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The importance of food
The importance of food
The importance of food
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Nutrition is the essential organic nutrients living organisms require for growth, maintenance, reproduction and repair. This is an essential process for the organism’s survival. Living organisms require energy to survive; this energy is derived from nutrients, or food. Ingestion, digestion, absorption and excretion are the stages of processing food. Heterotrophs are organisms which cannot synthesise their own food and are therefore totally reliant on organic substances for nutrition. Animals are heterotrophs and are divided into three categories; herbivores, carnivores and omnivores depending on how they obtain their food. Herbivores: eat mainly plant material, seeds or fruit. (Gordon McL Dryden, 2008). Omnivores: eat both vegetable and animal material. Carnivores: eat meat (they can also eat insects and fish).Plants are autotrophs, they synthesise organic substances from inorganic molecule using sunlight energy.
All animals, fungi, most protists and prokaryotes are heterotrophs (Raven et al. 2009), animals which cannot live on inorganic nutrients alone. They obtain the organic nutrients they require from the products of photosynthesis produced by autotrophs. The ability of an animal to feed itself is closely related to its reproductive success. According to (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrition (3/3/11, 12:44)) there are six main classes of nutrients required by animals. These nutrients are either macronutrients (high quantities required) or micronutrients (small quantities required). The macronutrients include carbohydrates, fats, protein, and water. The micronutrients are mainly minerals and vitamins.
Many nutrients and vitamins which animals need to survive cannot be synthesised and must be supplied in the diet, these nut...
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...rganic sources; Broomrapes are parasitic plants, they are non photosynthetic and obtain water and all required nutrients from the root of their host plants.
In conclusion living organisms require many nutrients. These nutrients are required to ensure energy is available for growth, maintenance, reproduction and repair. Some nutrients are needed in high amounts whereas others only in low amounts. All living organisms require different nutrients for survival however if heterotrophs or autotrophs lack essential nutrients and cannot obtain these in their diet they will show signs of deficiency and eventually die.
Works Cited
Animal nutrition science (Gordon McL Dryden, 2008)
Biology (Raven et al. 2009)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrition (3/3/11, 12:44)
New Higher Biology (J Torrance, C Stevenson, J Fullarton, C Marsh, J Simms 2nd Revised edition,2000)
Throughout the history, people have often discussed the key elements that lead to the success of heterotrophic lives. One of the contributing factors, dietary intake, is regarded as the most essential among all. Although people recognize the importance of dietary intake, the effect of nutrition level of diet on various parameters of heterotrophs is poorly understood (Cruz-Rivera & Hay, 2000). Some of these biological attributes such as metabolism and fecundity allow organisms to achieve a higher Darwinian fitness, the likelihood of organisms to survive and reproduce (Sober, 2001). Thus, such an important relation between
The human body requires 6 basic nutrients. These 6 are Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals.
“Nutrition is the science/study of ways in which the body uses food. It is also the study of how and why we make food choices” (Lesson 18). Nutrients are substances in food that provide energy for body tissues and are necessary for life and growth. There are six classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates are a class of energy-giving nutrients that include sugars, starches, and fiber. Carbohydrates can be simple (donuts, chocolate, french fries, and gummy bears) or complex (bread, pasta, broccoli, oatmeal, and bananas). Fats are a class of energy-giving nutrients and are the main form in which energy is stored in the body. Fats can be good or bad for you and are either saturated (meats, butter, dairy) or unsaturated (vegetable oils). Proteins are nutrients made up of amino acids, which are needed to build/ repair body structures and to regulate processes in the body. There are incomplete proteins (fruits, vegetables, oats, bread, and rice) and complete (meat and dairy) versions of proteins. Water is an essential class of nutrients that keeps you alive and is necessary for almost every bodily function. Our bodies are made of approximately 60% percent water and because exercise makes you lose water through sweating it is important to drink at least 8 glasses a day. Minerals are a class of nutrients needed for certain body processes such as enzyme activity and bone
What is an omnivore? An omnivore is a creature that consumes both plants and animals for nutrition. In Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, he explains just as the title suggests, the omnivore’s dilemma. In it he describes how omnivores, such as ourselves, came to eat the way we do now.
These nutrients include fat, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and water. These list values measure the nutrient intakes of healthy people, and their major goal is to help prevent chronic diseases. Dietary Reference Intakes are broken down by gender and age. The daily recommendations for my age, 31-50 are as follows: Calories – 2,403, Carbohydrates – 130 grams, Protein – 46 grams, and Fiber – 25 grams.
