Micronutrients

Home > Life Skills > Nutrition and cooking (life skill) > Micronutrients

The nutrients required in smaller amounts by the human body, including vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins: Understanding the different types of vitamins, their functions, sources and daily recommended intake.
Minerals: Understanding the role of minerals in our body, different kinds of minerals, their sources and daily requirements.
Trace elements: Understanding the importance of trace elements like iron, chromium and zinc, their functions and sources.
Antioxidants: Understanding the role of antioxidants in the body, their sources and benefits.
Phytonutrients: Understanding the importance of phytonutrients, their sources and potential health benefits.
Macronutrients: Understanding the role of macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats, their sources and appropriate portion sizes.
Micronutrient deficiencies: Understanding common micronutrient deficiencies, their symptoms, causes and preventative measures.
Food preparation techniques: Learning cooking methods that help to retain the maximum amount of micronutrients in food.
Supplements: Understanding the effectiveness, safety and appropriate use of micronutrient supplements.
Balanced diet: Understanding how to plan a balanced diet that meets daily nutrient requirements.
Food labeling: Understanding how to read and interpret food labels to make informed decisions about nutrient intake.
Food storage and preservation: Understanding how to store and preserve food to retain its nutritional value.
Cooking for specific health conditions: Learning how to adapt cooking techniques and ingredient choices to meet the specific nutritional needs of individuals with health conditions like diabetes, heart disease or gastrointestinal disorders.
Eating a healthy diet on a budget: Learning how to choose and prepare nutrient-dense foods while staying within a limited budget.
Vitamins: Vitamins are organic molecules that are required for various metabolic processes in the body. There are 13 essential vitamins, which include Vitamin A, B complex vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K.
Minerals: Minerals are inorganic nutrients that are essential for numerous biological functions in the body. Important minerals include calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, and sodium.
Trace Elements: Trace elements are essential minerals required in small amounts by the body. They include iodine, copper, selenium, chromium, and manganese.
Flavonoids: Flavonoids are a type of polyphenol, which is a class of plant compounds. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-viral properties.
Essential Fatty Acids: Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that are essential for the formation of healthy cell membranes. They include omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.
Phytonutrients: Phytonutrients are plant-based nutrients that have various health benefits. They include carotenoids, flavonoids, phytosterols, and lignans.
Amino Acids: Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are essential for building and repairing tissues in the body. There are 20 different amino acids, including nine essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from the diet.
Probiotics: Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and provide various health benefits. They include lactobacillus and bifidobacterium strains.
Prebiotics: Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. They can be found in foods such as bananas, onions, and garlic.
Enzymes: Enzymes are proteins that facilitate chemical reactions in the body. They include digestive enzymes such as amylase, lipase, and protease, as well as metabolic enzymes such as catalase and peroxidase.
"Micronutrients are essential dietary elements required by organisms in varying quantities throughout life to orchestrate a range of physiological functions to maintain health."
"The 'minerals' for humans and other animals are several elements."
"Plants tend not to require vitamins, but minerals are required still."
"Micronutrient requirements for animals also include vitamins, which are organic compounds required in microgram or milligram amounts."
"For human nutrition, micronutrient requirements are in amounts generally less than 100 milligrams per day."
"Some micronutrients may be in low levels and deficiencies can occur when dietary intake is insufficient, as occurs in malnutrition."
"A multiple micronutrient powder of at least iron, zinc, and vitamin A was added to the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines in 2019."
"Micronutrients are essential dietary elements required by organisms in varying quantities throughout life to orchestrate a range of physiological functions to maintain health."
"Macronutrients are required in gram quantities daily."
"Since plants are the primary origin of nutrients for humans and animals..."
"Micronutrient requirements vary among organisms."
"The 'minerals' for humans and other animals are several elements."
"Plants tend not to require vitamins, but minerals are required still."
"Some micronutrients may be in low levels and deficiencies can occur when dietary intake is insufficient."
"A multiple micronutrient powder of at least iron, zinc, and vitamin A was added to the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines in 2019."
"Micronutrient requirements for human nutrition are in amounts generally less than 100 milligrams per day."
"Micronutrient requirements for animals also include vitamins, which are organic compounds required in microgram or milligram amounts."
"Deficiencies can occur when dietary intake is insufficient, as occurs in malnutrition."
"A multiple micronutrient powder of at least iron, zinc, and vitamin A was added to the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines in 2019."
"Since plants are the primary origin of nutrients for humans and animals..."