With Crazy Al Bushway

The six classes of nutrients:

1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Vitamins
5. Minerals
6. Water

Nutrient Functional Categories

• Provide calories
• Growth, development, and maintenance
• Regulate body processes

Carbohydrates: Can’t live with ‘em, pass the beer nuts.

• Composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
• Major source of fuel (ehhh)
• Glucose (monosaccharide) is America’s favorite carb
• Comes in simple and complex forms
• Dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble)
• There are 4 kilocalories in a gram of carbohydrate.

Lipids: Don’t even pretend you don’t love them.

• Composed of carbon, hydrogen, but less oxygen
• Mainly stored in the body as triglycerides (fats and oils)
• Plants tend to provide oils and animals tend to provide fats
• Unsaturated fatty acids (yummers) tend to be found in oils
• Fats tend to contain saturated fatty acids
• There are essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6) which you can get from fish and flax or giant freaking pills
• Fats and oils provide 9 kcal per gram
• Cholesterol is a lipid (AN EVIL LIPID)
• Phospholipids form cell membranes

Proteins: MOM, THE MEATLOAF, FUUUUCK

• Composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen
• Structural material/Functional molecules
• 9 essential amino acids
• 11 nonessential amino acids
• 1 all-powerful amino acid to rule them all
• They yield 4 kcal of energy per gram

BONUS FACT: You get 7 kilocalories per gram of alcohol consumed!

Vitamins: Making Lucky Charms healthy since 1963

• Composed of various elements
• Enable chemical reactions and coenzymes
• Fat soluble (A, D, E, K)
• Water soluble (B-complex & C)

Minerals

• They are inorganic and have no carbon
• They function in cellular process, the nervous system, water balance, and the structural systems
• Not destroyed during cooking but may be leached from food
• There are trace and major minerals as well as electrolytes
• Minerals yield no energy

Water

• Composes the majority of our body weight and our food
• Recommended intake is 9-13 cups a day
• It’s a solvent, lubricant, medium for transport, chemical processes, and temperature regulator

Phytochemicals (DELICIOUS)

• They are found in plants
• Not considered essential nutrients
• Provide significant health benefits
• Found in fruits and veggies