Life Nutrients

Carbohydrates
Proteins
Fats
Nutrients Vitamins
Minerals
Fiber
Water

1. Carbohydrates

The main sources of carbohydrates are plants, e.g., starch (storage forms carbohydrate of chlorophyll containing plants), sugars, cereals, potatoes, legumes, millets, roots and other vegetables. Sugars are found in fruits, juice, cane, honey, palm, milk, etc.

2. Proteins

Proteins are complex organic compounds of carbon (54%), hydrogen (7%), nitrogen (16%), oxygen (22%) and some may contain sulpher (1%) or phosphorus (0.6%)

Peas, beans, poultry, cereals, lentils, milk, cheese, eggs, meat, wet and dry fishes, pulses, and nuts.

3. Fats
4. Vitamins
5. Minerals

Minerals are of  2 groups.

Macro minerals: The minerals, which are required in amounts greater than 100 mg/ day.

Calcium: Milk, egg, leafy green vegetable, fish, meat soybeans etc. Formation of bones and teeth structure. Activates ATP during muscular contraction, helps in blood clotting and capillary permeability.
Phosphorus: Milk, peas, meat, fish, eggs, cottage, cheese, almonds, wheat germ, soybeans, black beans etc. Synthesis of nucleic acid, ATP and some protein. Helps in calcification of bones, maintain buffer system in body and bone formation.
Potassium: Spinach, butter, beans, oranges, milk, peas, meat, fruits nuts, and vegetables. Involves transmission of nervous impulses chemical reactions and acid base balance in the body.
Sodium: Table salt, eggs. meat, milk, cheese, butter, margarine, bacon etc. Form part of tissue fluids inducing blood, involves kidney functioning and transmission of nervous impulses, acid-base balance in body.
Sulfur: Protein e.g., meat, fish and milk,
Synthesis of proteins e.g., Keratin and many other organic confounds e.g., coenzymes A.
Manganese: Vegetables and most other foods
Constituent of bones and tooth structure, co-factor for many enzymes e.g., ATP-ase.

Micro minerals: The minerals, which are required in amounts less than 100 mg/ day.

Iron: Liver, eggs, meat, dark and green vegetables, lentis, potatoes, soybeans, chick peas, black beans, spinach, etc. Forms part of haemoglobin, helps in electron transport in biochemical reactions.
Fluorine: Water, milk etc. Needed for strong enamel on teeth, as calcium deposit in bone
Nitrogen: Protein e.g., meat, fish and milk,Synthesis of protein NA and many other organic compounds, e.g., coenzymes and chlorophyll
Manganese: Vegetables and most other foods; Bone development (a growth factor)
Cobalt: Liver and red meat; Red bloods cell development
Copper: Most foods; Melanin production
Zinc: Most foods; CO2 transport in vertebrate blood
Molybdenum: Most foods; Hydrolysis of peptide bonds in protein digestion
Boron: Most foods; Reduction of nitrate to nitrite during amino acid synthesis in plants.
Iodine: Seafood’s, such as fish, shellfish and fish oil. Vegetables, spinach, fruits, and cereals.

6. Fiber
7. Water