Smita Dey
স্পষ্ট ভাষী মানুষ
Smita Dey
স্পষ্ট ভাষী মানুষ
Book: Bangla Foods and Recipes
Author: Rakhi Mandal - Researcher, Food & Recipes
Components of foods and their functions in the body are immense. To have a fit and healthy body we should know about the components of food and function of food nutrients.
Food components are the main sources of energy for the human body. Each food contains a combination of many nutrients. And very few foods contain only one component in one food. Food can be divided into 6 types on the basis of its components- Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat, Vitamin, Mineral, and Water.
Among these, carbohydrates, proteins are nutritious foods for body nutrition, growth, and energy production. Fat and carbohydrates are considered as an energy producer. Protein-rich components known as food for bodybuilding. Vitamin, minerals, and water are components for body maintenance help to prevent diseases.
Content in this article:
The main objectives or functions of food are energy intake, plastic, regulator, and reserve. All the foods we consume have 3 different functions that help the body in the following way:
This function is directly involved in the body’s building and repair processes. Everything is due to foods rich in proteins, which allow us to determine the shape and structure of the cells that direct vital processes.
You can find protein in foods such as milk or dairy products, meats, legumes, fish, and eggs. Just remember that it is advisable to choose their versions low in fat or sweetened with sugar substitutes to control your caloric intake.
This function intervenes mainly by providing the energy our body needs to maintain body heat, perform transcendental biological functions, and carry out daily activities. The foods that provide us with fuel are foods rich in carbohydrates and good fats. You can find them in: cereals, bread, pasta, and oils. Remember to moderate your consumption and choose the good fats that your body needs.
This function is responsible for maintaining balance and controlling the performance of our body, in activities such as: assimilating food, thinking, growing, etc. The foods that contribute to this function are those rich in vitamins and minerals, such as fruits and vegetables. Remember to increase these servings and combine them only with healthy ingredients.
Water is a regulatory food that intervenes in all the functions of our body. Do not forget that we are 60% water and, therefore, it is essential to replenish it daily if we want to stay healthy.
Food components are both mineral and organic substances that we can locate in food and which we call nutrients who will provide all the energy and vitality necessary to carry out bodily functions, day-to-day tasks, and in general, we can maintain and enjoy of good health.
In addition to the above functions, we not only consume food to nourish ourselves and have energy, but we also consume food for pleasure.
The main components of food are:
Follow the article below to know details about these components(nutrients) and functions.
We all know, food is the main element for the life force of living things. Our physical fitness and also sickness depend on food. So we must have knowledge about food and its components to living a healthy life. Let’s know about the components of food for our long and healthy lives. You will find what nutrients are available in different foods and how they function in our body to have a healthy life from the below discussion.
Carbohydrate is the main food for human. Carbohydrate is formed with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. It has no color and smell. It tastes sweetened.
The types of carbohydrate are as below. These are from various sources.
Carbohydrates that we get from plants-
Paddy, wheat, corn, and other crop grains are the main source of starch. Besides these, potato, red potato, and arum are the source of starch.
It is less sweetened than sugar. This carbohydrate is available in grapes, apples, carrots, and dates.
It is known as “Fruit Carbohydrate”. It is available in sweet fruits like mango, papaya, banana, orange, and honey found in flowers.
The sources of sucrose are the juice of sugar cane, sugar, fruits and honey.
Mango, banana, watermelon, nuts, dried fruits, and all types of vegetables are the source of cellulose.
Lactose is the major carbohydrate in milk. This carbohydrate is available in cow or goat milk and in the milk of most species.
Glycogen is available in the meat and liver of animals and birds like cock and pigeon.
The functions of carbohydrates are inevitable for the human body. It increases the working capability of the body and produces heat and energy. The energy, needed for the metabolism of the body is produced from the oxidation of carbohydrate foods during absorption. 4.1-kilocalorie energy is produced from per gram carbohydrate digestion. Glycogen delivers energy for the physical activity of living things. Cellulose is an indigestible natural carbohydrate. It is full of fiber. It participates in DNA and RNA formation. Moreover, protein and fat are synthesized from carbohydrates.
The energy in food is measured as food calorie or kilo-calorie. A calorie is the unit of energy. The heat and energy, produced from the oxidation one-gram food are called the calorie of food. The ‘food calorie’ of food means how much heat will be released from the complete oxidation of the food.
According to the nutritionists, 58-60% of the daily requirement of calorie of the human body should be consumed from carbohydrate type foods. 4 to 6-gram carbohydrate should be consumed per kilogram weight. And an adult person should intake a minimum of 300-gram carbohydrate type foods daily.
