An essential nutrient is a nutrient required for normal body functioning that cannot be created by the body and thus must be incorporated into your diet. Some categories of essential nutrients include vitamins, dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids.
1) Water – is the body most important and basic nutrient that your body needs. Without water you would die in just a few days. It has been recommended that you drink up to eight glasses of water a day. During an M Nicholson Hip Hop Fitness class it seems as though people meet this quota. Plus by drinking that much water, it is very good for your skin, and can make you look younger.
2) Protein – this nutrient is essential for the maintenance of the body. The amino acids provide the buidling blocks for tissue, blood cells, hormones and enzymes. The best source of protein is meat, poultry, fish, milk products, and eggs. It is believed that about 10 to 15 percent of your daily intake should be from protein.
3) Carbohydrates – carbs are important because they provide you with the energy that you need to get through the day. Let alone your Hip Hop Fitness workout. Complex carbohydrates, or starches, are found in foods such as grains, potato’s and rice. It is said that carbohydrates should be 55 to 60 percent of your diet.
4) Fiber – is a nutrient that is indigestible. It is also a carbohydrate that is important in regulating your bodies functions. There are two types of fiber. There is insoluble and soluble. It is believed that insoluble fiber aids in the prevention of hemorrhoids and may also protect against cancer of the lower bowl. Insoluble fiber can be found in brown rice, brain, whole grain cereals and broccoli. Soluble fiber is thought to help reduce cholesterol and thus reduce the risk of heart and arterial disease. This type of fiber can be found in oats, peas, beans, root vegetables, and citrus fruits. It is recommended that you should consume of 20g to 35g per day from different sources.
5) Fat – stores energy. It also an insulator that protects the body against heat loss. Fat also helps produce hormones, cushion vital organs like the liver and kidneys, and aid in the absorption of certain vitamins. It is suggested that fat be no more than 30 percent of the diet. The issue is however many people eat more. There are two main types of fat: saturated (predominant fat in vegetable oils). Avoid fried and sugary foods at all costs due to the very little nutritional value they possess. Unsaturated fats, especially the monounsaturated fat in olive oil, may help protect against heart disease.
6) Vitamins – are organic compounds. They essential for body growth, function, maintenance and repair. Vitamins are broken down into two groups, water soluble and fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins including the B complex group and vitamins C, need to be resupplied daily due the body’s inability to store them. Fat soluble vitamins, including A, D, E, and K, are stored by the body for long-periods of time. For this reason excessive intake may be harmful. A balanced diet should provide all the vitamins that the body needs.
7) Minerals – are inorganic compounds that aid in energy production and body maintenance as well as assisting in the control of body reactions. The mineral nutrient contains three groups; macro minerals, electrolytes and micro elements. Macro minerals such as calcium magnesium should be taken in larger doses. Electrolytes are sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. The body needs very small amounts of micro minerals such as chromium cooper, fluoride, iodine, iron magnesium and, molybdenum, selenium, sulfur, and zinc. A balanced diet consisting of meats and vegetables can assist you in meeting these dietary needs.
