Minerals and Vitamins are micronutrients
that are required in very small amounts by the body and serve a wide variety of
purposes. Some minerals can provide
structure to the bones, regulate blood pressure, and keep the body’s immune
system healthy. The amounts of minerals
and vitamins that are needed vary and are generally based upon a person’s
amount of nutrients in his or her diet.
Water
is the most essential nutrient that our bodies need and is required to keep our
bodies healthy and functioning properly.
Water does many things for the body.
It is required for metabolism and energy storage, temperature
regulation, helps the kidneys filter waste products from the bloods, and helps
transport oxygen and vital nutrients to the cells in the body (Water,
2004). 2 to 3 liters of water or half a
person’s body weight is a good recommendation of just how much water should be
consumed on a daily basis.
It
is important to have a good balance of macronutrients. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates are
considered to be macronutrients and it is important that the right amount is
consumed. Most diets consist of a
combination of the three. When I am
trying to eat a balanced nutritional diet, I make sure that I include all three
in every meal that I have.
Protein’s
primary function is to build and repair tissues and structures. This is why it is so important to consume
protein after a workout, especially strength training. When muscle tissue is strained and broken
down, protein is the nutrient that builds and repairs it back up. Protein is broken down into amino acids that
the body uses to build or repair tissue or used as an energy source when
calories or carbohydrates are insufficient to do so. Some examples of proteins sources that I like
are chicken, lean steaks, cottage cheese, or string cheese.
Lipids,
or fats, are the most concentrated source of energy. Fats act as a carrier for fat-soluble
vitamins A, D, E, and K. In addition,
fats are responsible for the regulation and excretion of nutrients in cells, protecting
and holding in place organs, insulating the body, and helping to create
sensation of fullness after a meal. The recommended
range for fat intake is 20 to 25% of total calories from fat (Nettleton,
2013). Eating more than what is
recommended can lead to a slower metabolism.
One of my favorite ways to get good, healthy fats into my diet is to
consume avocados. They are higher in
calories, but packed with the right kind of fats that will help you get the
healthy fats that a body needs.
Carbohydrates are the main source of
readily available energy for body function and muscular exertion. Carbohydrates help to utilize fat and
protein, in addition to regulating the digestion system. Carbohydrates make glucose, which is the fuel
that gives the body energy and helps keep everything going (Neacsu, 2014). Recommended intake for carbohydrate is 45 to
65% of caloric intake. Some of my
favorite healthy carbohydrates to eat are whole wheat bread and fruits.
There
is a process to the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of these
macronutrients. I will use the example of
a cheeseburger to describe what happens when all three macronutrients are
digested in the body. First, a bite is
taken out of the cheeseburger. The mouth
chews up the bite so that it is easier to pass down the esophagus. This also makes the cheeseburger easier to digest. The food is mixed with saliva and the enzyme
in saliva provides the ability to break down starch and has a trace of a
fat-digesting enzyme that infants need.
The enzymes in the saliva also to break down the food into a mass called
a bolus, which is then ready to be swallowed. The tongue moves the food to the back of the
mouth and then after the bolus is swallowed, it makes its way down the
esophagus and into the stomach.
The
stomach is where the chewed up cheeseburger, or bolus at this point, hangs out for
a while and is churned, mashed, and mixed into a fine paste, thanks to the
stomach muscle layers. Gastric juice is
a mix of water, enzymes, and hydrochloric acid.
The acid is needed to activate a protein-digesting enzyme so that the
protein can be digested. In the case of
the cheeseburger, the protein from the meat and cheese in the cheeseburger
needs to be broken down and the hydrochloric acid is what allows the protein to
be used for muscle building. Digestion
of starch continues to occur while in the upper stomach. Stomach acid is so strong that it can
actually give you a chemical-like burn on your hand. Fat from the cheese and
meat is last to leave stomach and floats on top of fluid mixture. Mucus in the stomach allows the stomachs
lining to be protected from the acid. The stomach uses water and digestive
chemicals to turn the paste into a thick liquid mass called chyme. At this point, the cheeseburger does not look
like a cheeseburger anymore. The chyme
is then slowly squirted a little at a time into the small intestine.
The
small intestine is very active in the digestion process. This is where other organs help out with the
digestion process. The gallbladder
squirts bile into the intestine in order to emulsify fat and oils. The pancreas releases pancreatic juice that
neutralizes the stomach acid that has hit the small intestine. The walls of the intestine also have digestive
enzymes that help in the digestive breakdown so that even more nutrients can be
absorbed and used. Most of the carbohydrates,
fat, and proteins are completely absorbed by the time contents enter the colon
(Sizer & Whitney, 2013). The liver acts as an accessory and helps to
produce bile that helps digest the fats.
In
the colon or large intestine, intestinal bacteria helps break down some of the
undigested carbohydrates. Fiber and some
fatty materials get excreted. Most
protein is digested, but whatever is left will be carried out by the large
intestine. Any leftover water and
minerals are reabsorbed here also. At this point, most of the digestion and
absorption of the cheeseburger is complete.
The colon absorbs most of the water that used to help digestion and
mineral absorption. What is left of the
cheeseburger is a paste of fiber and other undigested materials called
feces. The feces are then excreted
through the anus.
Neacsu, N. A. (2014). EFFECTS OF
CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION. CASE STUDY: CARBOHYDRATES IN BREAD. Bulletin of
the Transilvania University of Brasov.Economic Sciences.Series V, 7(2),
39-44. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1658463257?accountid=32521
Nettleton, J. A., Villalpando, S., Cassani,
R. S. L., & Elmadfa, I. (2013). Health significance of fat quality in the
diet. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 63(1-2), 96-102.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000353207
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition:
Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Water is one of the
body's essential nutrients for good health. (2004, Jul 26). Daily Breeze
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/338671459?accountid=32521
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