The document provides information on various nutrients including their types, sources, daily requirements, and functions. It discusses proteins, carbohydrates, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals. For each nutrient, it describes the major types, good and fair sources, daily requirements based on age and gender, functions in the body, and deficiency diseases. The document aims to educate on essential nutrients, their roles, and the potential health impacts of deficiencies.
2. Contents
1. Types of Nutrients
2. Good and Fair Sources
3. Daily Requirements
4. Functions of various Nutrients
5. Nutrients and Diseases
3. Nutrients
Chemical substances that constitute food and are
responsible for the functions of food and protects body
from disorder.
No substance can be called food unless it contains at least
one nutrient.
Valuable food like milk contains a variety of nutrients and
performs about all food functions.
4. Types of Nutrients
(Based on the amount required by the body)
I. Macro Nutrients
1. Proteins
2. Carbohydrates
3. Fats
4. Water
II. Micro Nutrients
5. Vitamins
6. Minerals
5. 1. Proteins
Found in membranes, enzymes, collagen, hair, nails and skins
Contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen – Most
contain Sulphur – Some contain Phosphorus, iron, Copper
and Zinc etc
About 20% of total weight is proteins
6. Functions of Proteins
Structural Support Protection
& Hormones &
Growth and Energy Enzymes In Blood
•Antibodies:
• Proteins make •Antibodies
the Hair, Nails & • Hemoglobin: A
Protein with are proteins that
muscles etc • Control Growth
and Metabolic Iron… Oxygen bind to the
• Growth and activities carrying pathogens and
maintenance of function inhibit their
• Speed up
body tissues Biochemical activities.
• Fibrinogen:
• Provide energy Reactions and Helps in Blood
when low calorie Digestion.
Clotting &
intake Healing
7. Sources
Good Sources Fair Sources
Animal Origin Plant Origin
• Egg, Meat, Milk
• Egg Proteins • Cereals, Pulses, Oil seeds
(the best among food proteins)
8. Daily Requirements
• One gm/kg body weight per day for adults
• Additional 15 gm per day during pregnancy
• Additional 25 gm during first six months of lactation and 18 gm
during 6-12 months of lactation
• Protein Requirements of Infants (g/Kg)
Age (months) Requirements per day
0–3 2.30 gm
3–6 1.85 gm
6–9 1.65 gm
9 – 12 1.50 gm
10. Proteins Deficiency Diseases
5. PROTEIN-ENERGY MALNUTRITION
(PEM)
5 6. SKIN RASHES, HAIR LOSS,
6
BRITTLE NAILS, SKIN ULCERS
7 7. WEIGHT LOSS
8 8. EDEMA IN SEVERE CASES
11. DISORDERS CAUSED BY A HIGH-PROTEIN DIET
KETOSIS DIGESTIVE & AFFECTS
KIDNEY MENTAL
DISORDERS HEALTH
12. 2. CARBOHAYDRATES ( Hydrates of Carbon)
Mono Saccharides (Glucose, Fructose, Galactose),
Di Saccharides (Sucrose, Lactose, Maltose) and
Poly Saccharides (Starches, Fiber , Cellulose, Glycogen)
50 – 70 % of energy must be provided by carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates and Proteins provide 4 Kcal per gm
13. Functions of Carbohydrates
Ribose
Growth and Energy For Brain For NEAA &
Fats
• Carbohydrates • Ribose –
are a major and • Carbohydrates are A Pentose
instant source of • Essential for the essential for the Carbohydrate ,
energy - one development of synthesis of certain
is part of RNA and
gram provides 4 brain in children non-essential
amino acids and DNA
kcal of energy.
oxidation of fats
• RBCs and Brain
cells use
carbohydrates as
energy
15. Daily Requirements
250 – 325 grams per day
50 – 70 % of energy must be provided by carbohydrates
Pakistani foods in general contain 90% carbohydrates
16. Carbohydrates Deficiency Diseases
1. USAGE OF FAT AS FUEL
SOURCE: Low carbohydrate in our
diet causes the fat reserves to be used
1
as fuel source.