Both, less and excess carbohydrate consumption is harmful to health. Malnutrition occurs for carbohydrate deficiency. Metabolism process is hampered for the reduction of carbohydrates in the blood. The symptom of hypoglycemia occurs for the lessening of carbohydrate levels in blood. The symptoms are
Simple carbohydrate is much important for human body nutrition. The human body can absorb only simple carbohydrates. To get rid of diseases, due to carbohydrate deficiency, we need to take the required amount of carbohydrate daily. Carbohydrates can be digested easily among carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Carbohydrate provides energy-producing heat in the body within very few moments just after the absorption. The requirement of carbohydrates depends on age, body weight, height, and physical activity level. Excess carbohydrate is stored in the body as fat if it is consumed more than the requirement of our body. As a result, obesity and diabetes may occur.
Protein is formed with four elements- carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Protein turns into amino acid after the digestion in the body. Amino Acid is the unit of Protein formation. It is crucial for the growth of our bodies, filling of erosion, and balance of nitrogen. These acids are collected from food.
Proteins are two types on the basis of its origin.
The protein, obtained from animals is animal protein. Fish, meat, egg, milk, and cheese are obtained from animals.
The protein, obtained from plants is a plant protein. Pulses, Seeds of broad beans, peanuts, nuts are the source of plant protein.
20 types of amino acids are found in the human body. Eight amino acids- isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine; are considered mandatory for the human body. The nutritious value of animal protein is much like these amino acids found in animal protein. Again, the protein that has much nutritious value is available in pulses, peanuts, soybean, and wheat.
Protein is obvious for bodybuilding. The maximum components of the formation of body cells are protein-based. Human bones, muscles, hair are build up with protein. Protein controls the formation and action of body cells.
The daily requirement of protein for a normal adult person is 1 gram protein per kilogram bodyweight’. It means if a person’s weight is 57 Kilogram he needs 57 grams Protein daily. In this context, the intake of the right amount of protein daily can keep us fit and healthy. Kids, growing up boys and girls should intake 3-4 gram daily and lactating mothers should consume 2-3 grams. As protein helps us to build up the body we should pay attention to the quantity of protein.
Lack of amino acid in the body is injurious. Many symptoms may occur as a result of the insufficiency of animal protein; such as nausea, raising of organic acid level in urine, imbalance of nitrogen, etc.
Protein insufficiency problems occur in the body of a child for the inadequate presence of organic or mixed protein in food. It hampers the normal formation and growth of the body. Children suffer from malnutrition if body growth is stopped or discontinued. Kwashiorkor and marasmus disease can attack children.
Mental stagnation occurs even it can be healed with treatment. If the disease is severe a child can even die.
The condition is worse for children. Besides, disease prevention reduces and anemia occurs for protein deficiency in adult.
Fat is formatted with fatty acid and glycerol. About 20 types of fatty acids are found in food. Feature of fat depends on fatty acids. Solid fat is a completely fatty acid. It is solid in normal temperature; for instance, fat of fish or meat. Liquid fats are known as oil. These are liquid in normal temperature; such as soybean, mustard oil.
Fats are two types on the basis of the source.
Meat with fat, butter, ghee, cheese, yolk is the source of animal fat.
Various types of oil collected from plants such as mustard, soybean, parmesan, wheat, coconut, sunflower, and palm are a source of fat. Besides, pee nuts, pistachios, Chinese almonds are the source of fat.
Fat provides the following support in the human body.
It is necessary to have food containing 15-gram animal protein and 10-gram plant protein daily. Baby foods should contain much fat. 10% to 15% of the calorie requirement of an adult person should be derived from fat because it helps to keep the comeliness of the body. Insufficiency of fat for a long time may cause of erosion of protein and weight loss. Again excess protein hinders the blood circulation in the body. For this reason, many diseases attack in fat bodies. So, we must intake required fat daily.
The body needs another food component for natural bodybuilding and growth, even with the presence of required carbohydrates and protein in food. This component is a vitamin. Usually, normal food contains a small quantity of vitamins. Some vitamins are water-soluble and some are soluble in fat.
Vitamin is crucial to keep the body fit and natural growth. Interruption of various processes including erosion and growth of the body may cause vitamin deficiency. Vitamin is a compound of organic nature.
Let’s know Different Types of Vitamins and Their Functions.
A high quantity of vitamin A is available in animal source foods; such as egg, milk. butter, cheese, liver, and oily fish like codfishes. Vegetables were full of carotenes like red spinach, arum spinach, jute spinach, water spinach, carrot, sweet gourd, ladies finger, cabbage, peanuts, and various fruits such as mango, ripe papaya, jackfruit, etc.
Vitamin helps the body in the following way.
Teenage boys and girls, adult men and women, pregnant women need 2500iu vitamin daily.
The symptom of the disease is; the patient cannot see especially under low light or dim light. The disease attacks children much. The patient can be blind if the condition is continuing for a long time. Feeding the affected child green vegetables and colorful fruits is important. Vitamin A capsule helps to protect the disease. Vitamin A Capsule dosage is given to the children on vaccination days of our country Bangladesh.
Xerophthalmia is a medical condition in which the eye fails to produce tears. The curtain of the cornea of the eyes is hampered by the deficiency of vitamin A. A dry layer covers the cornea. The eye becomes dry and stops water secretion. Eyes cannot tolerate light. The eyelids become swollen. If the patient gets treatment on time, it can be cured. If it is not, the child can become blind.
