nutrition

• NUTRITION -

  Adequate dietary intake is necessary for the maintenance of health.
• Macronutrients - proteins, carbohydrates, fats
• Micronutrients - vitamins, minerals
• Body-building foods - These are foods that make the body grow.
• Energy-giving foods - These are foods that give us energy we need in doing everyday task.
• Body-regulating foods - keep all or organs working and in good condition, help in fighting common illnesses.
• PROTEIN -  growth and repair of body tissues since they constitute the major part of the body's building blocks
• CARBOHYDRATES - Main scurce of energy for man
• soluble - dissolves in water to form as gel within the digestive tract and serves to slow the rate at which food passes through small intestine.
• insoluble - it increases fecal excretion of bile acids, increases production of short-chain fatty acids by fermentation in the large intestine.
• fats - Essential nutrients, beneficial if consume in the right amount and if it is of the right type
• vitamins - Organic compounds essential in the diet for normal growth and maintenance of life
• vitamin a (Retinol, retinoic acid) -

  normal vision, bone and tooth growth and reproduction, hormone synthesis, immunity, prevents xerophthalmia
• Vitamin D (calciferol) -Mineralization of bones, prevents rickets and osteomalacia
• Vitamin E (tocopherol) - Anti-oxidants, protects neuro-muscular system, heips prevent arterosclerosis
• vitamin b1 (thiamine) - normal appetite and nervous tissue system function, prevents beri-beri
• vitamin b2 (viboflavin) -

  manifested by cracks and redness at the corners of the mouth
• vitamin b3 (niacin) - nervous digestive system, prevents pellagra 
• vitamin b6 (pyridoxine) -convert tryptophan to niacin
• vitamin b12 ( cyanocobalamin) -formation of new cell, maintain nerve cells, assist in the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids
• vitamin c (ascorbic acid) - increase resistance to infection, prevents scurvy
• folic acid - DNA and new blood cells including RBC (megaloblastic anemia)
• biotin - energy and amino acid metabolism, helps in the synthesis of fat and glycogen
• panthothenic acid - helps in energy metabolism
• calcium - Involve in the blood clotting, blood pressure and immune defences
• phosphorus - Maintenance of acid-base balance
• magnesium - Transmission of nerve impuises
• sodium - nerve impulse transmission
• chloride - normal fluid and electrolyte balance
• potassium - contraction of muscle
• iodine - physical and mental development and metabolic rate
• iron - formation of blood, prevents anemia
• zinc - normal growth and development of immunity
• copper - absorption and use of iron in the formation of haemoglobin
• fluoride - formation of bones and teeth
• magnesium - facilitate cell processes
• chromium - insulin and is required for release of energy from glucose
• 55-70% - carbohydrates
• 20-30% - fats
• 10-15% - proteins