Zoology

Nutrients

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Nutrients

To maintain the life organisms performs some basic function is called nutrition. Nutrition is one of the basic function of life in which intake of food, digestion, absorption, assimilation and egestion of undigested foods are included.

Nutrient:

Nutrients are the substance by which an organism get energy or it is used for biosynthesis of its body.
For example carbohydrate and fat are the source of energy. Whereas proteins and minerals are the nutrient used for biosyntheses.

1. Carbohydrate:

Carbohydrates are organic compounds in which the ratio of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen is 1 : 2 : 1. Carbohydrate in the form of sugar and starch are major intake in animals and human. 50 to 75% energy is obtained by oxidation of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate containing aldehyde group is called aldose and with ketone group is called ketose. Carbohydrates are derivatives of polyhydroxy alcohols.

Classification of carbohydrate:

Carbohydrates are classifies into three major group.

(a) Monosaccharides: These are the simple sugar made up of single polyhydroxy or ketone unit. Most abundant monosaccharide found in nature is glucose containing six carbon atom. Triose, tetrose, pentoses, heptoses are the type of monosaccharide.

Glucose is a type of hexose sugar.
The sweetest sugar is fructose.

(b) Oligosaccharides: When 2 to 10 monosaccharide join together they form oligosaccharides. They are usually crystalline in nature and sweet n test. Maltose, sucrose, lactose are disaccharides made up of two monosaccharide.

(c) Polysaccharides: These are the compound of sugar which are formed due to joining large number of monosaccharide. These are insoluble and tasteless. Some example of polysaccharides are starch, glycogen, cellulose, chitin etc.

Function of Carbohydrate

Carbohydrate is used as fuel. During the process of respiration, glucose break into CO₂ and H₂O with the release of energy. One gram of glucose given 4.2 kilo calories energy.
Glucose is the source of immediate energy production in the cell.
Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleosides and nucleotides containing pentose sugar.
Lactose of milk is formed from glucose and glactose.
Glucose is used for the formation of fat and amino acid.
Carbon skeleton of monosaccharide is used in the formation of fatty acid, chitin, cellulose etc.

Source of Carbohydrate:

Wheat, rice, maize, sweet potato, potato and other plant and animals are the sources of carbon carbohydrate.

2. Protein:

Protein word was first used by J. Berzelius. This is a complex organic compound made up of 20 type of amino acids. Approximately 16% of the human body is made up of protein in addition to C, H & O.

Nitrogen is essential for protein syntheses.

Twenty types of amino acid are necessary for human body, out of which 12 are synthesized by body itself and remaining 8 are obtained food are called essential amino acid.

Types of proteins:

On the basis of chemical compositionIt is divided into three types.

1. Simple Protein: It consists of only amino acid.
Example – Albumins, Globulis, Histones etc.

2. Conjugated Protein: Having some another chemical compounds in addition to amino acid.

Example – Chromo protein, Glyco protein etc.

3. Derived Protein: It is derived from the partial digestion of natural protein or its hydrolysis.

Example – Peptone, Peptide, Proteinase etc.

Animal protein is called first class protein because it contain all the essential amino acid. Egg contains all essential amino acids.

Function of Protein:

It takes part in the formation of cells, protoplasm and tissue.
These are important for physical growth. Physical growth hampers by its deficiency. Lack of proteins causes Kwashiorkor and Marasmusdiseases in children.
In case of necessity protein provide energy to the body.
If control the development of genetic characters.
Helpful in conduction also.

Kwashiorkor: In this disease hands and legs of children get slimmed and the stomach comes out, caused by deficiency of protein diet.

Marasmus: In these disease muscles of children are loosened caused by protein deficiency.

Note:

Biological catalysts are protein molecule known as enzyme which speed up as chemical reaction remain unchanged after reaction optimaly function at 37°C.
Human nails are made up of protein keratin.
Soyabeans is the richest source of protein.
Keratin is the protein which protects the epithelial cell from damage.

3. Fat:

Fat is an ester of glycerol and fatty acid. Infact carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are present in different quantities, but proportionally less oxygen than carbohydrate. Normally fat remains as solid at 20°C temperature, but if it is in liquid form at this temperature, this is called oil.

Fatty acids are of two types – Saturated and unsaturated.

Unsaturated fatty acids are found in fish oil and vegetable oil.