Besides, natural growth is interrupted for vitamin A deficiency. Snivel, cough, scar, influenza may attack.
To get relief from these diseases we should consume food contains vitamin A daily.
Our body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on our skin. This vitamin synthesized in the skin with the help of ultraviolet rays of sunlight. Vitamin D is found only from an animal source. Yolk, small fishes, liver, milk, and butter are the source of vitamin D. Besides, it is found in cabbage and oily fishes.
Rickets is a childhood disorder that attacks the children for vitamin D deficiency. Their hands and legs may become curved and crippled. The children who grew up in a dark and wet room may suffer from this disease. Adult people suffer from osteoporosis.
Friends, we need to follow some rules as the problems cannot touch our loved ones. We know, sunlight helps to get vitamin D; so we must keep our babies under sunlight after massaging oil. We must feed our babies food full of calcium and vitamin D. Besides, we need to feed them foods full of other vitamins. We can take supplements if it is necessary.
Vitamin E is an essential vitamin for our body. Intake of vitamin E increases immunity. Vitamin E reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, muscle pain, cold attack, and other physical issues. All types of plant oil especially palm oil is the source of vitamin E. Vitamin E usually available in all types of food. Besides these, oil of grain seeds, cotton seeds’ oil, sunflower oil, lettuce, crop grain, corn frown, and dark green leaves are a great source of vitamin E. So, add these foods to your daily diet.
Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant, store the fat in the artery and keeps the skin healthy. Let’s see other functions of vitamin E in our body.
Death of a fetus in the uterus may occur for vitamin D deficiency. So, children, teenagers, and adult people should take food with 10-30 milligram vitamin E. 100-400 it can be taken for much support. You can take vitamin E supplements with the doctor’s prescription. Vitamin E is available in the market in the form of syrup, tablets, and capsules. It is a must to get a doctor’s advice before taking vitamin E.
These are some vitamins that are soluble in water which include Vitamin B complex. It is essential for the body and it is a must to have this vitamin in daily food. Many diseases can attack the insufficiency of this vitamin. Let’s see the nutritious value of this vitamin.
Eight B Vitamins are known as vitamin B Complex. These help foods to be transformed into energy. Vitamin B Complex is essential for natural growth, blood cell, hormones, and nerve system. 8 vitamins of vitamin B Complex are-
Vitamin B Complex is crucial for normal body health. These can be taken as a supplement and these are also found in foods. Let us know the source of these vitamins and their Physiological functions.
B complex is found almost in all the food. Enough quantity of vitamin E is available in vegetables and fruits. But, it is necessary to intake milk and egg or vitamin B 12.
Rice, diced with husking pedal, pulses, oilseeds, liver, fresh fruits are a source of this vitamin. A small quantity of this vitamin is available in animals like liver, egg, milk, and fish. The main purpose of this vitamin is to release the energy participating in the metabolism of carbohydrates. It also helps to keep the normal hungry feel and nervous system. Deficiency of vitamin B1 may cause Beriberi, weakness, abnormal heart beating, body pain.
Plenty of Vitamin Riboflavin is available in the liver, egg, milk, green vegetables, the soft tip of the tree, sprouted seeds. Leap of lip and palate, sore in corner of lip, rough skin may occur for vitamin B2 deficiency. Water release from eyes, trouble to open eyes in bright light, dryness in the throat may occur for the vitamin B insufficiency.
Itching, rough skin, weakness, diarrhea occurs for vitamin B3 deficiency.
Meat, liver, pulses, nuts, oilseeds, chickpeas, vegetables are the source of vitamin B5. Skin problems may occur for the deficiency of this vitamin.
Plenty of vitamin B6 is available in rice, fish, vegetables, chickpeas, kidney beans, mushrooms, egg yolk. It helps to produce energy. Usually, high blood pressure, anemia, depression, and skin problems occur for the deficiency of this vitamin.
The mental and physical growth of children is interrupted for the vitamin B 7 deficiency.
Blood loss and the distortion of a child in the mother womb occur for Vitamin B9 insufficiency.
Shortness of blood and a mental problem occurs from the deficiency of it. Fish is a vital source of this vitamin. A fish cell can store vitamins with the help of bacteria. It is available in sardine, salmon, and fish with slough. Besides, liver, milk, fish, meat, egg, cheese, kidney, etc. It helps to produce and increase in red blood cells. It also helps to increase white blood cells and red blood cells.
One of the vital sources of vitamin B in the liver. Beef liver is full of B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12. One piece of the 68-gram liver can fulfill more than half of the daily requirement of B6, B9, B12. Folate (B9) helps to prevent birth defects. B6 helps to have good sleep and produce a certain hormone to control temper. B12 helps to build up red blood cells. Soya milk, oats, nuts, seeds, spinach, bananas are a good source of vitamin B12.
