How are nutrients used by the body?

It's no secret that nutritional nutrients are used by the body, moreover, we need their constant replenishment. But what role do they play, and in which products do they contain?

In total there are six kinds of nutrients that the human body uses: water, minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates. These are the main useful substances derived from food, which are used to maintain the vitality of tissues, their renewal, the production of energy for physiological activity and the regulation of metabolism. The need for them is tested throughout life, and each substance performs certain functions.

The mechanism of absorption of nutrients by the body

Absorption of nutrients occurs only after their cleavage, in the pure form they are not absorbed. Split enzymes seep through the walls of the digestive tract, getting into the bloodstream. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates provide the body with fuel in the form of calories. Water, minerals, vitamins perform the functions of building and consumables, which is no less important.

Water

This universal solvent is involved in virtually all vital processes of the body:

• Water feeds the cells, not allowing their dehydration;
• Carries out transportation of substances and hormones to all organs;
• Water helps to burn fats, processing these cells into energy; Its use in sufficient quantity reduces appetite;
• Activates the kidneys;
• Digestion and the withdrawal of body products are carried out in a liquid medium.

Lack of water inevitably leads to a disruption of the functions of internal organs, an increase in fat tissue. The cells of the brain are the first to start experiencing water deficiency.

Minerals

Mineral substances can be divided into two groups: macro- and microelements. A sufficient number of them in the body is responsible for the strength of the musculoskeletal system, water and acid-base balance, promotes the combination of proteins with lipids, strengthens the nervous system, etc. Microelements, as a rule, are necessary for normal vital activity in small quantities, and macronutrients in large . The lack of any mineral in the body inhibits the activity of other minerals.

Use of vitamins

Cell nutrients like vitamins play a very important role in human health, because their deficiency leads to disruption of metabolic processes in the body and a decrease in immunity. This aspect is so important that it is recommended to people taking an active lifestyle to additionally take vitamin complexes. In its pure form, there are no vitamins in nature: each of them exists in a complex biological complex, which, in fact, helps the body use them.

Use of proteins

Protein is necessary for growth and restoration of tissues. In addition, nutrients are used by the body in the process of producing hormones, enzymes and antibodies and the normal implementation of chemical reactions.

We consume proteins from meat, poultry, fish, cereals and legumes, milk, nuts and eggs. They contain amino acids, restore the energy expended and provide plastic processes in the tissues. An increased amount of protein food is recommended for children and pregnant women.

How fats are used by the body

The main nutrients, fats, are used by the human body for maximum absorption of vitamins, energy production and protection against colds. There are three types of fats: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Dairy products, red meat, coconut oil and some other foods contain a large amount of saturated fat; Peanuts and olives are rich in monounsaturated fats; Soya and vegetable oils (sesame, corn, etc.) are champions for polyunsaturated fats.

A stock of nutrients in this category ensures the plasticity of the cells, restores the connections necessary to generate energy and renew the organism as a whole.

The participation of carbohydrates in the life support of the body

Simple and complex carbohydrates (monosaccharides and polysaccharides, respectively) are found in large quantities in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, etc. These nutrients are used by the body, primarily for the production of vital energy. They participate in the synthesis of cells, are in close connection with fats, which allows them to be replaced by one another. A powerful source of carbohydrate is starch.

Useful for the intestinal microflora indigestible fiber plays the role of "panicle", cleaning it from toxins and slags. It is a rough vegetable fiber, which is a complex carbohydrate. Food rich in fiber improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system, increases resistance to various diseases.

Functions of nutrients used by the body

All nutrients are used by the body in a special way, although the main functions can be divided into three types.

1. Construction function, restoring the structure of cells and tissues. Useful substances are involved in the regeneration of internal and external organs. These are mainly proteins and some minerals, such as calcium, potassium phosphorus, etc .;
2. Energy function: such nutrients as fats and carbohydrates, and secondarily proteins, are used by the body to obtain energy for the metabolism. They help maintain a certain body temperature, commit muscle movements, etc .;
3. Regulatory function, for which various vitamins and minerals are used. With their help, the chemical reactions of metabolism and the activity of the internal organs are regulated.

For a healthy diet, it is important to observe the ratio of all nutrients and do not forget about the correct combination of different foods.

Food groups and energy value

Nutrients in foods are contained in different amounts, which is why food in the diet should be varied.

So, fruits are rich in sugars, vitamins and water; Sweet desserts are quickly absorbed and at moderate consumption serve as a good source of energy. Vegetables must be eaten regularly, since at a minimum of the energy component there is a sufficiently high content of vitamins and minerals responsible for metabolism.

Roots and cereals are used by the body as a powerful source of energy, with a lot of complex carbohydrates.

Meat, fish and eggs are a storehouse of "building material" for protein cells, and in milk and dairy products there are a lot of fats, proteins, as well as calcium and other valuable trace elements.

In calculating the energy value of food products, the unit of heat transfer is used - kilocalorie (kcal), which corresponds to the thermal energy expended for raising the temperature of 1 liter of distilled water from 14.5 ° C to 15 ° C. Virtually all the necessary nutrients are involved in the production of thermal energy for biochemical reactions of metabolism, exercise of motor function of muscles and maintenance of normal body temperature. It is the processing (digestion) of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that releases a certain amount of energy.

Nutrients in the process of digestion

The content of nutrients in the cells is necessary for metabolism. The protein breaks down nonstop and is synthesized by the digestive system. But how do nutrients change during processing?

Animal and vegetable food has all kinds of elements necessary for the body. But in themselves, meat, milk or, for example, bread, are not absorbed by cells. Only preliminary preparation guarantees the absorption of nutrients. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are digested by the digestive organs into simpler particles, of which they are composed and which are then used in metabolic processes.

Proteins are composed of amino acids, to which they are split in the digestive tract. Fats - a complex fatty acid with glycerin in a ratio of 3: 1 in one molecule. Acids are different, so they produce different fats.

Fiber, starch and other complex carbohydrates are composed of monosaccharides, all known representatives of which is glucose. These substances look like a chain of 6 carbon atoms, with atoms of oxygen and hydrogen joined on the side according to the scheme: there are 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen atoms per 1 carbon atom. As if the water molecule H₂O stuck to it, where the name of this group of compounds originated - carbohydrates.

Thus, if water, vitamins and minerals can be used by the body in its usual form, as contained in the products, the proteins during digestion are first cleaved to amino acids, fats to glycerol and fatty acids, and carbohydrates to monosaccharides.

The cycle of digestion is mechanical (crushing, stirring, etc.) and chemical processing of food (splitting into simpler components). The listed processes are performed under the action of digestive juice enzymes. Thus, in these organs the work is carried out by the muscle tissue and glands of internal secretion, for the functioning of which all the same nutrients are needed, of which we spoke.