One meal, many jobs

About this video

Dinner is rice with lentils, yoghurt and a salad. To you it is one meal; to your body it is many different things, each with its own job. Nutrients are the substances in food that the body uses for energy, to grow and to repair itself, and they come in a few families.

Carbohydrates (starches, sugars and fibre) are the body's main source of energy. Protein, made of smaller pieces called amino acids, builds and repairs the body, from muscles to skin. Fats are a rich store of energy; the body also uses them to build the walls of its cells and to take in vitamins A, D, E and K. Vitamins are needed in small amounts for the body to work properly. Minerals include calcium for bones and teeth and iron for making red blood cells. And water is needed for almost everything the body does. Most foods hold several: lentils give carbohydrate, protein and fibre; yoghurt gives protein, fat and calcium.

Carbohydrates are not the enemy. The World Health Organization says they should give a large share of a healthy diet's energy, mainly from whole grains, vegetables, fruits and pulses; sugar added to food and drinks is a different story. Fats are not bad either, but the kind matters: WHO advises that fat give no more than 30 per cent of the day's energy, mostly from plant oils rather than lots of butter, ghee and fatty meat, and that factory-made trans fat be avoided.

Do you need supplements? The NHS says most people can get all the nutrients they need from a varied, balanced diet. Some people are advised one, such as folic acid when trying for a baby and early in pregnancy, or vitamin D where there is little strong sunlight. More is not better, and some vitamins can harm in large amounts, so ask a doctor, nurse or pharmacist first. This video explains nutrients, from the lesson What Food Is Made Of on Knaph.

Transcript

1. 0:00Rice, lentils, yoghurt and a salad. One meal, but many different things.
2. 0:06Nutrients come in families. Carbohydrates, the main source of energy. Protein, for building and repair. Fats, a rich energy store that also builds cells and takes in vitamins. Vitamins, in small amounts. Minerals, like calcium for bones and iron for blood. And water, for almost everything.
3. 0:31Most foods hold several. Lentils give carbohydrate, protein and fibre. Yoghurt gives protein, fat and calcium.
4. 0:39Are carbohydrates bad? No. The World Health Organization says they should give a large share of your energy, mainly from whole grains, vegetables, fruit and pulses.
5. 0:52Fat should give no more than thirty per cent of the day's energy. Mostly plant oils rather than lots of butter or ghee. And avoid factory-made trans fat.
6. 1:06Most people get everything from a varied diet. Some are advised a supplement, like folic acid in pregnancy or vitamin D with little sun. More is not better. Ask a doctor first.
7. 1:20Many nutrients, many jobs. A varied plate covers them.