Chapter 7: Human nutrition

7. 1— Diet

A balance diet contains all nutrients needed for the body, in the correct amounts to maintain health. The 7 major nutrients are:

• carbohydrates {provides energy}

• fats {provides evergy}

• proteins {helps with growth and repair}

• vitamins

  • vitamin C- mantains healthy blood vessels, skin, cartilage and bones, helps with wound healing.

  • Vitamin D- helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, necessary to keep teeth, bones and muscles healthy.

• mineral ions

  • calcium- strengthens bones and teeth, helps with muscle contraction and clotting of wounds

  • iron- production of haemoglobin for red blood cells

• fibre {helps with digestion, to move food and faeces along the gut. Associated with lower risks of coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer}

• water { 60% of body mass is water, its needed in almost every process}

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  DEFICIENCIES

• Vitamin D

  • disease- rickets ( mostly occur in the knees)

  • symptoms- bones pain, weakness in the muscles, bone loss with the increased risk of fractures and skeletal deformities

• Vitamin C

  • disease- scurvy (bleeding gum)

  • symptoms- severe leg or joint pain, tiredness, blue or red spots on skin which bruises easily, swollen and bleeding gums.