What are nutrients?

VITAMINS

Vitamins are organic molecules that are vital for the normal functioning of our body. We need them to maintain our health, vitality and well-being. With a few exceptions, our bodies cannot produce them themselves. They must therefore enter our bodies with food. Vitamins are divided into water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. The water-soluble vitamins, e.g. the B vitamins (except vitamin B12) and vitamin C, cannot be stored by the body and must therefore be supplied daily. The fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K), on the other hand, can be stored in the body - primarily in the liver - and released to the cells when needed.

MINERALS AND TRACE ELEMENTS

Minerals and trace elements are just as important to the organism as vitamins. Our bodies contain a total of 46 minerals and at least 14 other vital trace elements. Trace elements are so called because they are needed in extremely small quantities. Minerals include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and chlorine. Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium primarily perform structural functions. They are the raw materials for building our bones and teeth. Sodium, chlorine, and magnesium form the network known as electrolytes, which is important for the transmission of nerve signals and muscle contractions. Trace elements such as chromium, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, and manganese play an important role in metabolism. They are components of enzymes and enzyme systems, each of which performs very specific control and regulatory functions in the body.


FATTY ACIDS

Fat is the most important energy source with the highest calorific value in our food. Fat serves the body as an energy reserve for "rainy days" and as an insulating layer against the cold. The quality of a fat depends on the content of the various fatty acids. Fatty acids are natural components of all fats and oils. They can be divided into three groups based on their composition:

saturated fatty acids (e.g. palmitic acid in butter, palm kernel and coconut fat)
monounsaturated fatty acids (e.g. olive oil, rapeseed oil)
polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g. omega-3 fatty acids in salmon oil)

Fatty acids are involved in many vital processes in the body. These include the immune system, the function of the nervous system, blood flow properties, and the structure of cell membranes.

AMINO ACIDS

Amino acids are the individual building blocks of proteins. They are the basic substance of all life because proteins play a fundamental role in all biological processes in our body. Proteins primarily serve to build the body's own substances such as cell membranes, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerve and connective tissue, skin, hair and nails, and hormones. Amino acids are divided into essential (= vital) and non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids must be ingested with food because our body cannot produce them itself. Essential amino acids include isoleucine, leucine, lysine, and methionine. Non-essential amino acids, on the other hand, are building blocks of proteins that the body can produce itself. Their formation depends on the intake of macronutrients. Non-essential amino acids include alanine, aspartate, glutamate, and serine. Amino acids are not only important as building blocks of proteins, but also serve as starting materials for a variety of compounds that perform important metabolic functions in the body.