2. KETOSIS: In the absence of
carbohydrates, the body starts using the
2 proteins and convert it to sugars . This
causes ketosis which is nothing but the
accumulation of ketones in the body
3 3. HYPOGLYCEMIA
4 4. UNDERWEIGHT
17. 3. FATS
• Very rich source of energy
• Energy of 9 Kcal per gram of fat
• Simple Lipids - Triglycerides
• Compound Lipids – Phospholipids
• Derived Lipids – Cholesterol
• 10 – 15 % of body weight is adipose tissue
18. Functions of Fats
Provision of energy and spares proteins from being used for
energy
Serve as vehicles for fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, K
Support of viscera like heart, kidneys and intestines
Provide insulation beneath the skin
Make foods palatable/ eatable
EFAs decrease serum cholesterol and LDL
Cholesterol is a precursor of steroid hormones
19. Sources
Good Sources Fair Sources
Animal Origin Plant Origin
Oil seeds like:
• Ghee
• Butter • Ground nut
• Milk and Eggs •Sunflower
• Cheese • Mustard
•Fats on meat •Coconut
• Fats on Fish
Cereals &Pulses
20. Daily Requirements
• 20-30% of energy must be provided by fats of which 50%
should be vegetable origin.
• The FDA's RDI for fats is 65 g or 30 percent of your daily
calorie intake.
• One Kg of adipose tissue yields 7700 kcal of energy
21. Fats Deficiency Diseases
1. Hair loss, cold
intolerance, bruising, poor growth, poor
wound healing and low body weight.
1
2 2. PHRENODERMA: Rough and dry skin
due to lack of essential fatty acids
3
3. As many vitamins and antioxidants are
fat soluble, therefore deficiency of fat
. affects the level and activity of vitamins and
can impact whole body.
22. DISORDERS CAUSED BY A HIGH- FAT DIET
Obesity Coronary Cancer Colon
Heart Disease & Breast
Cancer
23. 4. WATER
•Water is a chemical compound with the chemical formula H2O.
•A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms
Safe drinking water is essential to humans even though it
provides no calories
• The human body contains from 55% to 78% water.
• The body requires between 1 & 7 liters of H2O per day
to avoid dehydration
•The precise amount depends on the level of activity,
temperature, humidity, and other factors.
24. Functions of Water
• Water is at the center of life. This is why nobody can live more than 3 to 5
days without any water intake.
• Water is your body's principal chemical component and makes up about 60
percent of your body weight.
• Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes
toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a
moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.
25. 5 Basic Functions of Water
• Cell life
• Chemical and metabolic reactions
• Transport of nutrients
• Body temperature regulation
• Elimination of waste
27. Daily Requirements
• One man consumes 3.0 liters and women 2.2 liters
• Pregnant women should increase intake to 2.4 liters (10 glass) and
breastfeeding women should get 3 liters (12 glass), since an
especially large amount of fluid is lost during nursing
28. Water Deficiency Disorders
Dehydration:
Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you
don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions.
Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired. It can
be fatal too.
Dry mouth, sunken eyes, dry skin, cold hands and feet, weak and rapid
pulse, rapid and shallow breathing, confusion, exhaustion, and coma.
Seen in children with diarrhea, gastroenteritis and vomiting.
30. 5. Minerals
About 50 minerals are found in human body
Minerals are inorganic substances that serve a variety of functions such
as cofactors in :
• Enzyme-catalyzed reactions
• Regulation of acid-base balance
• Nerve conduction
• Muscle irritability and
• Structural elements in the body.
Each mineral is required in specific amounts ranging from various gm
per day. Some of the more important of these are calcium, phosphorus,
sodium, potassium and iron.
Macro minerals: The minerals, which are required in amounts
greater than 100 mg/ day.
Micro minerals: The minerals, which are required in amounts less
than 100 mg/ day.
31. (i) Calcium (1.5 – 2% of body weight)
A major mineral element of the body (1.5 – 2% of body weight)
• Functions:
Formation of bones, milk and teeth, coagulation of blood, contraction of muscles
and metabolism.
• Sources:
Milk and milk products, eggs, fish, green leafy vegetables and cereals. Absorption
is increased by Vitamin D and decreased by phytates and oxalates.
