Nutrients

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Nutrient Objectives

  • Describe common nutritional misconceptions, including why they are incorrect.

  • Explain how it is possible that there are dietary components that may be important to optimize health, but have no clearly defined recommended daily allowances.

  • List the primary food groups, and their proportions, that are recommended for a general diet that provides nutrients and adequate calories.

The point of the digestive system is to break food down into smaller nutrients and absorb those nutrients into the blood for eventual use by cells.

A significant problem is starting with the “correct” dietary selections, which can vary significantly by individual needs.  We’ll start with a few nutritional misconceptions.  Consider: How do there nutritional misconceptions form?  Is it due to insufficient information?  Faulty reasoning?  Or a combination of factors?

Our bodies need a wide range of nutrients, some are abundant in common foods.  Others are more challenging to acquire, particularly if food is limited.

Nutritional research is still revealing potential benefits of substances found in our foods.  Recent research strengthens the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, because of the significance of phytochemicals (“plant chemicals”).   This has led to some nutritionists suggesting eating a “rainbow” of vegetables and fruits to ingest some of these phytochemicals on a regular basis.  Research is still ongoing.

Necessary vs. Optimal

Determining whether a nutrient is essential is possible by seeing what happens when the nutrient is deficient. Determining what optimizes health is more challenging.

Determining RDA

Providing consumers with a recommended daily allowance (RDA) is difficult. People vary by age, health, activity, metabolism, and numerous other factors. Recommendations can not yet be tailored for more than minimizing deficiencies that are linked to disease through research.

Dietary fiber is not absorbed into the blood so it is technically not a nutrient, but it still plays a role in body health.  Fiber increases peristalsis, strengthening the smooth muscles surrounding digestive organs.

Many governments support fortification of foods and oral products with nutrients that would otherwise be insufficient in the diet.

In order for our cells to have sufficient nutrients, we need to regularly consume water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.  However, this is a challenging process, and many people eat an “unbalanced” diet with too much of some nutrients, too little of others.

One attempt to assist in visualizing human nutrient requirements is the U.S. food pyramid.  These periodic illustrations are fascinating in that the government attempts to make dietary recommendations that reduce overall health risk and costs, but this is not just a science research-based process.  Lobby groups also contribute, resulting in sometimes surprising features.

In 2026 the latest food pyramid continues to include dairy as a significant component, despite many adults being lactose intolerant.  Surprising additions included full-fat dairy and more meat-based options instead of the research-based reduced risks (and costs) of plant-based diets.  Continued emphasis is placed on reduced proportions of simple sugars relative to larger intake of fruits and vegetables.

Previous to the 2026 U.S. food pyramid is the still widely used 2005 MyPyramid that included exercise and a few other research-based features.

Proportions

The food pyramid establishes proportions of food that are likely to accomplish a number of outcomes including: getting sufficient nutrients and minimizing the potential to consume excessive calories.

Variety

Within each food group, recommendations are to eat a variety of foods to maximize exposure to different nutrients and minimize exposure to potentially harmful elements like pesticides tailored for specific crops.

Food Labels

Food labels provide valuable information, particularly for processed foods. When you look at the food pyramid, you see mostly unprocessed or barely processed foods. Adding processed foods means you need to read labels to determine where they fit into dietary recommendations.

The older “stacked” food pyramid was a bit easier to follow for many people, but it has had a major shift in what should be consumed in the highest quantity for proper nutrition.

One of the best ways to quickly visualize a general/generic meal that includes nutrients is to use the 2011 “MyPlate” guide.

Including and enjoying nutrient-rich foods on a plate may improve nutrition and reduce some of the negative associations and outcomes that occur with continual calorie counting or proportion measuring.

Measurement sometimes comes into play in determining portion sizes.  After achieving a general nutrient-rich diet, some individuals may slowly increase potion sizes; other individuals may decrease portion sizes.  All of this is best done with guidance from health professionals.

Instead of dramatic dietary changes, an individual eating a diet that provides needed nutrients and calories can subtly alter amounts, or forms of food, over time.

We’ll see why dramatic dietary changes work against us in an upcoming guide.

The next section explores a few significant issues that can relate to nutrition, digestion, and absorption.
Check your knowledge.  Can you:

  • describe common nutritional misconceptions, including why they are incorrect?

  • explain how it is possible that there are dietary components that may be important to optimize health, but have no clearly defined recommended daily allowances?

  • list the primary food groups, and their proportions, that are recommended for a general diet that provides nutrients and adequate calories?

Go back to the Digestive Disorders Overview

Go forward to the Nutritional Issues Page

Digestive Disorders Lecture Guide Contents

The material from this guide and corresponding lecture is assessed on the weekly quiz.

Nutrients - YOU ARE HERE

Nutritional Issues

Upper G.I.T Disorders

Lower GIT Disorders

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This week’s overview

This Guide

Digestive Disorders

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