Types of Nutrients

Our bodies need fuel to grow, move, and stay healthy. This fuel comes from nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in the food we eat.

Let’s start with carbohydrates, which provide quick energy and are found in foods like bread, pasta, fruits, and milk.

Simple carbohydrates, such as sugars, have small, simple structures, while complex carbohydrates, like starches, have large, complex structures.

Another type of complex carbohydrate, called fiber, is important in maintaining gastrointestinal health.

Next are proteins. They’re the building blocks of your body, helping form muscles, enzymes, and antibodies. Foods like meat, eggs, and beans are packed with protein.

Lastly, lipids, or fats, store energy, protect organs, and insulate the body.

Fats come in two main types—saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats, found in butter and fatty meats, may raise cholesterol if eaten too much.

Unsaturated fats, found in nuts, seeds, plants, and fish, are considered heart-healthy and help maintain cell health.