nutritional science

Understanding nutritional science, how our bodies need and use nutrients, macros vs micros

Nutritional Sciences is the study of food, nutrients, and other food substances, the intake and biochemical processing of food substances, their relationship to health and disease, and the application of this information to policy and programs. Its application is far reaching.

Nutritional scientists understand how food is digested, absorbed, and metabolized at different stages of life, and investigate the effects of nutrient deficiencies and excesses to prevent and treat disease. Those who work in the field of nutritional science also draw on knowledge of the social sciences to understand the socio-cultural, psychological, economic, and political factors influencing food choice and health statutes.

Focus within the field include diverse approaches, from the study of biochemical pathways and interactions with genetics, to observing population intake and relationship to health outcomes (nutritional epidemiology), to designing and testing nutrition interventions to improve community health, to managing nutrition programs and policies to ensure access to nutritious food, among others.

food absorption and nutrients

As food passes through the GI tract, it mixes with digestive juices, causing large molecules of food to break down into smaller molecules. The body then absorbs these smaller molecules through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream, which delivers them to the rest of the body.

what are nutrients?

Nutrients are the substances which provide nourishment essential for the maintenance of life and for growth. Nutrients are of two types-Macro nutrients and micro nutrients.

macronutrients vs micronutrients

macronutrients

Carbohydrates, fat and protein are called macronutrients. They are the nutrients you use in the largest amounts. “Macronutrients are the nutritive components of food that the body needs for energy and to maintain the body's structure and systems,” says MD Anderson Wellness Dietitian Lindsey Wohlford.

A person counting macros as a dietary approach would first calculate how much energy they need in the form of calories each day. Then, they would decide what percentage of calories from each food group they would eat based on their goals.

For example, bodybuilders looking to build muscle usually eat higher percentages of protein, a building block of muscle. Those who are closely watching their blood sugar may eat carbohydrates on the lower percentage because they’re trying to maintain their blood sugar.

Most scientific research regarding macronutrients involves tracking a person’s diet and breaking it down into macronutrients. This is different from asking a person to follow a certain amount of macronutrients and seeing if they lose weight or achieve other goals.

Therefore, it’s hard to say from a scientific perspective if a macro-based diet is effective or easy to follow for most people.

micronutrients

Micronutrients are important because they are co-factors (necessary for enzyme action) for many physiological processes and also serve as structural building blocks.

There are two classes of micronutrients and you’ve probably heard of them: vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins support metabolic processes, tissue growth, digestion, elimination, and immune function. They also prevent diseases of deficiency such as rickets. Minerals help regulate blood pH, facilitate the transfer of nutrients across cellular membranes, maintain proper nerve conduction, contract and relax muscles, regulate tissue growth, and provide structural and functional support.

Long story short, vitamins and minerals allow our bodies to function.

“The real question here is how you -- as a reader, eater, and citizen -- can recognize and protect yourself against the onslaught of misleading information and advice that results from food-company manipulation of nutrition research and practice. Everyone eats. Food matters. All of us need and deserve sound nutrition advice aimed at promoting public health -- not corporate commercial interests.” ---Marion Nestle

Marion Nestle (born 1936) is an American molecular biologist, nutritionist, and public health advocate. She is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health Emerita at New York University. Her research examines scientific and socioeconomic influences on food choice, obesity, and food safety, emphasizing the role of food marketing.

what is a nutritionist?

A nutritionist is a person who advises others on matters of food and nutrition and their impacts on health. Some people specialize in particular areas, such as sports nutrition, public health, or animal nutrition, among other disciplines. In many countries, a person can claim to be a nutritionist even without any training, education, or professional license, in contrast to a dietitian, who has a university degree, professional license, and certification for professional practice.

dietician vs nutritionist

The professional practice of being a dietitian (also spelled dietician in the US) is different from a nutritionist. In many countries and jurisdictions, the title nutritionist is not subject to statutory professional regulation; thus, any person may self-title as a nutritionist or nutrition expert, even if self-taught and professionally uncertified. In the United Kingdom, Australia, parts of Canada, and most US states, a person self-titled as a nutritionist is not legally defined, whereas a dietitian is professionally certified and registered. People who have current registration with the appropriate regulatory body usually refer to themselves as Registered dietitians, and so may use the professional designation, "RD" or "SRD".

The term nutritionist may refer to a range of trained or untrained individuals – from someone who has no qualifications in nutrition to someone with a PhD in nutrition science. Within the professional field of nutrition, there is also the field of nutrition therapy which may be associated with practitioners of alternative medicine. Prominent examples include Gillian McKeith, Patrick Holford and Robert O. Young. A potential problem with self-proclaimed and media nutritionists, is low levels of training, the selling of supplements and herbal remedies and the use or promotion of concepts that are untested or potentially even dangerous, such as exclusion of food groups, detox and fad diets.

“The doctors of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” – Thomas Edison

Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and early versions of the electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world. He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He established the first industrial research laboratory.

books on nutritional science

in conclusion

Micronutrients and the other nutrients work synergistically with one another, not in isolation. For example, vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, which means they can only be absorbed when there is sufficient dietary fat. Luckily, fat-soluble vitamins are often found in nature in foods that are also a source of fat.

The best way to get sufficient microminerals is to eat a diet that includes whole foods from plants and animals. Ideally, you would also eat a variety of diverse whole foods to ensure you’re getting all the key vitamins and minerals.

Supplementation is certainly a viable option to fill in the gaps, but we recommend you do not do this on your own as it’s hard to know how certain nutrients will interact. Plus, not all supplements are created equally. Find a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who can help you figure this all out and help you support your body.

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