Characteristics of Nutrient
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- Date Submitted: 11/19/2014 02:07 AM
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Nutrient Characteristics (Different types and function in the body) Dietary Source Energy Value
CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are valued for their ability to give energy to our body quickly, it is our body’s main source of fuel. It’s basically composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It is a chain of sugar molecules which is called monosaccharides or simple sugar (e.g. fructose, glucose, cellulose, glycogen, and sucrose). Glucose is converted by our body to give immediate energy while Glycogen for stored cell energy or Fat for eventual energy.
Good carbohydrates contain minerals, fibre, vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals which is essential for good nutrition. Simple carbohydrates are likely to be found naturally in our foods like vegetables, fruits, and milk while complex carbohydrates are found in whole-grain foods like breads and cereals. ‘Carbs’ provides 4 calories per gram.
PROTEIN Protein is a nutrient needed for the proper growth and multiple functions of our body and it also includes building tissue, muscle and cells. Excess proteins are turned into energy by the body.
There are high protein foods which includes meat, cheese, egg white, beans, fish, yoghurt and nuts. These foods help us to build more muscles.
Protein is basically made up of amino acids. ‘Essential’ amino acids are needed to be sourced from food intake while the ‘non-essential’ amino acids can be produced inside our body.
LIPIDS Lipid is a basically a fat-like molecule. It contains carbon atoms and they don’t dissolve in water. There are several types of lipids such as saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and trans fat.
Saturated fat is a lipid which exists as a solid substance when it is at room temperature. There are plenty of examples of saturated fat such as milk, cheese, meat, palm oil, coconut oil, butter, margarine and other animal foods that contain saturated fat. Unsaturated fat is also a lipid that exists as a liquid when it is at room temperature. There are two...
CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are valued for their ability to give energy to our body quickly, it is our body’s main source of fuel. It’s basically composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It is a chain of sugar molecules which is called monosaccharides or simple sugar (e.g. fructose, glucose, cellulose, glycogen, and sucrose). Glucose is converted by our body to give immediate energy while Glycogen for stored cell energy or Fat for eventual energy.
Good carbohydrates contain minerals, fibre, vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals which is essential for good nutrition. Simple carbohydrates are likely to be found naturally in our foods like vegetables, fruits, and milk while complex carbohydrates are found in whole-grain foods like breads and cereals. ‘Carbs’ provides 4 calories per gram.
PROTEIN Protein is a nutrient needed for the proper growth and multiple functions of our body and it also includes building tissue, muscle and cells. Excess proteins are turned into energy by the body.
There are high protein foods which includes meat, cheese, egg white, beans, fish, yoghurt and nuts. These foods help us to build more muscles.
Protein is basically made up of amino acids. ‘Essential’ amino acids are needed to be sourced from food intake while the ‘non-essential’ amino acids can be produced inside our body.
LIPIDS Lipid is a basically a fat-like molecule. It contains carbon atoms and they don’t dissolve in water. There are several types of lipids such as saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and trans fat.
Saturated fat is a lipid which exists as a solid substance when it is at room temperature. There are plenty of examples of saturated fat such as milk, cheese, meat, palm oil, coconut oil, butter, margarine and other animal foods that contain saturated fat. Unsaturated fat is also a lipid that exists as a liquid when it is at room temperature. There are two...