16 Chapter 2: Basic Nutrition Introduction The simple fact that God gave food its flavor and human beings the ability to taste suggests that eating was meant, at least in part, to be enjoyable. Yet, God intended food to be more than just a source of enjoyment; it also serves an important and vital role in our overall health and well-being. For example, food provides the necessary nutrients the body needs to facilitate movement as well as the growth and repair of various bodily tissues. Therefore, when selecting foods to eat, it is important to consider which nutrients the body needs and not just how a particular food tastes. Nutrition is an interdisciplinary science that studies the chemical and physiological processes involved in digesting and delivering the chemical components of food to cells all over the body as well as how those components impact our health (Pope & Nizielski, 2020). An important component of food is the nutrients, or the chemical substances that are required for growth and proper body functioning. Our bodies can make many of its own nutrients, but other essential nutrients must be supplied by the diet because the body cannot make them (or enough of them) on its own. Due to conflicting viewpoints and findings in the literature, determining what is considered to be safe and healthy in terms of nutrition can be confusing. For example, certain healthcare professionals suggest that fruits, due to their high sugar content, are not overly healthy and should be seen as dessert, while other research suggests that the regular consumption of fruit can offer a variety of health benefits (Franziska et al., 2019). Similarly, some research suggests that plantbased diets are better at preventing cardiovascular disease than those including animal products, while other research shows an inverse relationship between animal protein consumption and cardiovascular mortality risk (Kahleova et al., 2018; Meroño et al., 2021). And finally, some research suggests that decreasing saturated fat intake can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, while other research suggests that current limits on saturated fat are no longer justified (Briggs et al., 2017; Nutrition Coalition, 2020). Despite the conflicting information in the literature, this chapter will provide recommendations for a lifetime of safe and healthy nutritional habits and strategies. 6 Major Nutrients There are six major nutrients that the body needs and they are divided into two main categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Although both need to be consumed daily for optimal health, the amount required of each differs significantly between the two categories. Macronutrients are required in large amounts because they provide energy (except for water), whereas micronutrients do not provide energy and are required in small amounts. All six classes of nutrients are important for normal body function and growth. Table 2.1 lists the six major nutrients by category.
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