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Healthy food is needed to maintain good health, but there is a lot of confusion about what constitutes a healthy meal. The human body needs Vitamins and Minerals to function properly and work efficiently. We get Vitamins and Minerals from nutrients necessary to survive and functionalised properly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 45% of children's death under five years is associated with a lack of nutrients. Micronutrients are essential for our overall health. They are the substance that our body needs to do its job. They help develop vital cells and organs and are critical for our survival.

Types of Nutrients

Nutrients are essential and are consumed by the body, or they can be nutrients that are only found in foods and can be used by the body but are not crucial.

There are six essential nutrients that our body needs the most to function effectively.

1. Carbohydrates

2. Protein

3. Fat

4. Vitamins

5. Minerals

• Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are sugar, starch, and fibre contained in your food. Who does not want to look good or be in good shape? Nobody. Right? People think that carbs are the main cause of weight gain, but carbs are essential for energy, and cutting carbs from the diet will deprive the body of glucose.

Source

Before getting into how we get Carbohydrates from foods, let's understand that there are two main types of carbohydrates.

1. Complex carbohydrates

2. Simple carbohydrates

• Complex carbohydrates are formed from a series of sugars (monosaccharides), or glucose, broken down into simple sugars, or glucose, and converted to simple compounds, called complex carbohydrates that are the building blocks of the food. The complex carbohydrates found in vegetables, whole-grain foods, fruits, and grains provide the body with the nutrients it needs and help maintain the body cells' proper functioning.

• Simple carbohydrates are carbohydrates that give you a sudden boost of energy. Simple carbohydrates are naturally found in milk and fruits; we can also get them from refined sugars like syrup, soft drinks, or candies.

· Protein

Protein is the most crucial component of the body. It is the glue between the cells, providing the structural support and the bond necessary for body tissues and organs. It is the substance that holds our cells together. Protein is vital for the body's growth and muscle tissue maintenance. It is also known as the building block of the body cells. The body needs to have a healthy immune system.

Source

There are many protein sources in the human diet, such as Meat, Fish, and Eggs. However, protein is the greatest and most important factor in the human diet and should be consumed in balanced amounts.

· Fat

The nutrients in fats are essential for the body. It is also necessary for various chemical reactions to keep the body healthy, for example, the production of hormones and growth hormones. Fats are the portion of our diet that provides the bulk of our body's energy and helps regulate body temperature. For example, it helps regulate the oxygen required to keep tissues alive. We need an adequate amount of fat to process our food, and it is also the portion of our diet that we burn for energy.

Source

There are mainly two types of Fats like

1. Saturated fats

2. Unsaturated fats

• Saturated Fats are commonly found in meat and other animal products.

• Un-Saturated Fats are found in vegetable oils like olive oil, canola, corn, soybean, avocados, walnuts, and salmon.

Fat is responsible for the body's synthesis of the basic building blocks of life: glucose and cholesterol. These building blocks are necessary for the body to produce energy. If we don't have enough fat in our diet, our bodies will not be able to use the power that we burn for our purposes.

· Vitamins & Minerals

An advanced system needs to be upgraded in a computer to protect from viruses and threats to keep working for a long time; similarly, Vitamins and Minerals work for the body, provide us energy and keep us healthy for a long time only if we get them enough. But if we get them in excessive amounts, it will start harming our bodies. So a healthy diet is all we need to get a sufficient number of Vitamins and Minerals. Vitamins and Minerals are also known as micronutrients because we only need them in a limited amount.

Difference between Vitamins & Minerals

There is not much difference in both vitamins and minerals. The only difference is their organic and inorganic chemical structure. Vitamins are organic, meaning they can easily break down, while minerals are inorganic.

Minerals are in the water, and soil can find its way to get into your body through the plants, fish, animals, and fluids you consume. Vitamins are tougher to get into your body and cannot be easily broken down by heat, air, and acid.

Types of Vitamins

There are different types of vitamins that we get from various sources, and they perform different functions in our body and help our body in different ways.

•Vitamin A

•Vitamin C

•Vitamin D

•Vitamin E

•Vitamin K

•Folate

•Niacin

•Vitamin B6

•Vitamin B12

•Vitamin B5

•Vitamin B2

•Vitamin B1

•Choline

What if we don't get enough Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins and Minerals are something that one should consume every day to keep their body healthy. Getting enough Vitamins and Minerals keeps your body healthy, keeps your mind fresh, and makes you work efficiently. When you are not getting enough vitamins for a very long time, your body and mind start giving you signals that you have a Vitamin deficiency. Some common signs are:

• Lack of Vitamin B7: Cramps, muscle pain, chronic fatigue, breakable nails, and hair are some common symptoms of Lack of Vitamin B7. The other name is Biotin.

• Blurriness: Vitamin A plays an essential role in the production of Rhodopsin, which helps you see at night. If you have that blurriness symptom and you didn't find any specific reason, immediately consult with a doctor. Otherwise, the consequences will damage the cornea, leading to your blindness. This condition is known as night blindness. Vitamin A deficiency also causes symptoms such as xeropthalmia, headache, skin irritation, bone pain, or in extreme cases, coma, and even death may occur if you don't get treatment on time.

• Hair loss: Hair loss is the most common vitamin and mineral deficiency symptom. More than 50% of adults suffer from hair loss. If you are also one of those adults, add up your diet, which is rich in Nutrients, especially Vitamins and Minerals like zinc, iron, and vitamins B3, vitamin b7

• Restlessness Leg Syndrome A condition in which an uncomfortable sensation in the legs can be felt. This condition is known as RLS. These symptoms mostly appear after pregnancy when a woman's iron level drops. But it's not always necessary. When your ion level drops down and you have these symptoms, increase your diet rich in Iron.

• Dandruff: Dandruff is also caused by low nutrients or lack of vitamin and mineral intake. Sometimes it is hard to find if this is a skin disorder or a deficiency of vitamins and Minerals.

These are the most common symptoms, but these symptoms may vary from person to person. If you have any of these or some other symptoms, consult with a doctor as soon as possible. Prevention is better than cure. Don't take a risk with your life. Your life and health are very precious.