Portion cups of healthy ingredients on wooden table
Individuals don’t have to memorize or overthink every vitamin, mineral, or macronutrient. Can having a basic understanding of the role different nutrients play in overall health and daily function help make food decisions easier?
Nutrients, in general, are substances that provide nourishment for growth and the maintenance of life. There are six categories of nutrients, all of which are necessary to sustain life.
Categorizing nutrients makes remembering easy and allows for comparison and contrast. Nutrients are grouped by size or how they function in the body. There are two groups: micronutrients and macronutrients, with water usually left alone in a group.
Minerals are grouped as major or trace minerals, depending on how much of each is necessary. Nutrients can also be grouped by whether or not they are organic, meaning organic chemistry, not organic farming or food production. Water and minerals are inorganic; the rest are organic because they contain carbon atoms.
Nutrients are necessary for proper health and development for the following reasons.
Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins provide energy (measured in calories) for the body’s daily and night biochemical reactions (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2024). Fat has more calories than carbohydrates or protein; one gram of fat has nine calories, and carbohydrates or protein have four calories per gram.
Phytonutrients are not included in the major classes but are chemical compounds found in plants that can provide potential health benefits. (Gupta C., & Prakash D. 2014) There are various names they go by, such as flavonoids, phytochemicals, flavones, isoflavones, catechins, and anthocyanidins, and commonly include beta-carotene, lycopene, and resveratrol. (The Foundation for Fresh Produce, 2024) Ongoing studies are investigating the role they play in human health. However, because they typically occur in nutritious foods, it can be challenging to know how much of the benefits come from the regular nutrients or the phytonutrients.
A balanced diet looks different for everyone. Learning about how nutrients maintain body health will help when choosing foods and planning meals. Consuming various products like fruits and vegetables, grains, proteins, healthy fats, and sweets and treats in moderation. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic works with primary healthcare providers and specialists to develop a personalized treatment plan through an integrated approach to treating injuries and chronic pain syndromes, improving flexibility, mobility, and agility programs to relieve pain and help individuals return to optimal function. Our providers use an integrated approach to create personalized care plans for each patient and restore health and function to the body through nutrition and wellness, functional medicine, acupuncture, Electroacupuncture, and sports medicine protocols. If the individual needs other treatment, they will be referred to a clinic or physician best suited for them. Dr. Jimenez has teamed up with top surgeons, clinical specialists, medical researchers, nutritionists, and health coaches to provide the most effective clinical treatments.
US National Library of Medicine. (2023). Dietary fiber. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/dietaryfiber.html
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (2024). Essential Nutrients. https://www.eatright.org/health/essential-nutrients
Gupta, C., & Prakash, D. (2014). Phytonutrients as therapeutic agents. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine, 11(3), 151–169. https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2013-0021
The Foundation for Fresh Produce. (2024). What Are Phytonutrients? https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/what-are-phytochemicals/