Our bodies need six essential nutrients for disease prevention and optimal health: protein, carbs, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Essential nutrients are compounds our bodies can’t make (or can’t make enough of), so getting what we need from our food is important.
Essential nutrients can be broken down into two categories: micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals and come in smaller amounts. Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fats. They’re the building blocks of our diets and provide us with energy.
