Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

CLASSIFICATION OF NUTRIENTS 37
oxygen, and sometimes nitrogen) bonded together. In a sense, they are “alive,” and therefore
can be destroyed or broken down.
Vitamin E (shown below) is an organic molecule, because it contains both carbon and
hydrogen atoms. Vitamin E is synthesized by plants and can be destroyed by heat during
cooking.
Figure 1.8. Chemical structure of Vitamin E
Inorganic Nutrients
Inorganic nutrients include both water and minerals. Inorganic nutrients do not contain
both carbon and hydrogen, and they are not created or destroyed. Minerals can’t be
destroyed, so they are the ash left when a food is burned to completion. Minerals are also
not digested or broken down, as they are already in their simplest form. They are absorbed
as-is, then shuttled around the body for their different functions, and then excreted.
Summary
The different categories of nutrients are summarized in the following table.
Classification
Macronutrient
Micronutrient
Energy-Yielding
Organic
Inorganic
Nutrient
Carbohydrate, protein, lipids, water
Vitamins, minerals
Carbohydrate, protein, fat
Carbohydrate, protein, lipids, vitamins
Minerals, water
Table 1.3. Summary of nutrient classifications
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