Only coconut oil and palm oil are the examples of saturated oil.

9.3 kilo calorie energy is liberated from 1 gram fat.
Normally an adult person should get 20-30% of energy from fat. Fat store maximum energy per gram.

Main functions of fat:

It provides energy to the body.
It remains under the skin and prevents the loss of heat from the body.
It makes the food material testy.
It protects different parts of the body from injury.
Due to lack of fat skin get dried, weight of the body decreases and development of the body checked.
Due to the excessiveness of fat the body gets fatty, heart disease takes place and blood pressure increases.
Rancidity is defined as oxidation of fat and oils that change the taste and smell of food.

4. Vitamins:

Vitamin was invented by Sir F.G. Hopkins.

The term vitamin was coined by Funk.

Vitamins are organic compound required in minute quantities. No calorie is obtained from it, but it is very important in regulating chemical reactions in metabolism of the body.

On the basis of solubility, vitamins are of two types:

(a) Vitamin soluble in water: Vitamin-B and Vitamin-C.

(b) Vitamin soluble in fat: Vitamin-A, Vitamin-D, Vitamin-E and Vitamin-K.

The diseases caused by deficiency of vitamins and their sources

Vitamin	Chemical name	Deficiency diseases	Sources
Vitamin-A	Retinol	Colour blindness, Xerophthalmia, Night blindness	Milk, Egg, Cheese, Green vegetable, cod liver oil, Carrot.
Vitamin-B₁	Thiamine	Beriberi	Ground nut, Repseed, Dried Chilli, Pulses, Liver, Egg, Vegetables etc.
Vitamin-B₂	Riboflavin	Cracking of skin, redish eye, cracking at the corners of lips, mouth ulcers.	Meat, Green vegetables, Milk etc.
Vitamin-B₃	Nicotinamide or Niacin	Whitening of hair, mentally retardness Dermatitis, Pellagra.	Meat, Milk, Nut, Tomato, Sugarcane etc.
Vitamin-B₅	Pantothenic acid	Insomania, burning felt, irritability.	Meat, Potato, Tomato, nut, Leafy vegetables etc.
Vitamin-B₆	Pyridoxine	Anaemia, skin disease, Depression	Liver, Meat, Grains, Rice bran etc.
Vitamin-B₇	Biotin	Paralysis, body pain, hair falling	Meat, Egg, Liver, Milk, nuts, whole grain etc.
Vitamin-B₁₁	Folic acid	Anaemia, dysentery	Pulse, Liver, Egg
Cobalamin Vitamin-B₁₂	Cynocobalamin	Pernicious Anaemia, jaundice Teroile Glutemic, Ankle edema	Meat, Milk etc.
Vitamin-B₉	Folic acid	Anaemia, diarrhea	Pulses, Liver, Vegetables, Eggs etc.
Vitamin-C	Ascorbic acid	Scurvy, Swelling of gums or bleeding gum.	Lemon, Orange, Tomato, Sour substances, Chilly, Sprouted grain
Vitamin-D	Calciferol	Rickets (in children), Ostemolasia (in adults) or Osteoporosis	Fish liver oil, Milk, Eggs etc.
Vitamin-E	Tocopherol	Less fertility	Leafy vegetables, Milk, Butter, Sprouted wheat, Vegetable oil, Wheat germ oil etc.
Vitamin-K	Phylloquinone	Non-clotting of blood	Tomato Soya oil, Green vegetables, Alfalfa etc.

Note:

Cobalt is found in Vitamin-B₁₂.
Syntheses of vitamins cannot be done by the cells of body. It is fulfilled by the vitamin containing food.
However, syntheses of Vitamin-D and K takes place in our body.
Bleeding gum, falling of teeth, fragile bones and delayed wound healing occur due to deficiency of Vitamin C.
Deficiency of calcium mainly occur in absence of vitamin ‘D’
Synthesis of Vitamin-D takes place by the ultra violet rays present in the sunlight through cholesterol (ergosterol) of skin. Vitamin D₂ is known as ergocalciferol..
Vitamin-K is synthesized in our colon by the bacteria and from there it is absorbed.
Vitamin-A is mainly stored in liver.
Use of polished rice in human diet cause Beriberi.
Most of the vitamins are not synthesized in human body.
Amla is the richest source of vitamin C.

