10 Food Nutrients and Health Benefits
While it’s important to pay attention to the caloric content of your meals, the nutritional value of what you’re eating can be equally as important, especially when it comes to getting all the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. Here are 10 top food nutrients that your body needs and their corresponding health benefits. Keep in mind that everyone’s different and might need more or less of some nutrients than others, so discuss any questions with your doctor or nutritionist before changing your diet too drastically!
1) Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient, meaning you need it in your diet every day. Protein is necessary for the growth and repair of muscles, tissues, cells, hormones, and antibodies. It can also help with weight management by reducing appetite.
An average person needs between 0.36 grams per pound of body weight per day for a total of about 56 grams a day. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, then you need about 68 grams of protein each day.
8 Nutrient-Packed Foods You Should Eat Every Day
2) Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the body. They are a type of macronutrient, meaning they provide calories or energy in significant amounts. There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates include things like sugar, honey, syrups and fruit juice concentrates. Complex carbohydrates include bread, cereals, pasta, crackers, and rice.
3) Fiber
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that can't be broken down in the body. It's known as roughage because it helps keep your digestion system running smoothly. Fiber also has a lot of health benefits, including lowering blood cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease, and helping you maintain a healthy weight by keeping you feeling full. Studies show that people who eat more fiber tend to weigh less than those who eat less fiber.
4) Water
Water is critical for staying hydrated. The human body is about 60% water, so we must stay well hydrated. Water helps flush out toxins from the body and carries nutrients throughout the system. It also helps regulate our body temperature by keeping us cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather. There are many benefits of drinking water: it's free, readily available, refreshing, satisfying, and healthy.
5) Vitamins
Vitamins are essential for good health because they are involved in many chemical reactions in the body. To get these necessary nutrients, you can eat a healthy diet or take dietary supplements. Below is a list of the top ten vitamins that you need to know about.
8 Nutrient-Packed Foods You Should Eat Every Day
6) Minerals
Minerals are key when it comes to maintaining a healthy body. They play an essential role in carrying out basic bodily functions and keeping you alive. The two most important minerals are iron and calcium. Iron is responsible for delivering oxygen throughout your body, while calcium is important for bones, muscle function, nerve function, blood clotting, and the beating of your heart. Without these minerals, you would be severely ill or even die.
7) Fat
Fat is one of the nine essential nutrients needed for your body to function properly. It helps maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails protect against diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and provides energy. Fat has two types: saturated fat (the bad kind) and unsaturated fat (the good kind). There are three types of unsaturated fats - monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3 fatty acids. All these fats are considered good because they have health benefits.
8) Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are compounds in plants that help fight cancer, heart disease, and inflammatory diseases, just to name a few. There are many different types of phytochemicals, but some of the most well-known ones are lycopene (found in tomatoes), allicin (garlic), resveratrol (grapes), isoflavones (soybeans), and anthocyanins (red cabbage). These compounds have been shown to prevent cell damage by fighting free radicals.
9) Probiotics
Probiotics are live bacteria that help balance the natural microflora in your gut. Studies have shown that taking probiotics can be beneficial for those who are suffering from digestive problems, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, eczema, acne, and more.
10) Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that help protect the body against free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can damage cells in the body, causing them to age prematurely and potentially leading to disease. Antioxidants work by donating one of their electrons, stabilizing the molecule before it has a chance to react with anything else in the cell.
8 Nutrient-Packed Foods You Should Eat Every Day
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