Question

List all those components of food that provide nutrients.

Answer 1

Hint: Nutrients are chemical substances that provide the essential nourishment for the growth and maintenance of a living organism. These nutrients can only be obtained by an organism through food that it ingests. Shortage of nutrients can cause medical abnormalities.

  Complete answer:
There are six major components of food that provide us with all the essential nutrients required for our growth, development and maintenance. These are carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water, minerals, and vitamins.

i) Carbohydrates – Chemically, carbohydrates are molecules containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and they are the main or the primary source of energy for our body.
ii) Fats – Fats are the biomolecule that stores large amounts of energy. This source of energy is used when the carbohydrates in the body are not enough to meet the energy needs of one’s body.
iii) Proteins – Protein is chains of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds. The proteins help in building the body and also ensures the working of the different processes in the body with the help of enzymes.
iv) Vitamins – These are organic compounds that our body requires in very small amounts. Hence it is categorized as a micronutrient. There are thirteen different essential vitamins, which our body cannot produce for itself and hence has to be obtained from the diet. They are vitamins A, C, D, E, K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic, acid, biotin, B6, B12, and folate.
v) Minerals – Minerals are solid substances that are found in the earth i.e. rocks and soil. These can also be obtained through our diet and they are also micronutrients. These include calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, etc.
vi) Water – It is also a very important part of the diet because our body requires a large amount of water to ensure normal functioning of the body. 70% of our blood is just water, and if the water content goes down it would hinder the transfer of all other nutrients across the body.
These are the six components of food that provide all the nutrients that our body requires.

Note: There is one more component of food that is very essential for our body, but it does not provide any nutrients. This is called roughage. It is the indigestible fibrous part of vegetables and fruits and is essential for proper bowel movement. These fibres cannot be broken down by the digestive enzymes of our body and hence, they help in cleaning the alimentary canal.