Micronutrients

Micronutrients are necessary nutrients that the body needs in relatively small amounts to function properly and sustain good health. The body is unable to produce certain nutrients, thus they must be consumed through food or supplements. Minerals and vitamins make up the two primary divisions of micronutrients.

• Vitamins: The body needs a tiny amount of vitamins to function properly. These are necessary for supporting the immune system and other body processes, as well as for maintaining healthy skin, eyes, and bones. Vitamins come in two varieties: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins, including vitamins B and C (vitamins A, D, E, and K). Whereas fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body’s fatty tissues and liver and can accumulate to hazardous levels if ingested in excess, water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body and need to be consumed periodically.
• Minerals: Minerals are inorganic substances that are necessary for a number of bodily physiological processes. They assist in maintaining healthy teeth and bones, controlling bodily fluids, boosting the immune system, and converting food into energy. Microminerals (needed in greater numbers) and trace minerals are the two different types of minerals (required in smaller amounts). Minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and potassium are typical examples.

Macronutrients and Micronutrients are essential for optimum health, but they differ in important ways. Whereas macronutrients are needed in greater proportions, micronutrients are needed in lower ones. In this context, macronutrients are defined as carbs, proteins, and fats, whereas micronutrients are defined as vitamins and minerals. Maintaining a balanced diet and ensuring optimal nutrition requires an understanding of the distinctions between these two groups of nutrients. We will examine the distinctions between macronutrients and micronutrients, their physiological functions, and foods that are high in these necessary nutrients in this article.