• Deficiency:
Not clear cut even in the case of low intake. Rickets and Osteomalacia may not
occur if vitamin D intake is sufficient
• Requirements:
Infants 500 mg per day
Adolescents 600 mg per day
Adults 500 mg per day
Pregnancy and Lactation 1000 mg per day
32. (ii) Iron
• Functions:
Iron is essential for the production of haemoglobin, which helps deliver
oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues, synthesize iron enzymes that are
required to utilize oxygen for the production of cellular energy .
• Sources:
• Haem Iron – (bioavailability good) found in meat, poultry, liver.
• Non-haem Iron – (bioavailability poor) found in chick peas, beans, cereals,
green leafy vegetables and apricot etc
• Cooking in iron vessels is another source.
• Iron Supplements and Fortified foods.
33. Daily Requirements:
AGE GROUP DAILY IRON NEEDED
• Infants 5-12 months 0.7 mg
• Children 1-12 years 1.0 mg
• Males 13-16 years 1.8 mg
• Females 13-16 years 2.4 mg
• Adult Males 0.9 mg
Adult Females
• Menstruating 2.8 mg
• Pregnancy 1st half 0.8 mg
• Pregnancy 2nd half 3.5 mg
• Lactation 2.4 mg
• Post menopause 0.7 mg
34. • Iron Deficiency Disorders:
• Anemia:
Effects on Children:
• Impaired motor development and coordination
• Impaired IQ
• Decreased physical activity
• Fatigue
Effects on Adults:
• Decreased physical work and earning and Decreased immunity
Effects on pregnant women:
• Increased maternal morbidity and mortality
• Increased foetal morbidity and mortality
• Increased incidence of Low Birth Weight
35. (iii) Iodine
• Functions:
It is known to be essential in maintaining the function of the thyroid and
parathyroid glands in the human body and the production of thyroxine, a
hormone associated with proper thyroid functioning. Iodine also promotes
general growth and development within the body as well as aiding in
metabolism.
• Sources: Cod fish, Shrimps, Fish and Fortified salt.
• Daily Requirements:
In your entire lifetime you will need less than a teaspoon of iodine to ensure
good health, we need 150 micrograms (or 20,000th of a teaspoon) to meet your
daily requirement.
• Deficiency Disorders: Goiter ,Cretinism and
Mental Retardation.
36. 6. Vitamins....The Vital Amines
Vitamins are classified as:
• Fat Soluble Vitamins: A, D, E and K
• Water Soluble Vitamins: C and B complex
Vitamin B Complex:
– Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
– Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
– Vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinamide)
– Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
– Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
– Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
– Vitamin B12 (various cobalamins)
37. Vitamin A
Functions:
• Contributes towards the production of retinal pigments needed for vision in
dim light
• Maintain normal function of glandular and epithelial tissue lining; of
intestinal, respiratory tract, urinary tract, skin and eyes
• Supports skeletal growth
• Increases immunity – anti-infective
• Protects against epithelial cancers
Sources:
• Animal: Liver, eggs, butter, cheese, whole milk, fish and meat – cod liver oil
• Plants: Green vegetables, yellow fruits, Carrot
• Fortified Foods: Banaspati Ghee, Margarine, Milk, Bread
38. VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY - a public health problem
OCULAR: (XEROPTHALMIA)
• Night Blindness
• Conjunctival Xerosis
• Bitot’s Spots
• Corneal Xerosis
• Keratomalacia
EXTRA-OCCULAR:
• Growth Retardation
• Infections
• Degeneration of myelin sheath of nerve cells
• Alteration of mucosa of renal pelvis and urinary bladder predisposing to calculi
• Atrophy of germinal epithelium – reproduction defective
TOXICITY:
• Excess of Vitamin A in the body may cause Nausea, Vomiting, Anorexia, Sleep
Disorder, Desquamation of Skin, Papiloedema, Enlarged Liver, Teratogenesis
TREATMENT:
• Massive doses of Vitamin A – All children with corneal ulcer must receive Vitamin A
41. Vitamin K
FUNCTIONS
• Helps coagulation of blood
SOURCES
• Green leafy vegetables like spinach, cabbage, lettuce, Milk, Eggs (Vit.K1)
• Some amounts are formed by the bacterial action of intestinal flora(Vit.K2)
• Deficiency usually does not occur even if not supplied in diet
DEFICIENCY
