Why Is Nutrition Important to the Human Body?

"The food you eat can be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or it can be the worst form of poison." I'm sure the importance of nutrition is quite evident here.

For the body to function properly and stay healthy, it is mandatory to follow a nutritious diet. Nutrition involves supplying the cells within the body with important requisites for survival i.e., food. In medical terms, nutrition is the science of consuming and utilizing food.

Food is made up of 6 classes of nutrients which are a part of the two major nutrients. The nutrient types i.e., micronutrients and macronutrients are further classified into protein, carbohydrates, fats (micronutrients) and vitamins and minerals(macronutrients)  and water. If one neglects the right consumption of these items, it will affect the quality of life, in turn, making it difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Defining Nutrition

With the advancement of molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics, nutrition has become more about metabolism and metabolic pathways. Besides this, nutrition also focuses on how diseases, problems, and conditions can be avoided courtesy a healthy diet. Nutrition also identifies how certain diseases and conditions result due to dietary factors like poor diet, food intolerance, and allergies.

The Importance of Nutrition

Consumption of a balanced diet is not only good for the physical health and wellbeing of the body, but it also assists in improving mental health. Food provides our bodies with all essential elements like protein, energy, vitamins, essential fats, minerals, etc. so that it can grow. To ensure good health, it is mandatory to consume different foods providing the right amount of nutrients. Moreover, an unhealthy or nutrition-less diet increases the risk of diet-related diseases to a great extent. It has been time and again proven how an unhealthy diet can affect a person's health, which in turn, could affect the lifespan. Good nutrition and physical activity combined can help maintain a healthy weight. However, the benefits of good nutrition are much more than weight. Some of the ways in which good nutrition is helpful includes-

• Reducing high blood pressure
• Reducing the risk of major diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancers, diabetes and osteoporosis.
• Improving well-being
• Lowering high cholesterol levels
• Strengthening the immune system
• Improving stamina and energy level

Maintaining proper nutrition

To lead a healthy and fit life, it is mandatory to maintain proper nutrition. Without consuming the necessary nutrients, the body would always be at a loss. Some of the requisites of a healthy diet include the following. Eat lots of fruit: Fruits have lots of natural fibre in them and to get a complete benefit, it is advisable to eat whole fruits rather than juices. Eat lots of vegetables: It is good to consume vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables every for maintaining a good vitamin content in the body. Go for low fat or fat-free milk: It provides the body with vitamin D and calcium which helps to keep the bones strong. Healthy bones are important for the overall development of the body. Eat plenty of whole grains: Ensure that at least half of the cereals, bread, and crackers consumed are made from whole grains. Try various sources of protein: Besides consuming meat and poultry, one could also try having other sources of protein like fish, tofu, beans, etc. Go for lean meats: Lean meats and poultry have less amount of fat and fewer calories and are still a great source of protein. In fact, they are much better than regular cuts.

Understanding the Difference between Good and Bad Nutrition

Our body needs a specific set of calories each day. However, if the entire consumption is coming from bad calories, it is harmful to the body. For example, if one consumes the same amount of calories of pizza and salad, it does not mean that they are affecting the body in the same way. Pizza has a lot of harmful calories which would later have a negative effect on the body. On the other hand, the salad contains all the healthy nutrients for the body. Families relying on takeaway meals, soft drinks and chips do not realize it but over time, they are harming their body. Even after proper knowledge, they continue to lead a harmful lifestyle. Processed food is usually low in fibre and essential nutrients but high in salt, fat and sugar. Consuming more of such foods regularly can lead to a number of problems like reduced immunity, nutritional deficiency and delayed growth in children.

What Bad Nutrition can lead to!

• Reduction in vitamin and mineral intake can reduce immunity leading to an increased risk of infection and disease.
• Reduction in protein, calcium and vitamin D intake would impair dental and bone development leading to long-term health issues.
• Lack of fibre in the diet leads to poor digestive health and conditions like piles and constipation.
• Iron deficiency can lead to anaemia affecting the growth and development of an individual considerably.