Nutrients

As American consumers, we hear a lot about nutrients. What are nutrients anyways? Nutrients can be thought of as the real reason why we eat; our bodies require a lot of energy and other substances to maintain our health and basic functions. Because the human body cannot make its own energy or water, for example, we must acquire these things through our diet. There are 6 nutrients that are essential to obtain in our diets:

·         Carbohydrates

·         Protein

·         Fat

·         Vitamins & Minerals

·         Water

Our bodies desire a balance among these six nutrients for optimal nutritional status. Although I wish our organs could send us text messages or e-mails telling us what nutrients they need from the next meal, they can’t. Instead, we must follow the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for each nutrient, set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (These can be found at www.mypyramid.gov) It is up to us to plan meals in order to achieve this nutrient balance that our bodies like. These six nutrients should be incorporated into your daily diet according to your RDA.

The nutrients that supply calories (energy) are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Carbohydrates and protein both provide 4 calories per gram, and fat provides 9 calories per gram. Alcohol is another substance that provides calories at 7 calories per gram, but is not considered a nutrient because our bodies do not require any alcohol to function properly.

In the following sections I will break down each nutrient. I’ll explain why each one is important, give sources of the nutrient, and give other facts about them. I will also be using a color coded system for defining when each nutrient should be consumed for the best performance. We’ll talk more about exercise nutrition later.