• May occur in liver disease
• There is delay in normal coagulation time with more bleeding on slight
injury
RDA
• 1000 IU per day
• Infants at risk must receive a single IM injection of Vitamin K after birth
43. Vitamin D
Nutritionally important forms in man are:
1. Calceferol (Vitamin D2)
2. Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)
Functions:
• Intestine & Kidneys: Promotes intestinal absorption of Ca and Phosphorus
• Bone: Stimulates normal mineralization
• Others: Permits normal growth
Sources:
• Animal fats, Fish liver oils, Liver, Egg yolk, Butter, Cheese, Milk
• Fortified foods like Ghee, Margarine, Bread, Whole Milk, Infant Foods
• Exposure to UV rays of Sunlight convert cholesterol in skin to
Vit. D
44. VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY DISORDERS
• Rickets in children: A disease characterized by deformed bones
• Osteomalacia in adults especially pregnant and lactating mothers
TOXICITY
• Excessive intake is harmful and may manifest itself as: anorexia, nausea,
vomiting, thirst, drowsiness, coma and cardiac arrhythmias
RDA
• Adults 2.5 mcg (100 IU)
• Infants and Children 5.0 mcg (200 IU)
• Pregnancy & Lactation 10.0 mcg(400 IU)
46. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Functions:
• Plays an important role in tissue oxidation
• Needed for the formation of collagen
• Facilitates iron absorption from gut
Sources:
• Fresh fruits like citrus, guava, green leafy vegetables, germinating pulses
and amla.
Deficiency Disorders:
• Rare – Scurvy characterized by swollen and bleeding gums, subcutaneous
bleeding, bleeding in to joints, delayed wound healing and anemia.
RDA
• 40 to 60 mg per day
48. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Functions:
Maintain good appetite, normal digestion, muscle tone and healthy mental attitude
Sources:
• Good sources are: Soya bean, Peanuts, Whole grains, Cereals, Nuts & ground nuts.
• Fairly good sources are Liver, Organ meat, Poultry, Egg yolk, Beans and Peas
• Mother milk is a good source also.
• Thiamine is lost during cooking due to leaching of the vitamin in to cooking water
or when washed and also lost in foods having baking soda
RDA
Ranges between 0.5 mg – 2 mg per day
49. Vitamin B1 Deficiency Disorders
• Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
• Beri Beri
– Dry Beri Beri (when nervous system is affected)
– Wet Beri Beri (when there are cardiac symptoms and signs)
– Infantile Beri Beri (when mothers are thiamine deficient)
Prevention
• Encourage people to eat thiamine rich diet
• Stop Alcohol
• Supplements for lactating mothers
51. Vitamin B2 (RiboFlavin)
Functions:
• Plays an important role in cellular growth
• It is a cofactor involved in a number of enzymes involved in energy
metabolism
Sources:
• Rich sources are eggs, liver, green leafy vegetables, milk & Products
• Fair sources are wheat and pulses – Meat and fish contain small
amounts
• Losses are due to leaching of this vitamin in to cooking water
RDA
• 0.7 to 2.2 mg per day
53. Vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinamide)
Functions:
• Essential for Carbohydrates, fats and proteins metabolism
• Essential for the normal functioning of skin, intestines and nervous
system
• An essential amino acid tryptophane serves as its precursor
Sources:
• Coffee, Peanuts, Liver, Kidney, meat, poultry, fish, legumes and ground
nuts
• Milk is a poor source but a rich source of tryptophane
• In maize niacin is in bound form and not available to body
54. Vitamin B3 Deficiency Disorders
• Pellagra: characterized by Diarrhea, Dermatitis and Dementia
(occurs in maize eating communities)
• Glossitis and Stomatitis
(Stomatitis is an inflammation of the mucous lining of any of the structures in the mouth, which may
involve the cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, throat, and roof or floor and Glossitis: Tongue Inflammation)
RDA
• 0.7 to 2.2 mg per day
55. Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
Functions:
Metabolism
Sources:
• Major source is meat. The most significant sources of
pantothenic acid in nature are coldwater fish ovaries and royal
jelly.
• It is found in nearly every food, with high amounts in whole
grain cereals, legumes, eggs, meat, royal jelly, avocado,
and yogurt.
