The 6 Essential Nutrients

Vitamins

A organic compound that is needed in small amounts to help promote normal growth and development

Function

Help regulate body processes such as blood clotting and growth

Help prevent disease

Water Soluble

The body doesn't store these vitamins

Unused vitamins are flushed out in urine, which is why they are needed every day

Types

Vitamin C

Function: Boosts the immune system, keeps gums healthy helps repair and form bones, tissues and blood, and prevents bruising

Deficiency Symptoms: Scurvy, dry skin, bleeding gums, bruising

Sources: citrus fruits (oranges, lemons), strawberries, peppers, and tomatoes

B-Vitamins

Thiamin

Function: Helps release the energy from carbohydrates in food

Deficiency Symptoms: Beriberi - characterized by rapid heart rate, vomiting, difficulty walking, loss of feeling in hands and feet, and shortness of breath

Sources: Pork, liver, green vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, yeast

Riboflavin

Function: Helps keep lips, tongue, eyes and skin healthy, helps the body use protein, carbohydrates, and fat

Deficiency Symptoms: Scaly and dry facial skin, smooth and purplish tongue, and cracks in the corner of the mouth

Sources: Milk, liver, dark green vegetables, whole grain cereals and breads

Niacin

Function: Keeps the nervous system healthy, helps the body use macronutrients energy, helps aid digestion

Deficiency Symptoms: Dermatitis, diarrhea, and pellagra

Sources: Peanut butter, chicken, beef, fish, pork, whole grain breads and cereals

B5

Function: Helps the body build red blood cells, helps the body use energy from macronutrients

Deficiency Symptoms: Vomiting, cramps, fatigue, irritability

Sources: Egg yolks, liver, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cheese, soybeans etc.

B6

Function: Needed for brain function and development, helps the body use energy from macronutrients

Deficiency Symptoms: Short term memory loss, muscle weakness. and irritation of the skin

Sources: Poultry, fish, meat, lentils, nuts, and leafy green vegetables

B7

Function: Needed for healthy nails and hair, helps the body use the energy from macronutrients

Deficiency Symptoms: Hair loss, insomnia, scaly skin, dermatitis, and dry eyes

Sources: Egg yolks, brewers yeast, sardines, legumes, and nuts

Folate

Function: Important for development of babies, and needed for the formation of red blood cells

Deficiency Symptoms: Sore tongue, and anemia

Sources: Leafy green vegetables, legumes, enriched pasta and grain products, poultry, and beef

B12

Function: Helps cell growth, protects nerve fibres, creates red blood cells

Deficiency Symptoms: Weakness, anemia. and loss of balance

Sources: Fortified soy products, milk, eggs, poultry and meat

Fat Soluble

Dissolved in fats and are
carried throughout the body

Can be stored in fatty tissues so it is not
necessary to have them each day as they can become toxic

Types

Vitamin A

Function: Helps with vision
and promotes growth, healthy hair
and healthy skin

Deficiency Symptoms: Blindness and
night blindness

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Headache, nausea, and
blurred vision

Sources: Liver, some fish, cheese, milk

Vitamin D

Function: Helps the absorption of calcium which builds strong teeth and bones

Deficiency Symptoms: Rickets, weakness, bone pain

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Excess of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), nausea, kidney damage, and weakness

Sources: Fortified milks, fish oils, when the body is exposed to sunlight

Vitamin E

Function: Helps maintain the immune function

Deficiency Symptoms: Muscular weakness. vision problems

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Internal bleeding
diarrhea , and weakness

Sources: Wheat germ, plant oils, egg yolks

Vitamin K

Function: Helps blood clot

Deficiency Symptoms: Frequent bruising, poor blood clotting

Toxic Levels Symptoms: jaundice, and liver
toxicity in children

Sources: Plant oils (canola, olive etc), and dark green leafy vegetables

Minerals

Inorganic compound or element that is needed in small amounts by the body

Can't be destroyed or created by the body

Function

Provide structure in forming teeth and bones

Helps nerves function properly, muscle contraction, and helps the heart keep its rhythm

Helps balance the bodys acidity

Helps cells become hormones and enzymes

Macrominerals

Are needed daily and in large amounts (100mg a day)

Types

Calcium

Function: Builds teeth and bones, used by blood vessels to help blood transport, and used by nerves and muscles

