The Function Of Food

The food we eat plays a number of important roles in our lives. Our food choice is often not determined exclusively by our nutritional requirements, but by social, behavioural or physiological factors.

The Importance Of Nutrition

we need about 50 different nutrients from food to function properly. Therefore what we eat can have a direct effect on the quality of our lives. Inappropriate food choices and eating habits can result in an unbalanced intake of these nutrients which can impact on our appearance and performance.

What we eat can influence:

1. Health and well-being – selective nutrients from food are used by the body for tissue repair, growth and development. Dietary patterns can also influence the risk of nutrient access and/or deficiency which may influence the development of certain health problems.

2. Fitness and physical performance – nutrition plays a major role in the body development of tissue mass, moderate Modification of the body fat stores and optimal body function (example: capacity of energy systems, hydration etc). Some or all of these issues are vital for superior physical performance.

3. Physical appearance – diet can influence body size and shape (via muscle mass and body fat), the condition of the skin, teeth and hair. Physical appearance can have important social and physiological implications.

What Components, Do We Need From Food?

The great majority of thousands of compounds that participate in the bodies vital process are made within the body itself, but a small number have to be supplied, preformed, in the diet because they cannot be made in the body or formed fast enough or reliably enough. There are about 50 substances that are required:

Micronutrients: – Protein (8 Essential Amino Acids), Carbohydrates, Fats, (at least one Essential Fatty Acid).

Micronutrients:

a) Vitamins – Fat Soluble (A, D, E, and K) and Water Soluble: B – complex (Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin) and C.

B) Minerals (Macrominerals, > 100 mg/day required) – Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium.

c) Trace Elements (Macrominerals, < 100 mg/day required) – Iron, Zinc, Copper, Fluoride, Chlorine, Chromium, Selenium, Molybdenum, Lodine, Vanadium, Manganese, Cobalt.

Other – Water, Nitrogen, Carbon.