The 12 Types Of Nutrition And Their Characteristics
For humans, nutrition is the process by which the body take advantage of the nutrients in food so that your body and cells stay alive and have energy. However, not only humans need nutrition, but, for example, plants do as well.
Evolutionarily, there is no single way to extract from food the raw materials for what needs to be built; It is a complex process that has been modified over several million years of evolution. These processes may be different and, therefore, They can be classified in different ways into types of nutrition
The intake of food by human beings is a vital need for the body. Good nutrition, that is, an adequate and well-balanced diet, is necessary for good health and to avoid physical and mental deterioration.
This process provides the energy necessary to keep us alive and allows us to carry out all the other functions of living beings. Food also provides the raw materials for growth and repair of our body.
Difference between nutrition, food and diet
There is some confusion with the term nutrition. As a science, it includes the study of foods and the processes involved in using their nutrients: digestion, absorption and assimilation in the cells of the body Nutrition, in reality, is an involuntary process, since it is too important to leave us at its command: the physiological functioning of the body takes care of it.
Therefore, it would be wrong to talk about good nutrition or bad nutrition, because this would refer to food. Food is a series of voluntary and conscious actions that They are aimed at selecting, preparing and eating food Diet is also often confused with food. On the other hand, diet is a person’s eating habits. Although it is associated with weight loss and control, the diet does not have to have any objective affecting body image.
But… What types of nutrition exist? In the following lines you can find a classification of the different types of nutrition
1. Autotrophic nutrition
Autotrophic nutrition refers to feeding on oneself, synthesizing organic substances. In other words, it is nutrition carried out by those living beings that are capable of producing their own food
Plants are a clear example, since they feed through photosynthesis. Living beings that carry out the process of photosynthesis are called photolithautotrophs. On the other hand, those that use chemical elements are chemolithotrophs. For example: bacteria.
2. Heterotrophic nutrition
This type of nutrition is what is used by living beings that need a ready-made source of food. For example: animals, fungi and most microorganisms. Heterotrophic nutrition can be divided into several types :
Parasitic nutrition, in which the living being lives on or inside another organism that it harms and from which it obtains its nutrients by ingestion or absorption; saprophytic nutrition, in which the living being absorbs nutrients from the environment and breaks them down through enzymes to obtain the energy it needs; and the Holozoic, which is typical of humans, and in which an organism ingests food in solid form and subsequently digests it to obtain the nutrients it needs.
Holozoic nutrition can be classified in three ways :
Types of nutrients
Nutrients are necessary for the growth and health of the body. There are five types of nutrients that They are divided into two large groups: macronutrients and micronutrients Macronutrients are needed in large quantities and include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Instead, micronutrients are needed in small amounts and include vitamins and minerals. Water and fiber are not nutrients but they are necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
Below you can find the different types of nutrients.
1. Carbohydrates
Although carbohydrates have become the enemies of the diet to lose weight, they are essential macronutrients for the body, since they feed the brain and muscles. Carbohydrates They are the best source of energy and foods that contain them can also be rich in fiber, which is necessary for the intestine to function properly.
There are two types: simple carbohydrates (banana, honey, etc.), which contain one or two sugars; and complex carbohydrates (for example, brown rice) that are made of three or more linked sugars. These macronutrients provide 4 calories per gram, although complex ones take longer to digest than simple carbohydrates and are more satiating.
2. Proteins
Proteins are nutrients structural to all cells That is, they form what we could call the raw material of our body, the bricks with which it is built and reformed. On the other hand, they also help repair tissues and fight infections. When consumption exceeds the body’s needs, protein can serve as a source of energy. They provide 4 calories per gram.
3. Fats
Fats, like the two previous macronutrients, also provide energy to the body and participate in the processes that keep the body alive. However, They provide 9 calories per gram Although they are currently demonized, fats are essential to stay in good health.
On the other hand, fats have other functions besides energy. For example, they play a structural role, provide a means of transport for certain substances, and increase palatability.
There are several types of fat, you can learn more in this article: “Types of fats (good and bad) and their functions.”
4. Vitamins
The vitamins are micronutrients that the body needs to assimilate other nutrients. Its functions are: to participate in the formation of chemicals in the nervous system, red blood cells, hormones and genetic material. Likewise, they participate in the regulation of metabolic systems and are necessary for the health and proper functioning of the body.
If you want to know the different types of proteins, in this article you can delve deeper into this topic: “Types of vitamins: functions and benefits for your body.”
The minerals They give structure to bones, teeth and nails Like vitamins, they help enzymes in many processes in the body. Now, unlike these, they are inorganic substances that come from soil, rocks and water. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc or magnesium are some examples of minerals.
Types of feeding
As mentioned in the previous lines, nutrition is a series of voluntary actions that are aimed at selecting what is ingested. The types of food that exist are the following.
1. Veganism
Veganism is the behavior of an individual who decides do not eat food products of animal origin nor, in general, use any product that involves the death of animals to be produced. Therefore, a vegan does not eat meat and fish products, and they do not consume eggs, dairy products or honey.
Furthermore, in certain cases, products known to be condemning animals to death due to their production system are not consumed either, despite being of purely plant origin.
2. Vegetarianism
Vegetarians are people who, due to their ideology, basically eat vegetables. Apart from strict vegetarians, There are also lacto-ovo vegetarian ones , who eat eggs and dairy products in addition to vegetables, and lacto-vegetarians, who only incorporate dairy products in their diet in addition to vegetables. The idea is not to consume animals directly, but to consume some of the products derived from their way of life.
3. Emotional eating
It is the food that is associated with emotional and psychological problems For example, when someone suffers from anxiety they consume more foods rich in fat, even automatically and without realizing it.
4. Sports nutrition
It is the diet that aims increase sports or physical performance For example, consuming carbohydrates to perform better in a marathon. It is also associated with improving physical appearance and bodybuilding.
5. Healthy eating
Healthy eating is the choice to consume products that are beneficial for well-being For example, fruit or olive oil for their healthy properties.
