Friday, April 20, 2012

Nutrition: Some Definitions

Food: Food is the prime necessity of life. The food we eat is digested and assimilated in the body and used for its maintenance and growth. Food also provides energy for doing work. So,
food is that which nourishes the body.

Nutrients: Nutrients are those organic and inorganic compounds that a living organism must acquire from the environment to support essential life processes, including ¹basal metabolism, growth and maintenance of body tissues, activity, reproduction, and maintenance of general health.

Nutrients are organic and inorganic compounds in foods and, according to their chemical nature, are classified into the following types of substances:

* Protein.

* Carbohydrates.

* Lipids.

* Vitamins.

* Mineral salts.

* Water.

Nutrients are normally obtained by the ingestion of foods. Organic nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins or amino acids, lipids, and vitamins. Inorganic nutrients include minerals. Water is sometimes included in a listing of nutrients

Nutrition: Nutrition refers to the process in the body for making use of food. It includes

i) Eating the correct kinds and amounts of foods for the body’s needs;

ii) Digestion of foods so that the body can use the nutrients;

iii) Absorption of the nutriens into the bloodstream;

iv) Use of the individual nutrients by cells in the body for the production of energy, the maintenance and growth of cells, tissues, and organd; and

v) Elimination of of wastes.

Nutritional care: Nutritional care is the application of the art and science of nutrition to the feeding of people. It deals with

i) The assessment of nutritional status ;

ii) The planning of meals acoording to physiologic and psycologic needs at any stage in the life cycle;

iii) The implemenation of the plan through th epreparation and service of meals;

iv) The education that is necessary so that individuals may apply the principles of nutrition to their daily needs; and

v) The continious evaluation so that changes can be made as situations require.

Nutritional care is personalised for each individual, but the concepts of nutritionla care also invovle everyone ina group situation.

Nutritional Status: Nutritional Status is the condition of health as it is related to the use of food by the body.

¹basal metabolism: The total heat produced or the energy spent by the body under condition to perform minimum possible work is known as basal metabolism.

Classification of Nutrients