Here is a multilevel list that I created based on the information under the Nutrients That the Human Body Needs title:
- Protein
- Uses
- Provides the building blocks of the body, and not just for muscle
- Used primarily for growth, health, and body maintenance
- Composes every cell, from bone to skin to hair
- Composes all of your hormones, antibodies, and other important substances
- Sources
- Meat, fish, and eggs
- Beans, soy, nuts, and some grains
- Carbohydrates
- Uses
- Fuels your body, especially your central nervous system and brain
- Protects against disease
- Sources
- Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes
- Milk and dairy products
- Sugars, syrups, and processed foods (limit their intake)
- Types
- Simple
- Consist of one or two sugar units
- Provide quick energy but can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes
- Found in fruits, milk, honey, table sugar, and candy
- Complex
- Consist of many sugar units linked together
- Provide longer-lasting energy and more nutrients
- Found in whole grains, starchy vegetables, beans, and peas
- Fats
- Uses
- Stores energy and insulates the body
- Protects the organs and helps absorb some vitamins
- Supports cell growth and hormone production
- Sources
- Unsaturated fats (healthy fats)
- Found in plant-based oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, and fatty fish
- Can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke by improving cholesterol levels
- Saturated fats (less healthy fats)
- Found in animal products, such as meat, butter, cheese, and cream
- Can raise the risk of heart disease and stroke by increasing cholesterol levels
- Trans fats (unhealthy fats)
- Found in processed foods, such as baked goods, snacks, and fried foods
- Can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke by raising bad cholesterol and lowering good cholesterol
- Vitamins
- Uses
- Boosts the immune system
- Helps prevent or delay certain cancers
- Strengthens teeth and bones
- Aids calcium absorption
- Maintains healthy skin
- Helps the body metabolize proteins and carbs
- Aids brain and nervous system functioning
- Sources
- Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
- Found in fatty foods, such as vegetable oils, dairy products, liver, and eggs
- Stored in the body's fat tissue and can build up to toxic levels if consumed in excess
- Water soluble vitamins (B complex and C)
- Found in fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, eggs, and dairy products
- Not stored in the body and need to be replenished regularly through diet
- Minerals
- Uses
- Balances water levels
- Maintains healthy skin, hair, and nails
- Improves bone health
- Strengthens blood
- Aids in blood clotting
- Helps carry oxygen
- Supports the immune system
- Supports healthy blood pressure
- Sources
- Major minerals (magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, potassium, chloride)
- Found in various foods depending on the mineral
- Needed in larger amounts by the body than trace minerals
- Trace minerals (iron, selenium, zinc, manganese, chromium copper iodine fluoride molybdenum)
- Found in various foods depending on the mineral
* Needed in smaller amounts by the body than major minerals
Creating a multilevel list makes the Nutrients That the Human Body Needs information more readable because:
- It organizes the information into categories and subcategories that are easy to follow and understand.
- It highlights the main points and details of each nutrient without overwhelming the reader with too much text.
- It allows the reader to compare and contrast different nutrients based on their uses and sources.