Vitamin C is found in fresh vegetables and fruits. Gooseberry, tomato, lemon, orange, pineapple, guava are the source of vitamin C. Plenty of vitamin C is available in reddish, spinach, cauliflower, bitter gourd, basil leaves, coriander leaves, and green chili.
Vitamin C works as follows_
The below symptoms are exposed to severe deficiency of vitamin C.
Vitamins are responsible for performing very specific functions in the human body. Some act like hormones; others intervene in cellular reactions essential for the proper functioning of the tissues; others are responsible for processing nutrients such as proteins, fats, or carbohydrates; certain vitamins are used to produce blood cells or genetic material.
We must intake fresh sour type food daily with our required food. Besides, the intake of vitamin C tablets helps to get rid of this disease. In this case, it is mandatory to get a doctor’s advice.
We get food for our body nutrition. The food is mandatory for our fit and healthy life. So we need to have food containing all the above-discussed components. If we don’t, our bodies become weak and affected by diseases.
Minerals or mineral salt are crucial like a vitamin for the normal growth and nutrition of the human body. It mainly helps in cell construction. Human gets minerals mainly getting plant food. We usually fulfill our requirement of minerals with vegetables, fruits, milk, egg, fish, and drinking water.
Minerals have numerous functions in the human organism. Sodium, potassium, and chlorine are present as salts in body fluids, where they have the physiological function of maintaining osmotic pressure.
Minerals are part of the structure of many tissues. For example, calcium and phosphorus in bones combine to give firm support to the whole body. Minerals are found in body acids and alkalis; For example, chlorine is in the hydrochloric acid in the stomach. They are also essential constituents of certain hormones, for example, the iodine in the thyroxine produced by the thyroid gland.
Minerals are widely distributed in food and are relatively resistant to technological and culinary treatments. They are not affected by light and heat, but they can be lost in leachates, in cooking waters, retained in fiber that is not absorbed, etc.
The mineral content is variable according to the origin of the food. In addition, there are some foods that contain substances that act as anti-nutrients preventing the absorption of minerals because they form complexes with them, such as the phytic acid present in many vegetables.
Iron is one of the main components of blood. The quantity of iron is 50 mg in 100 ml of blood of the human body. It is stored in the liver, spleen, bone, and red blood cells. The plant source of iron is cauliflower leaves, leafy vegetables, neem leaves, figs, green banana, green vegetables, corn, wheat, nuts, etc. The animal source is fish, meat, egg, liver, etc. An adult male needs 9 mg, a female need 28 mg, pregnant and lactating mother need 12-14 mg, children need 10 mg iron daily.
Hemoglobin is one of the chief components of blood. Its purpose is to supply oxygen in the body. The quantity of hemoglobin reduces for blood reduction in the body. And hemoglobin reduction means the interruption of oxygen supply in the body. We feel tired and weak when we get less oxygen than the requirement. Besides this, some other problems may occur_
Animal protein plays a vital function to fulfill iron deficiency. Red meat is the best source of iron. Side to side; liver, the yolk is the same user to prevent anemia. Besides, iron is found from plant source-arum spinach and green banana. Watermelon and Cauliflower contain plenty of iron. Foods containing vitamin C along with cauliflower and vegetables are essential to eating while you are trying to get iron from a plant source.
Nutritionists advise eating vitamin C-type foods such as guava, gooseberry, orange, etc. to get the iron from food properly. It is because Vitamin C type foods help to absorb iron which comes from plant source in the body.
Calcium is one of the chief components for bone and teeth of the body. 2 percent of the total weight in the body is calcium. Calcium is comparatively more than any other minerals in the body. 90% of it is stored in bone and teeth adjoining with phosphorus and magnesium. Calcium is available in pulses, black gram, parmesan, soybean, cauliflower, carrot, fenugreek, drumstick, spinach, red spinach, arum spinach, pomelo, and some fruits like beetroot, grapes, and watermelon. Besides, it is available in a plant source, milk, egg, milk made foods, small fishes, dry fish, etc in the animal source.
Specialists advise, adult people need to get 700-milligram calcium daily. But during pregnancy and lactating mother need it more. It is necessary to intake vitamin D along with vitamin C. It helps to absorb calcium in the body. 99% of calcium of the human body is found in bone and teeth.
Calcium strengthens bone in the body. It keeps muscle contraction and heart function normal. It helps to control blood pressure. It plays a vital function in hormone secretion and various cell division in the body. It helps to coagulate the blood of any wound. It protects the body from chemical pollution. Calcium is one of the chief elements to save our body from any poisoning of heavy metal, especially those who are working or living in industrial areas. People who live in a city like Dhaka where shisha is in the air should take calcium regularly.
In regards to quantity, phosphorus is next to calcium among other mineral salts in the body. Phosphorus, like calcium, is another chief component of bone. It is stored in bone, liver, and blood. It participates in the main function to produce nucleic acid and nucleoprotein and also produces energy-absorbing carbohydrates. Phosphorus is available in plant sources– grains, beans, broad beans, cowpeas, chickpeas, nuts, etc. It is also available in animal sources like egg, milk, fish, meat, liver, etc.