Deficiency Symptoms: Osteoporosis, and stunted growth

Toxic Level Symptoms: Constipation, inhibits zinc absorption, and kidney stones

Sources: Milk, milk products, fish with edible bones, legumes, broccoli

Phosphorus

Function: Works with calcium to build teeth and bones

Deficiency Symptoms: Appetite loss, loss of calcium in the bones, nausea, and weakness

Toxic Level Symptoms: Muscle spasms, and diarrhea

Sources: Beef, pork, poultry, legumes, fish

Magnesium

Function: Needed in the function of the nerve system and muscles, builds teeth and bones

Deficiency Symptoms: Weakness, muscle spasms, stunted growth in children

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Dehydration and diarrhea

Sources: Fish, legumes and whole grain cereal

Sodium

Function: Helps blood pressure control, needed for nerve and muscle functions

Deficiency Symptoms: Fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Kidney disease, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure

Sources: Sea and table salt, foods that are processed with salt

Potassium

Function: Helps with digestion and muscular function, maintains fluid balance

Deficiency Symptoms: Paralysis, constipation, irregular heartbeat, and weakness

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Nausea and irregular heartbeat

Sources: Dried fruits, potatoes, milk, bananas, beans, and lentils

Chloride

Function: Helps maintain body acidity, is a part of the hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and helps maintain the water balance in the body

Deficiency Symptoms: Poor appetite, muscle cramps

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Increased blood pressure, vomiting

Sources: Sea and table salt, tomatoes, rye, seaweed

Trace Minerals

Needed in small amounts a day

Types

Iron

Function: An important part of hemoglobin
in the blood and is needed for oxygen to be transferred to the bloodstream

Deficiency Symptoms: Weakness, anemia, fatigue and pale complexion

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Decreased zinc
absorption, blue discoloration of the skin, vomiting, abdominal pain, and increases heart disease risk

Sources: Beef, pork, poultry, fish, legumes, prunes, spinach, fortified flour

Zinc

Function: Helps heal wounds, component of insulin and enzymes, helps keep eyes, nails and hair healthy

Deficiency Symptoms: Slow wound healing, stunted growth, loss of taste, appetite and hair

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Metallic taste in mouth, weakness nausea, vomiting

Sources: Beef, poultry, pork, nuts, grains, bread, milk

Iodine

Function: Part of thyroid hormones
that helps control the metabolism

Deficiency Symptoms: Thyroid disease, goiter, cretinism

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Thyroid disease, decreased thyroid function

Sources: Seaweed, iodized salt, seafood, kelp

Fluoride

Function: Helps keep bones and teeth healthy

Deficiency Symptoms: Dental disease, tooth decay

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Skeletal fluorosis, dental fluorosis

Sources: Fluoridated water, shrimp, tea, and bread

Selenium

Function: Acts as a antioxidant, needed for thyroid hormone production

Deficiency Symptoms: Muscle pain, anemia

Toxic Levels Symptoms: Fingernail and hair loss,metallic/garlic breath

Sources: Eggs, fish, liver, pork, nuts, whole grains

Fats

Function

Provides stored energy to the body

A concentrated source of energy

Helps the absorption of vitamins and minerals

Carries fat-soluble vitamins

Saturated Fat

A fat that typically comes from animal or milk products. It is solid at room temperature

Foods high in saturated fat are deemed not "heart healthy" as they cause the body to synthesize LDL and raise blood cholesterol levels in the body

Examples include: Butter, cakes, fatty cuts of meat, and sausages

Unsaturated Fat

A fat that typically comes from a
plant source. It is liquid at room temperature

Can reduce cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels while raising HDL levels

Can be found in: Olive oil, canola oil, avocado, olives, peanuts

Trans Fat

Are solid or semi solids

Occur naturally in some animal products

Most are formed when unsaturated fat goes through a process called hydrogenation which is when a unsaturated fat that is liquid at room temperature gets modified by adding hydrogen atoms to the fatty acid. This results in the fat becoming solid.

