If you want to provide your body with the best possible nutrition, you should first know the answer to the question “What nutrients does the body need?”. The next step, of course, is to research where exactly which nutrients are contained. Then nothing stands in the way of a perfectly balanced diet.

Unfortunately, things are not quite that simple. Nutrition is a complex topic that is discussed at length and for which there is no definitive solution.

Nevertheless, we would like to approach this goal and give you an overview of which nutrients we should consume for a healthy life.

Which (essential) nutrients does the body need?

Our body needs a variety of nutrients, which are absorbed through food. These can in turn be divided into macro- and micronutrients. In addition, secondary plant substances and omega-3 fatty acids are particularly relevant.

Macronutrients – the basic building blocks of our body

The answer to the question “What nutrients does the body need?” is first and foremost macronutrients. This is because these are the main suppliers of energy and the central building blocks of our body – they are therefore needed in large quantities. Macronutrients are often already known, but classic nutrition plans usually revolve around the following three.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates (e.g. sugar) or complex carbohydrates (e.g. wholegrain products, pulses) are the most important sources of energy for our body.

Complex carbohydrates are recommended as they provide a constant supply of energy and also contain valuable fiber for healthy digestion.

Proteins

Proteins are the all-rounders among nutrients. They are essential building blocks of our body and have various functions (such as enzymes, hormones, antibodies or transport substances) for muscle building or cell repair.

Fish, eggs, dairy products, pulses and nuts, for example, are considered high-quality sources of protein.

Fats

Are fats healthy? Of course they are. Because fats are also needed by our body in relatively large quantities.

They provide a constant supply of energy, structure the cells, are partly needed for hormone production, support the body in absorbing vitamins, protect the organs and help regulate body temperature.

In contrast to saturated fats, unsaturated fatty acids from vegetable oils, fish and nuts are particularly valuable.

Micronutrients

What other nutrients does the body need apart from macronutrients? These are precisely the nutrients that are only needed in small quantities, but are considered indispensable for numerous bodily functions.

Vitamins

Vitamins are vital organic compounds that our body cannot produce in sufficient quantities itself – which is why they have to be taken in with food.

They perform many different tasks in our body and are involved in many processes, for example metabolism, blood formation, cell regeneration, etc.

A distinction is made between fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), which are stored in the body, and water-soluble vitamins (B and C), which cannot be stored – and excess amounts are therefore excreted in the urine.

You can find more information on the symptoms, causes and consequences of vitamin deficiency in our blog.

Minerals

Minerals are inorganic nutrients that also play a crucial role in numerous bodily functions. Depending on how many minerals the body needs, we also speak of bulk and trace elements.

Bulk elements are required in larger quantities – trace elements, however, only in smaller quantities. Calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus and chloride are among these bulk elements – iron, iodine, zinc and selenium, on the other hand, are trace elements.

You can read about what happens when the body does not get enough minerals in our blog on the subject of “Mineral deficiency”.

Secondary plant substances & omega fatty acids

These two nutrient classes play a special role for the body, but are not directly counted as micro- or macronutrients.

What nutrients does the body need? Secondary plant substances

We do not necessarily need these bioactive compounds, e.g. carotenoids, (poly)phenols or flavanoids, to survive, but they do support our health. This is because they have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties.

They are found in fruit, vegetables, herbs and wholegrain products, where they act as colorants and flavorings, as pest or UV protection.

Omega-3 fatty acids

These polyunsaturated fatty acids are particularly important for heart health, the brain and cell membranes. Good sources include oily fish (salmon, mackerel), linseed oil, chia seeds and walnuts.

How do you actually get all the nutrients?

Basically, a balanced diet with fresh and high-quality foods is the ideal way to provide the body with all the important nutrients. A Mediterranean diet, which consists primarily of a variety of plant-based foods, healthy fats such as olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids and only a small proportion of animal products, is highly recommended.

However, our everyday lives are often different. We usually have little time to eat a fresh, seasonal and balanced diet. The range on offer in the supermarket often consists of highly processed foods, which represent simple and cheaper competition to high-quality organic foods. And finally, our eating habits in Central Europe are still heavily influenced by foods such as white flour, sugar, meat and dairy products

A comprehensive diet that provides all essential nutrients is therefore the exception rather than the rule. As a result, it can make sense to “help out” with high-quality food supplements.

^Bestvital® – everything inside

When it comes to dietary supplements, people often resort to preparations containing individual or just a few nutrients. Apart from the high financial burden, this approach only makes sense when it comes to remedying specific deficiency symptoms. For an all-encompassing dietary supplement that can flexibly close nutrient gaps, a pure natural product is ideally suited: Colostrum.

This is because first milk from cows contains a unique density of complex nutrients in a perfectly balanced composition. After all, it should help the body to get off to a strong start in the first few days of life.

Vitamins, amino acids, proline-rich polypeptides, immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, etc. – colostrum contains a total of over 400 bioactive ingredients.

Using special technical processes, the raw material is processed extremely gently so that almost all the ingredients are retained and, as a result, an ideal food is available. Just give it a try – our products (organic and naturally Made in Germany) are just a click away: Click here to go directly to the product page in our online store!

Conclusion: What nutrients does the body need?

Our body basically needs a wide range of nutrients that it cannot produce itself. Macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) are of great importance as basic building blocks and energy sources and are required in large quantities.

Although micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) are not required in the same quantities, they are nevertheless essential. And finally, secondary plant substances and omega-3 fatty acids are other important bonus substances for the functionality of our body.

Due to our mostly very stressful everyday life and the often unmanageable range of highly processed foods that determine our eating habits, a balanced diet that provides all essential nutrients has unfortunately become the exception rather than the rule. This is where a high-quality food supplement can be useful, e.g. the high-quality organic colostrum products from ^Bestvital®.