Nutrients’ Role in Maintaining Human Health

Carbohydrates are also referred to as energy-giving foods, which play a big role in providing the body with energy. Carbohydrates usually take the form of sugars and starch, with common examples being foods such as maize meal, arrow roots, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, etc. Proteins play the role of bodybuilding and repairing the body tissues. The common protein sources are legumes, meat, poultry, and eggs, just to mention but a few.

Lipids, in other terms, are the fats and oils that we consume in food. These are essential in the body as they help in the maintenance of healthy skin as well as insulating most of the vital body organs such as the heart against shock. Common sources of lipids are groundnuts, sunflower seeds, fatty meat, and fruits like avocado, among others. Vitamins are important to the body as they help in the protection against infections and diseases by increasing the body’s immunity to fight them. The major vitamins sources are those that come from fruits and vegetables.

Minerals play a great role in the regulation of most body processes such as oxygen transport, structural formation of bones and teeth, neural transmission, just to mention but a few. There are many sources of minerals ranging from milk cereals to seafood. Water provides balance in the body whereby it is the major component of body systems in the processes such as homeostasis, transport, etc. Sources range from the normal water taken to foods containing high water percentages, such as watermelons and cabbages. Fiber is essential in the digestion process as it helps in providing bulk in food to enable the nutrients to be properly and efficiently absorbed. Common sources are fruits and vegetables.