The Basics: Six Essential Nutrients | Health and Wellness | Washington State University (2024)

Wellness Wednesday TipWith the New Year comes a fresh start and the opportunity to add new healthy habits. Try focusing on goals that addsomething to your life instead of focusing on what needs to be removed. What you choose to focus on can make or break the long term success of your goals

Sometimes how we frame or see a goal can be the deciding factor in how well we accomplish it.An example of how to apply this thinking is “I will fill my daily meals with more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains” VS “I will stop eating that bag of chips”Focusing on the positive addition will elicit healthful habits instead of short lived change. Write your goals down and place them somewhere you will frequently be reminded of them like your planner, phone or bathroom mirror.

By April D. Davis, RDN, CD, ACSM CEP

Believe it or not, nutrition is all about biology and chemistry, otherwise known as biochemistry. Your body runs like a well-oiled machine due to the thousands of chemical processes that are occurring inside it every second of every day. It’s important to support these processes fully by providing your body with a wide variety of nutrients. Foods provide the nutrients needed for your body to grow, repair, regulate, and maintain itself – especially after the “hits” it might have taken during the holiday season.

There are six basic nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. All of these are classified as essential. Your body requires essential nutrients to function properly. These nutrients must be obtained from the foods you eat; your body cannot make them on its own.

The two major categories of nutrients are macronutrients and micronutrients. You need a large amount of macronutrients on a daily basis. They provide your body with energy in the form of calories. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are the three macronutrients. Micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals are required in smaller amount, hence the prefix “micro. Water fits into its own class and requirements for it vary greatly depending on your weight, activity level, and medical condition.

In upcoming blog posts, I’ll be talking about each of the six basic nutrients in great detail. My focus will be on explaining how each nutrient is used in everyday life, giving examples of healthy food choices, and relaying the unique role each nutrient plays in supporting your body. It is my goal to cultivate dialogue and education as it relates to nutrition and health through these blog posts. Happy Eating!

The Basics: Six Essential Nutrients | Health and Wellness | Washington State University (2024)

FAQs

The Basics: Six Essential Nutrients | Health and Wellness | Washington State University? ›

There are six basic nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

What are the six classes of nutrients answer key? ›

There are six classes of nutrients required for the body to function and maintain overall health. These are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals.

What are the 6 basic nutrients in Quizlet? ›

Q-Chat
  • Carbohydrates.
  • Fats.
  • Proteins.
  • Vitamins.
  • Minerals.
  • Water.

What is a trick to remember the 6 classes of nutrients? ›

E stablish mnemonics to help you remember information. "To help me remember the six main types of nutrients, I will make a sentence using the first letters: c, f, p, v, m, and w. If I move these letters around, I can create the sentence: When can fat people visit me?

What are the six vital nutrients essay? ›

These nutrients include; carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates are a main source of energy for the brain and reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Proteins are a major structural component of cells and builds and repairs body tissues.

What are the six 6 types of nutrients? ›

There are six basic nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. All of these are classified as essential. Your body requires essential nutrients to function properly. These nutrients must be obtained from the foods you eat; your body cannot make them on its own.

What are essential nutrients in Quizlet? ›

Essential nutrients are those nutrients that are vital for your health, but they cannot be produced in your body, so you have to get them from foods or dietary supplements in order to be healthy.

Which of the following is not one of the six 6 key nutrients? ›

The six types of nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. In this case, fiber is not included.

What are the 6 classes of nutrients including which are energy yielding? ›

Name the six classes of nutrients and list which ones are energy-yielding nutrients. Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals and Water. Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins are energy yielding nutrients. Memorize the name of the building blocks of the energy-yielding nutrients.

What is the most important vitamin for your body? ›

Although all vitamins are essential and serve unique and important functions in the body, many health experts would agree that the three most important vitamins are vitamin D, B12, and iron. These crucial nutrients are essential for good health, and deficiencies are either common and/or can have severe consequences.

What is the best way to get enough of these 6 essential nutrients? ›

Takeaway. Eating a varied diet full of fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins and fats, and whole grains is the best way to get enough of these six essential nutrients plus the important category of phytonutrients — the beneficial chemicals in colorful plants that prevent disease.

What is the acronym to remember nutrients? ›

Just a handful of elements are considered macronutrients—carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. (A mnemonic for remembering these elements is the acronym CHONPS.)

Which of the six basic nutrients is the most important? ›

Water is probably the most important essential nutrient that a person needs. A person can only survive a few days without consuming water. Even slight dehydration can cause headaches and impaired physical and mental functioning. The human body is made up of mostly water, and every cell requires water to function.

Which supplies your body with energy? ›

Carbohydrates are one of the six major nutrients and the main source of energy. Examples of carbohydrates include sugars, starch, and fiber in the diet. The body's top priority is to provide enough energy for all cellular activities needed to sustain life. Carbohydrates are the preferred source of energy.

Which of the following vitamins is good for eyesight? ›

Vitamin A is essential for good vision. It is a component of the protein rhodopsin, which allows the eye to see in low-light conditions. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a deficiency in vitamin A can lead to night blindness.

What are the 6 classes of nutrients and indicate which ones are energy containing? ›

Summary
ClassificationNutrient
MacronutrientCarbohydrate, protein, lipids, water
MicronutrientVitamins, minerals
Energy-YieldingCarbohydrate, protein, fat
OrganicCarbohydrate, protein, lipids, vitamins
2 more rows

What are the six classes of nutrients that all animals require? ›

Animals also require a balanced diet that consist of six nutrient classes: water, carbohydrates, lipids, protein, vitamins, and minerals (Figure 1). Each nutrient class meets unique requirements for the survival, growth, reproduction, and health of your animals (Pond et al., 2004).

Can nutrients be divided into these six classes carbohydrate fat protein vitamins minerals and water? ›

The six major nutrients needed for good nutrition are carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Each is important for the bodily func- tions it supports. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins also provide energy to your body. Carbohydrates are nutrients made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules.

What are the six major classes of nutrients and which yield energy? ›

In summary, the six major classes of nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are organic and yield energy, while vitamins, minerals, and water are inorganic and do not yield energy directly but play important roles in the body's processes.

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