The nutritious components of phosphorus maintain the activities of cell properly. It strengthens calcium management, bone, and teeth. It develops the action of the kidney and helps to produce ATP. ATP provides cell energy.
Anemia, muscle pain, improper bone construction, stiffness, hungry reluctance, and disease prevention ability can be reduced for phosphorus deficiency.
Wheat bread, chicken, Chicken liver, fish, pumpkin seeds, cheese, nuts, chickpeas, bean seeds, are the source of phosphorus. You should add these to your diet.
You can find phosphorus 121-130 milligram in cooked potato with peel, 124 mg in mushroom, 138-177 milligram in cooked oatmeal 3/4 cups 217-272 milligram in one cup milk, 238-246 milligram in ¾ cup yogurt, 126-157 milligram in cooked two eggs.
Foods with many components are needed to keep the body fit and healthy. It is another important component. Magnesium helps the body to fit and healthy. It is also necessary to keep heart well, control diabetes, control blood pressure, remove insomnia, and reduce mental stress and migraine pain. But most people are not aware of the important component. It is very easy to remove the magnesium deficiency in the body taking some special foods. Let us know the magnesium-rich foods. These foods are essential to be available in the daily diet.
Magnesium is an essential mineral for the body. It keeps muscles’ activity good, works to keep the body active. 19 to 30 years’ age women should take 310-milligram Magnesium. Above 30 years’ age, women need to take 320 milligrams. Magnesium is found more in bone and teeth. Magnesium is essential for various activities of the body like to keep blood pressure and heartbeat normal, to maintain metabolism rate, strengthen bone, body protection, control sugar level in blood, and protein production.
Various physical problems such as insomnia, high blood pressure, muscles’ tense, migraine, anxiety, osteoporosis, and heart problems occur for magnesium deficiency.
Usually, minerals are stored in bone, teeth, and blood cells of the human body. These minerals are essential to keep muscles, nerves, and heart in good condition. Heart, muscles, and nerves can be weaker for its’ deficiency. Let us see at a glance The Benefit of taking magnesium-rich foods.
Magnesium is a crucial component of some organs in the human body. It is essential for blood circulation and keeps the heart good. Many problems relating to the heart may occur for consuming insufficient magnesium-rich food.
Research shows colon cancer risk increases with the intake of spicy foods. Magnesium can reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Many researches show diabetes type 2 can be prevented with consuming magnesium-rich food.
Magnesium is useful as calcium for strong bone and teeth.
You can get relief from insomnia consuming the required quantity of vitamin B6 and magnesium.
The deficiency of magnesium can cause frustration. So, you have to intake magnesium-rich food to be away from frustration.
Magnesium is an important component to keep your health good. It is mandatory to keep magnesium-rich food in your daily diet. As it is important to eat regularly, it is also important to know what components are important for you. Magnesium-rich foods help in organ, chemical reactions in the body.
Potassium is an essential chemical component of the human body. It is known as electrolytes or the main energy supplier in blood. Many complicated troubles like high blood pressure, heart diseases, weakness, obesity, lethargy, insomnia may happen for potassium deficiency. Several times diarrhea or vomiting may cause potassium deficiency.
Potassium keeps the balance of water in blood and tissue, increases muscles and energy. It converts glucose into glycogen storing in the liver, which is required for excess energy. Nerve system can be hampered for potassium deficiency. Skin becomes dry and skin disease may occur for its’ deficiency.
Specialists advise eating natural potassium-rich foods in place of supplements to fulfill the deficiency of potassium. It is available in various vegetables and fruits. Spinach, Lettuce, broccoli, bean seeds, tomato, potato, orange, apple, banana, nuts, fish, green coconut, are rich in potassium. Potassium deficiency can be removed by consuming these foods.
Sea fishes like tuna and salmon, egg, milk, date, avocado, chicken breast contain plenty of potassium. Besides these, nuts and pistachios contain much potassium. Potassium-rich foods prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, cancer, digestive disorder, and infertility. It is mandatory for a pregnant woman to intake a fixed quantity of potassium daily. Keep in mind that the notorious value of potassium is decreased by half if it is cooked. So try to have uncooked potassium-rich foods, or you can bake in the oven.
Potassium is one of the important minerals for the human body. It helps to keep the activity of muscles and nerves. It keeps the balance of electrolysis and acid-alkali. Contraction and expansion of muscle, the exhilaration of nerves depends on a sufficient quantity of potassium. It helps to control blood pressure and keeps carbohydrates stored. A teenage girl may have high blood pressure problems in later age for potassium deficiency in their adolescence.
Electrolyte group of minerals is constructed with potassium, sodium, and chloride. It is called electrolyte as it produces electric drowning in water. Potassium is especially important to control the action of muscles and nerves. How fast and how much our muscles can be contracted or expanded; and how much excitement our nerves can tolerate depends on the presence of sufficient potassium.
