Nutrition is one of the major fields in biology and medicine. It includes knowledge of metabolism, diet, and digestion. It also involves understanding the relationship between nutrition and health. This includes obesity, diabetes, malnutrition and many other diseases.
It is important to get the right amount of nutrients in your body because they are essential for life. Nutrients include proteins, fats and carbohydrates. These are called macronutrients because they provide energy for your body. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that your body needs every day to stay healthy. They help fight infections as well as maintain healthy skin and bones.
The human body needs a variety of nutrients from plants or animals in order to grow up normally or stay healthy throughout life. Without proper nutrition, growth can be stunted or delayed which leads to reduced capacity for physical activity (stunting) or reduced mental ability (delayed development). In extreme cases, it can lead to death if not treated immediately.
Nutritional science is the study of nutrients in food, their effects on health and disease. It is a branch of science that studies the fundamental nature and the importance of nutrition, including the relationship between diet and health.
The field of nutritional sciences includes several related areas:
Biochemistry – The chemical reactions in living organisms
Nutrition – The relationship between diet and health
Food Science – The science behind how food is prepared for consumption
Dietetics – The science of preparing food that promotes health