Starting a vegetarian diet requires planning, because there are many nutrients that cannot be received from plants. The major nutrient received from meat is protein. Protein is necessary to rebuild cells and to have strong bones and muscles. Protein is important for a high-energy level and overall good health (Becoming a Vegetarian 2014).Protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and zinc are all vitamins minerals that a vegetarian must find alternative sources of because they are mainly obtained through eating meat (Becoming a Vegetarian 2014).Many vegetarians get these through vitamin supplements. If a person does not get enough iron, they can develop anemia. It is important for a vegetarian to get proper
The science of human nutritional requirements i.e. Nutrition is a dynamic science and all is not known, discoveries are being made almost on a daily basis and apart from this the difficulty on determining the singular nutrient effect the human body is virtually impossible.
Nutritional deficiency can be defined as an insufficient supply of required nutrients (as vitamins and minerals) in the diet, thus this can lead to malnutrition (‘Nutritional Deficiency’ n.d.). Vegetarian diets lack of many types of nutrients such as protein, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin D3 and vitamin B12. One of the most common nutrients that are very hard to be found in a vegetarian diet is vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is necessary for us to consume because it helps to build a normal functioning body and brain. Animal products provide enough amount of vitamin B12. According to Walton (2011), he stated that the lack of vitamin B12 can cause problems in cell functioning, dizziness, anemia, poor concentration and many more.
An optimal diet can be defined as the following; a diet that maximizes health and longevity and, therefore, prevents nutrient deficiencies, reduces risks for diet-related chronic diseases, and is composed of foods that are available, safe and palatable (Kudlackova, Babinska & Valachovicova, 2005). With this in mind, one can first inquire which nutrients are lacking from diets comprised highly of meat. On the basis of proteins, plants are much richer in non-essential amino acids in comparison to meat. Other nutrients that are missing from diets that consist largely of meat include; carbohydrates, antioxidative vitamins, minerals, fiber and vitamin C (Kudlackova, Babinska & Valachovicova, 2005).
Humans depend on plants in numerous ways. One reason we depend on plants is for consumption. Plants have the unique ability to produce their own food through a process called photosynthesis. In this process, plants are able to produce macromolecules such as carbohydrates that cannot be produced in animals or humans. In humans, the only way to gain these macromolecules is to consume plant matter, or consume plant-eating animals (herbivores).
Vitamins are essential aids in many body processes, converting food the energy, building and maintaining cells, and other functions.
...ts. It is important to understand which substances need to be consumed more than others and also why the body needs to consume a substance. Proper diet and nutrition is a vital component to a long and healthy life.
“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise not too little not too much, we would have food the safest way of health” (Barasi.E.M, 2003). This essay is going to discuss on the important of six essential nutrients in human body. According to PosnerB.M (1998), he define essential nutrients as a nutrients that the body cannot synthesize on its own-or not to an adequate amount and must be provided by the died. Oxford dictionary (2009), also define essential nutrients as are those nutrients that are required by the body and cannot be synthesise in the adequate amount to meet requirement, so must be provided by the diet. Essential nutrients are those found to be essential to human life and optimal function, Williams.M. H (2006).There are six main type of nutrients used to maintain body health. They are carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. They must be in balance for the body to function properly.
Without food you will be starving to death. With foods it keeps your body alive and kicking with the nutrients and minerals you intake it keeps your energy level at high. The food groups that contributes to the sustenance of life includes; Glow foods such as Vegetables and Fruits, Grains. Grow foods such as dairy, meat and other alternatives of meat with rich in protein that helps us grow big and strong. Go foods that provides energy such as bread rice and any other foods that primarily provides carbohydrates.
Plant nutrition is area of plant biology that is of the utmost importance for the proliferation of plants. Without proper nutrition, plants would simply cease to exist unless drastic alterations were made. There are certain elements that are required for the plant to grow and reproduce; these elements are known as essential elements. There are three requirements of an essential element: the element must be required for the completion of the plant’s life cycle, the element must not be replaceable by another element in whole, and finally the element must be direction involved in the metabolism of the plant. Chemical compounds that are involved in proper nutrition have been designated as nutrients, and further classified as macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are needed for growth, metabolism, and many other functions, but are designated as “macro” because they are required in larger amounts. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fat molecules. Micronutrients have a much wider function that depends on the exact micronutrient. Micronutrients are designated as so because they are needed in much smaller amounts when compared to macronutrients. Examples of micronutrients include vitamins and minerals.