Food is one of the basic necessities of life. Food contains nutrients—substances essential for the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues and for the regulation of vital processes.
Scientists divide nutrients into six major groups: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and water. Most foods contain all or most nutrient groups, in different amounts.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide energy for the body. Nearly all the carbohydrates we eat come from plants. They include starches found in cereal grains and plants like potatoes and yams. Sugars, found in fruits, vegetables, and milk, are also carbohydrates.
Fats
Fats provide more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates. They also help protect and insulate the body and its internal organs. Common fats include vegetable oils, such as soybean, cottonseed, and corn oil. They are used in cooking and in the processing of many foods.
Proteins
Proteins are the body’s chief tissue-builders. They help keep skin, bones, muscles, and blood healthy. Proteins also help regulate bodily processes, including transporting oxygen and nutrients into and out of cells; the clotting of blood; and the formation of antibodies, which help fight disease.
micronutrients
Minerals and vitamins are called micronutrients because they are needed in very small quantities compared with carbohydrates, fats, and proteins (known as macronutrients).
Vitamins help the body make full use of other nutrients by assisting the chemical reactions that make those nutrients work.
Other essentials for the body’s health include water, oxygen, and water. Some scientists include water in the list of basic nutrients. Water makes up more than half of the human body’s human body’s weight.