A fixed quantity of potassium is required for the proper action of each cell. You will feel always tired of the lacking of sufficient potassium.
Potassium reduces pressure on nerves. So much eating of processed food means to reduce potassium quantity in your body with your own choice.
Sodium helps cell membrane construction properly. If the membrane is harmed, then the cell also harmed to a great extent. The daily requirement of Sodium is 70-80 mEq. Sodium is mixed with blood. A high quantity of sodium goes into the blood. A low quantity of sodium goes into a cell. This balancing of sodium keeps the cell healthy and lively. Life comes to a standstill without it.
The body keeps the sodium level accurate with its own process. Sodium rich food is necessary for the misbalance of sodium due to sickness or other issues. A sufficient quantity of sodium is available in all types of food. It is a wrong conception that salt intake can satisfy the sodium requirement. Rather it harms the kidney. Drink 3 liters’ water daily. Misbalance of sodium can occur for more or less of water drinking.
Sodium is available with various quantities in all types of food. It keeps the body fit and ensures natural growth. Sodium mixing with chlorine can protect the liquid hole comes from tissue attached with blood vessels. It participates in supplying various elements throughout the body.
Sea Salt, Soya Sauce, Bread, Cheese, milk, an egg of hen, beef, oysters, crabs, beet, potato, cabbage, banana, date, carrot, Salty water fish are the source of sodium.
Our blood is salty for much existence of sodium. This sodium plays a vital function from keeping a balance of liquid in the body to the action of nerves-blood vessels and control blood pressure.
2500 mg sodium is needed daily for the human body. It is an important constructive component for extracellular liquid.
Many diseases like nausea, dullness, weakness, and senselessness may occur for insufficient sodium. Less symptoms may occur for less deficiency if the insufficiency is on the high extent the person may become senseless.
The reasons for which salt can be reduced from the body are mentioned below.
Salty water and every component can be reduced if the liquid is reduced from the body for any reason. Excess vomiting, diarrhea, excess sweating are the cause of salty water loss or loss of salty water for taking any medicine. Reducing salt density as a result of excess liquid storage harms the body.
Water is stored in the body and salt density is lessened if the body fails to extract water for the trouble of kidney and liver. Salt can be lessened for trouble in the secretion of ADH hormone from the brain, which keeps the balance of liquid and salt. Usually, it occurs for brain injury, infection, tumors, and stroke.
Lessening of sodium can cause the destruction of the balance of liquid as it plays a vital function in maintaining the blood pressure, balance of liquid, activities of nerves and brain. As a result, headache, weakness, drowsiness, lessening of sensibility, attitude disorders, even convulsion may happen. The patient has the risk to be senseless or coma.
Prevention is always better than a precaution. Some precautions as sodium cannot be reduced.
It is a must to keep sodium-rich food in daily diet as sodium plays an important function from balancing the liquid in the body to activities of nerves and blood vessels and controlling the blood pressure.
Chlorine is another important mineral related to sodium. Chlorine deficiency occurs for the wastage of sodium in the human body and alkalinity occurs in the body. Salt, fish, and meat are the source of chlorine with sodium. Chlorine keeps the balance of water, acid, and alkali of the liquid as the chief electricity of the external liquid of the cell. It provides acidity in digestive liquid and helps in the enzyme process. So, the requirement of chlorine is fulfilled with the fulfillment of sodium.
Sulfur is another important mineral for you. It is found in various tissues of the human body and plays an important function in the body. It helps to prevent bacteria and protect them from poisonous things. Moreover, sulfur is essential for the development of compound tissues. It also helps to keep the integrity of the skin.
Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, banana, beetroot, garlic, onion, etc., and protein-rich foods such as fish, meat, duck, nuts are the source of sulfur. An egg is not only a source of protein; it has a high level of sulfur. Each egg contains 0.26 mg of sulfur. This food works as a source of sulfur for the cells of your body.
Sulfur is essential for the metabolism process of our body. Metabolism process is interrupted for its deficiency. The daily requirement of sulfur is 330 mg for the human body. It is necessary to keep sulfur in the daily diet to have healthy skin, building, and maintaining of hair and nail. Sulfur makes obstruction for colon and lung cancer and works as the agent of cancer protection.
You can choose the sulfur-rich foods with your own choice for your daily diet to ensure the requirement of sulfur in your body.
Iodine is another crucial component of the body. We do not pay importance on iodine even knowing the slogan “Eat iodine if you want to stay healthy.” It is a useful component to protect goiter, development of intelligence, and body health. The essential component Iodine of our bodies cannot be made with its own process. So we need to fulfill the iodine requirement from iodized salt and iodine-rich foods.
Let’s know the common source of iodine and its necessity for our body.
Using iodized salt is the main and easy way to prevent the problems of iodine deficiency. This salt is made for marketing in a moisture-resistant packet. It is needed to preserve keeping in an airtight bottle. The quality of iodine is removed away for washing with water.
