Nutrients in foods
- Topic in Gardening courses
This page is about nutrients that plants provide. This topic is to be distinguished from the nutrients that plants themselves need for their growth, or plant nutrients.
Nutrients in foods do not only come from plants as humans also consume animal products. For the Gardening courses, however, the focus is on nutrients in food that come from plants.
Besides nutrients, plants can also give us active ingredients, substances in plants that have medicinal effects.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are those that are needed in larger quantities.
Protein
- Main article: Protein
Proteins form a class of nitrogenous (containing nitrogen) compounds that consist of large molecules of chains of amino acids. Proteins are an essential part of all living organisms, esp. structural components of body tissues such as muscles, hair, skin. They also exist in living bodies as enzymes and antibodies. Proteins are needed for cells to grow. Protein in food gives us calories, four calories in one gram.
Our bodies can make most amino acids. A few amino acids we must get from the food we eat. These are known as 'essential amino acids.'
Fat
Carbohydrates
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are nutrients needed in very small amounts.
