Nutrition

What does the food we take in do for us? Do we really have to be careful about what we take in? What food does what and how does it do it? These are very common questions most often answered by the topic – Nutrition. We most hear people talk about nutrition but what really is it. Let’s start by defining what nutrients and food are. Nutrients: are basically the various useful elements derived from food for the upkeep of the human body. The human body needs food as vehicles need fuel to move but this time with a slight difference; in that vehicles are not living things thus don’t really require fuel unless they have to move. Humans on the other required even if they have to move or not. Food: is anything edible that we take in as part of daily routine for the healthy growth of our body and with the aim of satisfying our hunger. Having said that humans need food to survive; does it really mean that we should take in anything once it is food? The answer is a big No! , different kind of foods have different kinds of nutritional value in different quantities, so then knowing what food contains what and when to take it is very important for healthy growth of the body. For this reason food has been classified into five nutritional types namely Carbohydrates, Protein, Lipids (Fats and Oil), Vitamins and Mineral Salts. Others are water and cellulose (All of these nutrients will be treated fully in subsequent article) Now analyzing the situation in the real world most people attribute proper eating habits to affluence. Although there is a bit of truth in that mindset, there are different kinds of foods with the same nutritional value but different prices; if good A is too expensive, you can manipulate the little money you have to buy good B which might have the same or maybe a little less of the nutritional value of good A but a lot more cheaper. Either way you will still end up with some nutrients in your food which is the main point, to provide the body with the nutrients it needs. All Nutrient kinds are needed in the body in their right proportions, thus getting more of one and little or none of the others will lead to a deficiency as is common in this part of the world. Some most common cases are kwashiorkor, beriberi, scurvy, goitre and a lot others all of which are caused due to a lack of some nutrient. Thus balancing our diet through proper planning of our daily meals is one good way to keep healthy and avoid diseases. As the saying goes a healthy body creates wealth. The subsequent articles will cover each of the nutrient types in detail to inform your decisions on the right type of nutrients needed at a particular time.