Iodized salt needs to be kept out of reach of water vapor, sunlight, and high temperature. Its color turns into blackish purple in touch with lemon juice. Anybody can identify the iodized salt in this way. It is difficult to cure completely if iodine deficiency occurs. So, prevention is more desirable than treatment. So, everyone should be aware of the importance of iodine, troubles for its deficiency, and precaution of the deficiency.
Many of our daily foods are the super source of iodine. So, please know some easy source of iodine.
Almost all nutrients are available with less or much quantity in milk. 56 microgram iodine is available in one cup of milk.
Sea Fishes usually are a good source of iodine. This tasty food provides iodine along with protein and calcium.
Canned or opened tuna fish is found in the market. Iodine is available with much quantity of canned fish.
A boiled egg contains 12 microgram iodine along with vitamin A, D, Zinc, Calcium, and antioxidants.
One cup sour yogurt fulfills 58 percent of your daily iodine requirement.
Banana is unique for its nutritious value. You can get 3 microgram iodine along with potassium.
13 microgram iodine is available with plenty of vitamins and minerals in one cup of strawberry.
You can get 14 micro-gram iodine from a half cup of corn.
Add spinach and lettuce to your daily diet. It contains magnesium and various minerals. Green leaves keep your thyroid healthy. So the body will be fit.
Eat nuts daily, especially Almond. Pumpkin seeds are also useful. Iron and selenium are available in it, which keeps the thyroid healthy.
Himalayan salt is known as iodized salt. It keeps much more iodine than normal salt.
Potato is a good source of iodine. Boiled potato is full of iodine. 60 microgram iodine is available in a middle size boiled potato.
Seaweed contains plenty of iodine. It is a superb component to fulfill your daily requirement of iodine. You will be surprised knowing that, 7-gram dry Seaweed contains 4500 microgram iodine.
Bread can be a good source to fulfill your daily iodine requirement. 45 microgram iodine is available in 2 slices of white bread that can fulfill 30 % of your daily iodine requirement.
So, we will not depend only on iodized salt. Rather, add the foods in your daily diet.
The necessity of iodine for growing up children and pregnant women does not need to be explained. An adult person needs 150 micrograms of iodine. This quantity can be found from water and a regular diet. Sea fish, cod-liver oil, milk, meat, food grain, and vegetables contain sufficient iodine.
Iodine is called as ‘Trace Mineral’. It helps to construct the thyroid hormone in the body. Many complications may occur failing to consume sufficient iodine. Iodine deficiency can affect natural growth and construction of the body, especially it can be a health risk for pregnant women. If pregnant women do not consume sufficient iodine, their children can be born with an intellectual disability or hormone problems. Besides, the thyroid hormone has the main function for body growth and digestion and it is associated with iodine. The deficiency of iodine is responsible for lacking intelligence and learning. The thyroid gland becomes larger with inflammation for the excess of iodine deficiency. The thyroid gland is swelling as it tries to store iodine from the blood, and we know this inflammation as scrofula. The deficiency of iodine can create a prolonged problem for a child’s growth.
Iodine deficiency may cause of scrofula. Besides, lethargy, obesity, muscle pain may occur. Dryness of skin and fragility of nails may occur for insufficient iodine.
Immaturity of the brain and interruption of the child’s growth in the mother’s womb may occur for iodine deficiency. The children of mothers with iodine deficiency are always inferior to others to learn new things.
Pregnant mothers affected with scrofula and baby can be born with physical and mental disabilities.
The chance of miscarriage and birth of a dead child of a mother with scrofula is high.
The thyroid gland is crucial for the human body. The thyroid is one of the crucial internal glands that affects the whole process of the body. Iodine is an essential component of the human body. We need to have a clear conception about the mineral for the proper action of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland controls our physical growth and metabolism. You may suffer from the following symptoms for iodine deficiency.
Iodine is an important component for physical fitness, development of intelligence and to prevent scrofula. Especially, the necessity of iodine is unlimited for growing up a child and a pregnant woman. Please add iodine in your daily diet as iodine deficiency can occur several physical problems including nervous weakness, several physical disorders, and even severe problems of mental disabilities. Keep attention whether your family members are getting a sufficient quantity of iodine daily.
An adult person has 100 to 120-milligram copper in his body. Plenty of copper is available in the heart, liver, kidney, and brain whereas it is available in almost all cells of the human body. The normal quantity of copper is 0.15 milligram in per 100 ml blood.
The liver of animals, hearts, eggs, and snails are the animal source of copper. Besides, plenty of copper is available in nuts, lentils, soya beans, vegetables, and food grains. 1.5 to 2.0 copper is sufficient in the daily diet.
Copper is necessary for the construction of bone and nerve muscles and overall body growth. Copper affects oxidation and breakdown of several enzyme processes. These are peroxidase, cytochrome oxidase, phenol, etc. These enzymes help to produce heat energy, the creation of melanin, a pigment to transfer iron into Hb.
