There are six major classifications of nutrients; water, carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals. In order for the body to utilize these nutrients, it needs to convert food into energy and substances for growth and repair. It is simply amazing how the body can take a wide range of complex animal and plant food sources and reduce them into basic chemical units for the body to absorb and use. However, for this entire process to take place, the body first needs water.
Water
Your body needs water to exist and thrive, making it your body's most important nutrient. Water is also the most abundant substance in your body, representing about 2/3 of your body weight. The average daily water intake from liquids, such as coffee and tea is about 42 oz. From solid foods, you take in about 30 oz., and your body utilizes about 9 oz. of water produced by metabolism. You lose about 49 oz. daily through urine, about 4 oz. from feces, about 12 oz. in sweat and about 16 oz. simply by breathing.
Vitamins
Vitamins are essential for your body to thrive, but you can only produce a few of these essential nutrients. Exposing your skin, ideally to morning sunlight, enables your cells to produce vitamin D. Your body also produces biotin, a water-soluble member of the vitamin B complex. An intestinal bacterium causes the production of Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin, while niacin is produced from the amino acid, tryptophan. All the other vitamins, such as vitamins A, C, E or any of the B vitamins, other than niacin, must come from your diet.
Minerals
For optimal health, your body needs 17 essential minerals including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, and sulfur. Your body also needs trace or smaller amounts of cobalt, chromium, copper, fluorine, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc. A healthy, balanced diet usually provides these minerals, however, vitamin and mineral deficiencies are becoming more common as fad diets and processed foods become more prevalent.
Digestion
Digestion is one of your body's most important biological processes, and the digestive system makes up about half of the body's total number of internal organs. Digestion causes a series of physical and chemical changes, as food is taken into the body, is broken down enabling essential nutrients to be carried to the rest of body via the bloodstream. Water, vitamins and minerals are critical elements for a healthy body, along with carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
Member Comments