Macronutrients, micronutrients, and water are all essential to promote growth, development, and regulate body functions. Macronutrient include protein, carbohydrates, and fats. They are required by our bodies in large amounts and provide us with energy. Proteins are the components of all living cells. They contain many substances like enzymes, hormones, and antibodies which are needed quality body functioning. They are needed by the body for growth and tissue repair. You can obtain protein from foods like meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes (Unicef, n.d.).
Carbohydrates is a group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses, and gums. It serves as a large energy source. It is produced by photosynthetic plants, and it contains only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (Unicef, n.d.).
Fats are naturally occuring soft greasy solids that are esters of glycerol and certain fatty acids (Unicef, n.d.). They occur in some plants and in tissue of animals which forms a reserve energy source and help the body absorb certain vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. Fat can be found in meat, poultry, nuts, milk, butters and margarines, oils, lard, fish, and grain products (McKinley Health Center, 2014).
Micronutrients include minerals, vitamins, and trace elements. They are needed in small amounts in the body, but together they are vital for a body to fuction properly. Their most important job is to facilitate many chemical reactions to happen in the body (Unicef, n.d.). Essential minerals include calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and magnesium. Trace elements include chromium, cobalt, zinc, selenium, iodine, flouride, manganese, silicon, boron, and copper (Unicef, n.d.).
There are two type of vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin B6, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B12 (niacin), vitamin C, pantothenic acid, biotin, and folic acid. Fat-soluble vitamins are vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, and vitamin E (Unicef, n.d.).
References:
McKinley Health Center. (2014, February 04). Macronutrients: The importance of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Retrieved from McKinley Health Center at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign website: http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/macronutrients.htm
Unicef. (n.d.). Why care about nutrition? Retrieved from Basic Concepts of Nutrition in Emergencies website: http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/training/2.1/5.html
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