• Whole grains are another good source of the vitamin, but milling
removes much of the pantothenic acid, as it is found in the outer
layers of whole grains
• Pantothenic acid is an ingredient in some hair and skin
care products
56. Vitamin B5 Deficiency Disorders
• Impaired energy production, due to low CoA levels, which could cause:
irritability, fatigue, and apathy. Neurological symptoms can also appear in
deficiency. They include numbness, paresthesia, and muscle cramps and
Hypoglycemia.
• Additional symptoms could include restlessness, malaise, sleep
disturbances, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.
• In a few rare circumstances, more serious (but reversible) conditions have
been seen, such as adrenal insufficiency and hepatic encephalopathy.
• One study noted painful burning sensations of the feet were reported in
tests conducted on volunteers. Deficiency of pantothenic acid may explain
similar sensations reported in malnourished prisoners of war.
RDA
RDA: 6 mg/day
57. Vitamin B6 (PYRIDOXINE)
Functions:
Plays an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and
proteins
Sources:
Widely distributed in food e.g. milk, liver, meat, egg yolk, fish, whole grain
cereals, legumes, and vegetables.
Deficiency:
• Rare but occurs with niacin deficiency
• Peripheral neuritis
• INH (Isoniazid for TB) is a known antagonist and patients on INH must
get 10 mg pyridoxine per day
RDA
• 2 mg per day – In pregnancy and lactation 2.5 mg per day
58. Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
Functions:
Plays an important role in the synthesis of nucleic acids
Needed for the normal development of blood cells in the bone marrow
Sources:
Leafy vegetables, dairy products, Milk, eggs, cereals
Deficiency Disorders:
Megaloblastic anemia, glossitis, chielosis , GI disturbances like diarrhea.
Severe deficiency may cause infertility and sterility.
Folic acid antagonists like alcohol, pyramethamine and cotrimoxazole may cause
abortion, congenital malformations
Requirements are greatest when rapid cell multiplication like growth & pregnancy
RDA
• Healthy adults and children 100 mcg per day
• Pregnancy 400 mcg per day
• Lactation 150 mcg per day
59. Vitamin B12 Cobalamins
Functions:
Cooperates with folates in the synthesis of DNA and helps in Synthesis of fatty
acids in myelin
Sources:
• Liver, kidney, meat, fish, milk cheese
• Not found in vegetables
• Synthesized by bacteria in colon
Deficiency Disorders:
• Rare and usually in vegetarians
• Megaloblastic anemia (Pernicious Anemia)
• Demyelinating neurological lesions in the spinal cord
RDA
• Infants and children 0.2 mcg per day
• Adults 1 mcg per day
• Pregnancy and Lactation 1.5 mcg per day
Marasmus is a disease caused by a severe deficiency of protein and calories that affect infants and very young children, often resulting in weight loss and dehydration. Marasmus can develop into starvation and cause fatality caused by a lack of essential nutrients. People with marasmus appear bony with little muscle tissueKwashiorkorKwashiorkor is a disease caused by a severe deficiency of protein in diets that contain calories mostly from carbohydrates such as yams, rice and bananas. It usually affects older children. People with kwashiorkor appear puffy in the abdomen area from retention of fluid, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Common symptoms of both marasmus and kwashiorkor include fatigue, irritability, diarrhea, stunted growth and impairment of cognition and mental health.CachexiaCachexia is a condition that involves protein deficiency, depletion of skeletal muscle and an increased rate ofprotein degradation. Cachexia causes weight loss and mortality and is associated with cancer, AIDS, chronic kidney failure, heat disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and rheumatoid arthritis, Patients with malignant cancer of the stomach, colon, liver, billiary tract and pancreas experience undernutrition from reduced intake of protein, calories and micronutrients, and have fatigue and a negative nitrogen balance as a result of loss of muscle mass from cachexia.
KetosisBody cells, especially brain cells, prefer to burn glucose for energy, and yet high-protein diets that are low in carbohydrate cause the body to burn fat instead. In the process of breaking fat into a form that the body can use, a acidic waste product called ketone bodies are produced by the body cells. The condition in the body, known as ketosis, in interpreted by your body as a starvation signal. Your body responds by slowing your metabolism, in order to respond in the most efficient way to this perceived starvation. This means you body cells use less energy, and caloric demand decreases. In other words, your metabolism slows and it becomes easier to gain weight.