Nutrients are such a chemical formation contained in a food that is essential for our body to survive, grow and reproduce. There are different types of nutrients such as Protein, Carbohydrates, Fiber, Vitamins, and minerals etc. Different Foods have different types of nutrients in different quantities. The nutrient chart given below gives a basic idea of our requirements for nutrition.
| Nutrients Chart | |||
| Nutrient | Daily need | Function | Source |
| Carbohydrates | 130 g | energy production, energy storage, building macromolecules, sparing protein | milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies |
| Fibers | 38 g | body’s use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood | whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts. |
| Linoleic acid (omega 6) | 17 g | skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism | sunflower, safflower, soy, sesame, and corn oils. |
| Protein | Weight gm/1000 | repair cells and make new ones | Milk, beans, egg, cheese, dairy food. |
| alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) | 1.6 g | decrease the risk of heart disease by helping to maintain normal heart rhythm | flaxseed oil, and in canola, soy, perilla, and walnut oils |
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin A2 | 900 μg | body’s natural defense against illness and infection (the immune system | yellow, red and green (leafy) vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers |
| Vitamin C | 90 mg | protect cells and keeping them healthy | citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato juice, and potatoes |
| Vitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol) | 5–15 μg | helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus | flesh of fatty fish |
| Vitamin E (as alpha tocopherol) | 15 mg | act as an antioxidant | Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils |
| Vitamin K | 120 μg | various proteins that are needed for blood clotting and the building of bones | green leafy vegetables – such as broccoli and spinach |
| Thiamin | 1.2 mg | the body’s cells change carbohydrates into energy | whole grains, meat, and fish |
| Riboflavin | 1.3 mg | help the body to convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy. | eggs, organ meats (kidneys and liver), lean meats, and milk |
| Niacin4 | 16 mg | help our cells grow and function | Many vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy products |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.3 mg | Make antibodies | potatoes other starchy vegetables, and fruit |
| Folic acid5 | 400 μg | revenging and treating low blood levels of folate (folate deficiency) and high blood levels of homocysteine | oranges, whole-wheat products, liver, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and spinach |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.4 μg | to form red blood cells and DNA | Spinach, Beetroot, Potatoes, Mushrooms, alfalfa, banana |
| Pantothenic acid | 5 mg | convert nutrients into energy and to make and break down fats | poultry, seafood |
| Biotin | 30 μg | metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids, the building blocks of protein | seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables |
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 1,000–1,200 mg | blood clotting, helping muscles to contract, and regulating normal heart rhythms | milk, cheese, and other dairy foods |
| Chromium | 35 μg | breakdown of fats and carbohydrates | grain products, fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices |
| Copper | 900 μg | works with iron to help the body form red blood cells. | whole grains, beans, nuts, potatoes |
| Fluoride | 4 mg | reduce tooth decay | Grapes, Raisins |
| Iodine | 150 μg | makes the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine | Strawberries, Cranberries and Pineapple |
| Iron | 8 mg | oxygen transport and storage | carrots |
| Magnesium | 400–420 mg | helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function | Prickly Pears |
| Manganese | 2.3 mg | helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormone | whole grains, clams, oysters, mussels, nuts, soybeans and other legumes, rice |
| Molybdenum | 45 μg | process proteins and genetic material like DNA | black-eyed peas and lima beans |
| Phosphorus | 700 mg | the growth, maintenance, and repair of all tissues and cells | milk and milk products and meat and alternatives, such as beans, lentils, and nuts. |
| Selenium | 55 μg | help to make DNA and protect against cell damage and infections | Protein foods from animals |
| Zinc | 11 mg | needed for the body’s defensive | avocados, blackberries, pomegranates, raspberries, guavas, cantaloupes, apricots, peaches, kiwifruit, and blueberries |
μg = microgram (one millionth (1×10−6) of a gram)
mg = milligram ( a thousandth of a gram)
g =gram
