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
- Main article: Fat
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents (ether, chloroform, benzene) and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides[1], triesters[2] of glycerol[3] and any of several fatty acids[4] .
Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure and composition. Although the words "oils", "fats", and "lipids" are all used to refer to fats, "oils" is usually used to refer to fats that are liquids at normal room temperature, while "fats" is usually used to refer to fats that are solids at normal room temperature. "Lipids" is used to refer to both liquid and solid fats.
Fat is a nutrient that is an important source of calories. One gram of fat supplies 9 calories - more than twice the amount we get from carbohydrates or protein.
Fat also is needed to carry and store essential fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A and D.
Carbohydrates
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are nutrients needed in very small amounts.
