What Are Micronutrients?

Food is any material consumed to give nutrition to an organisms. Food is generally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and has necessary nutrients, including vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals. In fact, the process of feeding uses food material. In fact, all living things feed on food. Human beings use food daily to live.

There are four categories of foods, namely: animal proteins, vegetable proteins, dietary fiber, and fat. Animal proteins include milk, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and other animal products, whereas plant foods include fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, and nuts. Some plant foods, like whole grains, are complete, or have nearly complete protein and other nutrients; whereas other foods, like fats and sweets, are not. The ideal diet is a combination of all the four food groups. Some foods are recommended for a healthier diet, while others should be avoided for health reasons.

The nutritional content of food can be measured by using both quantity and quality of substances used to produce it. The most common method is to calculate nutrient value per calorie, which is termed micronutrient content. This term provides a clear idea of how much of a certain type of macronutrient (i.e., protein, carbohydrate, etc.) is needed to attain a particular body weight.