5. Minerals:

Mineral is a homogenous inorganic material needed for body which control the metabolism of body.

Important Minerals and their function

Minerals	Daily quantity	Main sources	Functions
Sodium (as sodium chloride)	2 – 5 gram	Normal salt, fish, meat, eggs, milk etc.	It normally found in external fluid of cell and is related to following functions
			Contractions of muscles, In the transmission of nerve impulses in nerve fiber.
			Control of positive electrolyte balance in body etc.
Potassium	1 gram	Approximately all edibles	It is normally found in protoplasm. It is important for following different chemical reactions in cells.
Potassium	1 gram	Approximately all edibles	Muscular contraction, nerve conduction, maintenance of positive electrolyte in body etc.
Calcium	Approx 1.2 gram	Milk, cheese, eggs, grains, gram, fish etc.	This provides strength to bones and teeth with vitamin, Important role in blood formation, Related with muscular contraction. Help in clotting of blood etc.
Phosphorus	1.2 gram	Milk, cheese, Bajra, green leafy vegetables etc.	This provides strength to bones and teeth , in coordination with calcium.
Iron	25 mg (boy) 35 mg (girl)	Albumen of egg, bread, Bajra, Banana, Spinach apple	Iron is important component of Red Blood Corpuscles and haemoglobin.
Iodine	20 mg	Sea fish, sea food, green leafy vegetables, Iodized salt	This is important for syntheses of thyroxin hormone secreted by Thyroid gland.
Magnesium	Very small quantity	Vegetables	For functioning of muscular system and nervous system.
Zinc	Very small quantity	Liver and fishes	For insulin functioning.
Copper	Very small quantity	Meat, fish, liver and grains	Formation of haemoglobin and bones and as a conductor of electron.
Cobalt	Very small quantity	Meat, fish and water	For syntheses of RBC and Vitamin B₁₂.

Deficiency of fluoride lead to mottling of teeth.
Presence of excess fluorine in water cause fluorosis.
To reduce tooth decay most tooth paste contain fluoride.
Deficiency of molybdenum affect the activity of nitrogenase, nitrate, reductase and chlorate reductase in plant.
Hard enamel layer of teeth is calcium hydroxyl apatite.
Deficiency of calcium and iron is generally found in pregnant women.
A typical adult human body contains about 25 gram of magnesium.

6. Water:

Human gets it by drinking water is the important component of our body. 65-75% weight of the body is water.

Main functions of water:

Water controls the temperature of our body by sweating and vaporizing.
It is the important way of excretion of the excretory substances from the body.
Maximum chemical reactions in the body perform through hydrolysis.

Balance Diet:

That nutrition, in which all the important nutrients for organism are available in sufficient quantity is called Balance Diet. Balance nutrition is obtained from Balance Diet, which is given in the chart below :

Edibles	Adult male		Adult female		Children		Boy		Girl
Edibles	N	M	Hard	N	M	Hard	1-3 yrs.	4-6 yrs.	10-18 yrs.	10-16 yrs.
Grain (wheat, rice)	400 g	520 g	670 g	410 g	440 g	575 g	175 g	270 g	420 g	380 g
Pulses	40 g	50 g	60 g	40 g	45 g	50 g	35 g	35 g	45 g	45 g
Leafy vegetables	40 g	40 g	40 g	100 g	100 g	50 g	40 g	50 g	50 g	50 g
Vegetables (other)	60 g	70 g	80 g	40 g	40 g	100 g	20 g	30 g	50 g	50 g
Milk	150 g	200 g	250 g	100 g	150 g	200 g	300 g	250 g	250 g	250 g
Tuber root	50 g	60 g	80 g	50 g	50 g	60 g	10 g	20 g	30 g	30 g
Sugar	30 g	35 g	55 g	20 g	20 g	40 g	30 g	40 g	45 g	45 g
Fat and oil	40 g	45 g	65 g	20 g	25 g	40 g	15 g	25 g	40 g	35 g

Bt-Brinjal is a genetically modified vegetable recently being made available in Indian market.

Necessary calorie for a human being:

S.	Nature of work	Male	Female
1.	Light worker	2000 calorie	2100 calorie
2.	Eight hours worker	3000 calorie	2500 calorie
3.	Hard worker	3600 calorie	3000 calorie