The human body and nutrients
The human body is made up of nutrients which come from food substances. The food substances contain the necessary nutrients responsible for different functions in the body. For example, some food substances include nutrients that are responsible for human growth; this nutrient is protein. The nutrients are also made up of simple molecules that combine to form the complex substance, the nutrient. Some of the simple molecules that combine to form the complex structure nutrients are oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen molecules. Complex chemical and biological interaction of these compounds results in the production of body nutrients that are responsible for growth, repair of worn out body tissues, facilitation of metabolic activities and coordination of body functions. The chemistry of nutrition is essential for the healthy living of human beings therefore it should be applied everywhere involving handling of human food.
1. Nutritional Counselling
Knowledge of the chemical composition of food substance helps in critical decision making on what to eat and when to eat to enhance optimal body functionality. Observation of nutrition helps in keeping the body healthy from some nutrition-based diseases, and it can also be used to achieve various functions of the body to fit in an individual's environment. Some people may need different physical abilities that can only be obtained by proper observation of nutrition.
2. Food preservation
Food preservation means protecting the nutrients in the food from destruction and the food as a whole from becoming unhealthy for human consumption. There are different types of food preservation methods that can apply for different kinds of foods. These methods depend solely on the chemical composition of the food to be preserved. The right knowledge of food chemical composition helps in the right choice of the way of preservation. Taking the wrong method of food preservation risks the loss of nutrients in the food. Choosing the proper preservation method keeps the food fresh for an extended period by keeping the nutrients in the food.
3. Evaluating nutritional status
The processes of nutritional status evaluation gather information on an individual's body composition abnormalities. Apart from the assessment of chemical compositions, some physical elements such as anthropometric measures and body weight and biomedical aspects are observed. Some complex laboratory tests can be used to determine the nutritive structure in the human body for research or medical examination. The outcome of the nutritional analysis can help in drawing a diagnosis and the nutritional method of treatment recommended. The evaluation of nutritional status can also be used to test how effective a dietary activity is.
4. Nutritional health education
Knowledge of food chemistry is vital in developing plans and strategies in making choices of different types of foods to achieve a healthy lifestyle — education and counselling help to instil better decisions on the right kind and amount of food. Knowledge of nutrition and food composition is vital in motivating healthy behaviors and lifestyles that can protect several lives from nutrition-based infections.
5. Researching the effects of nutrition on health and fitness
Nutrition has various effects on the body, i.e. proper nutrition improves health while unhealthy diet — which may mean depending on only a single type of food or even leaving out a kind of nutrient for a long time — may cause shutting down of various body functions. Conducting researches on these aspects of nutrition can help in reducing nutrition-based complications.
