What nutrients include

At present, the essential nutrients recognized by the nutrition community are mainly divided into six categories, namely protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and water. In recent years, more and more researchers have called for dietary fiber to be separately classified as a seventh category of nutrients. This view has been adopted by the dietary guidelines of many countries.

Many people may still have an impression of nutrients in the small print on the bottles of health care products or in advertisements. In fact, when you take apart every bite of food you eat every day, these types of substances are the core ones that supply energy to the body and maintain its operation.

For example, we often eat high-quality protein in eggs, lean meats, and milk, unsaturated fats in nuts and olive oil, and carbohydrates in rice and sweet potatoes. These three categories are macronutrients. To put it bluntly, they are in high demand by the body and are the main source of energy. They are like gasoline for the body's car and sheet metal materials for repair. Daily metabolism, muscle growth, and wound repair all depend on them. I met a little girl before who completely cut out carbohydrates to lose weight. Within half a month, she felt dizzy and couldn't remember her work content. When I came to consult her, I calculated her diet and found that carbohydrates accounted for less than 10% of her energy supply. Her body had no choice but to dismantle the protein in her muscles to provide energy. This is not the same as dismantling the parts of her own car and burning them as fuel.

Corresponding to macronutrients are micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. The daily requirement may only be a few milligrams or even micrograms, but if they are missing, big problems will occur. For example, many people are prone to mouth ulcers and mouth ulcers when the seasons change. It is most likely that they are deficient in B vitamins. If they squat for a long time and their eyes turn black when they stand up, it is necessary to check whether they eat too little red meat and are deficient in iron. These nutrients are like lubricating oil and small screws in the car. They look inconspicuous, but without them, any car will not run smoothly.

Many people subconsciously forget about water. In fact, water is the most essential nutrient. All metabolic reactions must be carried out in a water environment. Running in the summer will make you sweat two pounds, and it is not easy to just eat bread and drink sweet drinks. You must drink enough pure water to slow down. Many sedentary office workers around me cannot drink a glass of water a day. They suffer from constipation and high uric acid at a young age, which is mostly related to drinking less water.

As for whether dietary fiber should be listed as a seventh category, academic circles previously classified it as carbohydrates, but later found that it cannot be digested and absorbed by the human body. It can also help control blood sugar and promote intestinal peristalsis. Its effect is completely different from ordinary carbohydrates. Now the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents have Adults are clearly required to eat 25-30 grams of dietary fiber every day, which is about the amount of a pound of green leafy vegetables and a medium-sized apple. Many people eat a lot of polished rice and white flour on a daily basis, and their dietary fiber intake is less than half of the requirement. Problems of constipation and blood sugar fluctuations also arise.

To put it bluntly, there is no need to think too wildly about nutrients. Eat a variety of daily meals. If you have all the staple food of meat, eggs, vegetables and milk, you will basically not be lacking. There is no need to buy a bunch of supplements.