Copper, existing in Ceruloplasminaccelerate the supply of iron into Hb. Copper plays a function for adding iron in the transferrin and transmitting of iron to tissue. Iron insufficiency and anemia occur due to copper deficiency. Intake of copper can remove the anemia.
Zinc is found in most cells of the human body. But it is available much in bone muscles and bone. Zinc is an inevitable component to construct red blood cells and few enzymes. The total quantity of zinc is 1.4 to 2.3 grams in the body of an adult person. Zinc helps about 20 types of metalloenzymes.
Various plant sources like crops, pulses, nuts, oilseeds, and animal sources such as fish, meat, liver, and egg are the source of zinc. Children require 3 to 5 milligrams, adults 15 milligrams, and pregnant women require 20-milligram zinc daily.
Zinc helps the following actions in our body.
Growth and maturity of children are interrupted for prolonged zinc deficiency. Brain development is interrupted. Children’s taste of tongue cannot be constructed and lessen hunger. Malnutrition, kidney disease, and dysentery occur for zinc deficiency.
Fluoride is a negative ion of fluorine.it is represented with the chemical formula F. It is found in nature with trace quantity. It occurs naturally in air, soil, stones, freshwater, seawater, and various foods. Fluoride plays a crucial function in the minerals of bone and teeth; it is an important process to keep these hard and strong.
Seafoods and water in many areas are the sources of fluoride. The daily requirement of fluoride of our body is 1.5 to 4.0 milligrams.
It works to produce the enamel of teeth and helps to create hardness of bone and teeth. Decaying of teeth and osteoporosis occur for its deficiency.
Polonium is another important mineral for the human body. It is found in liver, kidney, heart, crops, and vegetables. An adult person needs to get 0.05 to 0.2-milligram Polonium daily. It is one of the important components of glutathione per oxygen enzyme. Heart disease, damage of liver and muscle weakness occur for Polonium deficiency.
Friends, so far, we have known the crucial minerals of the human body, their source, and the physiological functions of these in the human body. It is impossible for the body to be active without these nutritious elements or minerals. So, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of these components with sufficient quantity in our daily diet. These minerals and other components can go through the body by consuming foods and keep the body healthy and free from disease.
Water is an important component of food. Water is inevitable for the human body. Body construction and internal activities cannot be continued without water. 60% to 70% of our body weight is water. Almost food contain more or less water. Only by drinking water, we fulfill the requirement of water.
Water is an essential component for us to live in. 60 to 70 percent of the human body is water. The necessity of water is immense for body construction. Water is necessary to construct our blood, flesh, nerves, teeth, bone, etc. Water is available inside and outside of bone, flesh, skin, nail, and teeth. Body cell construction and physiological activities of the body are not possible at all without water.
Water controls all internal activities of the body. Water supplies various components of body construction throughout the body. No chemical reaction can be processed without water. It works as a diluent in the body. Various minerals are dissolved in water. Water helps in the digestion and adsorption of components of food. Water removes urea, ammonia, etc. poisonous elements created by metabolism, like sweating and urine.
The food digestion process is continued dissolving in water. Again, food components are absorbed by the body being dissolved in water. Blood is liquid for water, which plays a vital function in blood circulation. Constipation occurs and the metabolism process and blood circulation can be interrupted due to water deficiency. So, we must drink fresh water daily. Water controls the temperature by body sweating and vaporization.
Water in the body is balanced if the quantity of consumption and reduction of water is the same. An adult person needs to eat 2-3 liter of water daily. It is because the same quantity of water is reduced daily from our body. Dehydration may cause hot weather and hard labor. Immense thirst, interruption of blood circulation, and skin may crimp for water deficiency. Nerves and muscles become weak for water deficiency.
Water deficiency creates diseases. Senselessness may occur if water decreases 10% in the body. If suddenly much water gets away with stool and vomit for diarrhea and cholera; the patient needs to drink saline or salt-water urgently to fulfill the water deficiency. Oral saline keeps the balance of salt and water in the body.
Water is an inevitable component of food. Water is just next to oxygen to save life. Humans can live a few weeks without food but cannot live a few days without water. So, it is a must to drink sufficient water for a healthy life.
Nutritious food is required daily for the proper function of food in our body. It should be as per the requirement of age, labor, occupation, and health. It must be rich with all the important components. As a protein, carbohydrate, fat is needed for the construction of new tissues of the body, body growth, and increase of the ability of physical activities, in the same way, vitamins and mineral salt are needed for physical activities and good health.
A large part of our population is the victim of malnutrition. The main reason for the malnutrition is poverty, superstition, and ignorance. The main problems of malnutrition are malnutrition for protein-calorie deficiency, scrofula for iodine deficiency, night-blindness for vitamin A deficiency, and anemia for iron deficiency.
An ill-nourished child cannot be developed mentally which is alarming for the whole nation. They cannot participate in any developing activities in the later stage of their lives. It affects family, society, and country. So we need to make our daily diet plan assuring the availability of all components in our daily diet for our own well-being and the well-being of Nations.
© Smita Dey, 2022
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