrients; proteins, lipid, sugars, and False
vitamins.
There are six classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. True
2 Proteins are the most essential class of nutrients. False
Proteins are not the most essential class of nutrients. True
3 All nutrients must be supplied by the diet, because they cannot False
be made by the body.
All nutrients do not need to be supplied by the diet, because True
some can be made by the body.
4 Vitamins are a sources of energy. False
Vitamins are not a source of energy. True
5 Milk, carrots and bananas are examples of perfect foods that False
contain all nutrients.
Milk, carrots, and bananas are not “perfect foods.” No True
naturally-occurring food supplies all nutrients.
 Key terms

Nutrients: Chemical substances in food that are

used by the body to produce energy and
tissues.
Vitamins: essential organic nutrients, required in
small amounts, that cannot be synthesized
by the body. Required for growth,
maintenance, reproduction and lactation.
Vitamin deficiency: decline in health due to the lack of
a vitamin in a ration.
 Key terms

Fat soluble vitamin: a vitamin that can be stored and

accumulated in the liver and other fatty tissues.

Water soluble vitamin: a vitamin that cannot be stored in

the tissues. Must be provided regularly as deficiencies can
develop in a short time.

Minerals: essential inorganic compounds, required in small

amounts. Required for growth, maintenance, reproduction and
lactation.
 Key terms
Calorie
A unit of measure of the amount of energy supplied by food. Also known as
the “kilocalorie” (kcal), or the “large Calorie.”
Essential nutrients
Substances required for growth and health that cannot be produced, or
produced in sufficient amounts, by the body. They must be obtained from the
diet.

Essential amino acids

Amino acids that cannot be synthesized in adequate amounts by humans and
therefore must be obtained from the diet. Also called indispensable amino
acids.
 Key terms
Nonessential nutrients:
A condition in which cell membranes have a reduced
sensitivity to insulin so that more insulin than normal
is required to transport a given amount of glucose into
cells.

Insulin resistance:
A condition in which cell membranes have a reduced
sensitivity to insulin so that more insulin than normal
is required to transport a given amount of glucose into
cells.
Thanks