Raised the LDL levels while lowering HDL levels

Increases risk of stroke and heart attack

Can be found in: Shortening, most hard margarines, commercial cookies, and commercial crackers

Excess

Obesity

The number of Canadian adults that are obese tripled since 1985

Links to diabetes, various cancers, stroke and heart disease

Cardiovascular Disease

Refers to any disease that affects the heart and the blood vessels

Atherosclerosis, heart attack and, stroke are
all linked to high intakes of fat

Trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol all promote plaque build up in the arteries

High Cholesterol

Associated with heart disease, stroke, and heart attack

Individuals who have high blood cholesterol need to choose soluble fibre and unsaturated fats, which help to reduce HDL levels

Cholesterol

A chemical substance produced in the body and consumed in foods of animal origin

Low density lipoprotein
(LDL) cholesterol

Called bad/unhealthy cholesterol

Can contribute to heart disease if there is high levels

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol

Called good/healthy cholesterol

Moves LDL through the arteries
which combats its negative effects

Carbohydrates

Function

To provide energy to the body

Your brain needs a constant supply of
carbohydrate to function

Simple Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates made with
1 or 2 sugar molecules

Sugars

Can be found in: Milk, cookies, cakes, and
fruit juice concentrate

Sugars include: Glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sucrose (table sugar). Refined sugars include corn syrup, brown sugar and molasses

Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates that are made
of multiple sugar molecules

Starches

Made up of multiple glucose
molecules called polysaccharides

Found in: Potatoes, oats, and
dried beans

Dietary Fibre

The only carbohydrate
that doesn't provide energy

Insoluble fibre promotes regular bowel movements and helps prevent constipation. Soluble fibre may reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Can only be found in plants such as: Carrots,
berries, oats, rye, and barley

Excess

Due to the body not being able to store an excess of carbs, the body uses the excess for energy instead of fat, causing weight gain.

Eating large amounts of sweetened foods can
lead to weight gain, which can contribute to
health problems.

Can also lead to, insulin resistance,
heart disease, diabetes, and tooth decay

Deficiency

The body begins to break down fats for energy due to the lack of carbs which results in the production of ketones

Can lead to: loss of muscle mass, loss of
energy, and weakness

Ketosis

A condition that results from the body using fats as the main source of energy

Water

Our body is made up of 75% water and is critical for survival

Function

Delivers nutrients to cells

Helps maintain normal body
temperature

Lubricates our joints

Helps flush out our body's waste material

Acts as a shock absorber in our eyes joints and spinal cord and joints

Excess

Toxic amounts of water may be dangerous

Drinking a lot of water at once can put stress on the bladder and kidneys as they are unable to process the water properly

Deficiency

Dehydration

The excessive loss of water from the body

Symptoms include: Dizziness, fatigue, elevated body temperature, increased heart rate, cramping, headaches, nausea, weakness, dry mouth, and dark urine.

Protein

Function

Used to help the body grow and repair worn-out, damaged parts

Enzymes help promote body processes
such as absorption and digestion of
nutrients

Helps fight disease

Complete Protein

Animal Products

Proteins that supply all 9 essential amino acids

Can be found in: Steak, lamb, chicken, salmon, tofu, eggs, and milk

Incomplete Protein

Plant Products

Incomplete proteins are proteins that are lacking one or more essential amino acids

Except for soybeans, quinoa, all foods from plant sources are incomplete proteins

Can be found in: apples. oranges, carrots, lettuce, peppers, and kale

Amino Acids

Chemical building blocks

The component part of protein

There is 22 amino acids

Excess

Kidney Damage

Kidneys try to flush out the by-products created by the breakdown of unneeded amino acids

May result in the body needing to perspire more and produce more urine because of the amount of work the kidneys do.

Deficiency

Kwashiorkor

The person gets the required amount of
calories, but they mainly come from carbohydrates. The carbs fight off the feeling of being full but don't supply the nutrients for development and growth.

Often seen in children who are malnourished
and/or victims of famine due to the lack of nourishment

Symptoms include: Swelling of the feet, legs, and arms, bulging abdomen, discoloured skin, thinning/lightening of hair, body sores, and loss of energy

Marasmus

Caused by inadequate energy
consumption from all macronutrients,

A severe form of starvation and malnutrition

The body breaks down muscle and body fat due to the malnutrition

Symptoms include: Severe depletion of body fat and muscle

It's possible for someone to have symptoms of both Kwashiorkor and Marasmus, this is called marasmic kwashiorkor.