Why do we Need Nutrients?

For a simple answer we could just say that nutrients are fuel that allows our bodies to move and grow. It’s something like the fuel needed to make an internal combustion engine work. With the proper intake of nutrients the human body will remain healthy and may even be able to repair damage in some cases.

One nutrient that every human body needs is water, though it technically isn’t considered a nutrient in the same way vitamins and minerals are. The body is primarily water. This precious fluid keeps our blood flowing, our stomachs working, our skin supple etc. Without it we would literally dry up and perish.

Now, on to the particular nutrients we need to live. One category that most people are familiar with is vitamins. Different types of vitamins are necessary for the many different functions of the human body. For example, the gums and teeth will only stay healthy with sufficient amounts of vitamin C and calcium.

We need a number of minerals as well, especially calcium and magnesium. These are crucial to the proper operation of the brain, for example. Brain research shows that the signals sent to and from the brain work best when there is sufficient magnesium present.

The human body also needs amino acids, which help the body build protein. Protein is the center of activity when it comes to a healthy body and efficient metabolism. Find out more about proteins and enzymes and you will probably discover the basic elements of life – DNA and RNA. Human beings also need specific types of fats that are transformed into energy for the body to use. Vitamins and fats have a particular relationship that is essential to human life. A few vitamins only work when they are digested and absorbed in the presence of specific fats.

Humans also need carbohydrates, such as those we get in breads, grains and some other types of food. These transform into energy quickly, essential for continued life and health.

So, the basic reason we need nutrients is that they provide the right kinds of fuel for the many, complex processes that keep us alive every day. If we eat only one basic kind of food – bread – for example, we would be depriving our bodies of the essential vitamins in citrus fruit and the minerals in dairy products. If we drank only milk and milk shakes we wouldn’t get the carbohydrates we need in grains and bread or the fats and protein we get from lean meats. The only way to provide the body the right nutrients in the correct amounts is to eat a variety of fresh foods from each of the different groups of food.
The healthiest person will follow a certain pattern of eating, with dairy, lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables and so on. Combined with a few glasses of clean water every day our bodies should be able to transform the nutrients in our food into the chemicals needed for health, growth and body maintenance.