Water

 Is the most abundant nutrient in the body

 It is an inorganic molecule consisting of two atoms of hydrogen bonded to one atom of
oxygen
 It solidifies at 0°C and vaporizes at 100°C
 Men generally have higher water content in the body due to greater muscle mass

Requirement: 1 mL per calorie – 1.5 to 2.5 L/Day or 6 to 10 glasses a day.

Two Major Compartments of Water in the Body

1. Extracellular fluid
- the total body of water outside the cell
- it makes up 20% of the total body weight
2. Intracellular fluid
- the total body of water inside the cell
- it makes up 45% of the total body weight
- twice the volume of the cell

Functions of Water
1. Universal solvent – it provides the basic liquid
2. Catalyst in many biologic reactions – solvent for all the body’s chemical processes
3. For excretion of waste products – eliminates toxins through urine and sweat
4. Regulation of body temperature – sweat production
5. Lubricant – provides lubricating effects on moving body parts such as the bone joints
6. Vital component of tissue, muscles, glycogen and vital for growth

Malnutrition
1. Over-hydration (Water Intoxication) – too much accumulation of water, beyond the limit of
cardiac reserve.
2. Dehydration – lost of fluid in the body.
3. Edema – fluid retention.
Minerals
 Are inorganic crystalline and homogenous substances vital to human nutrition and cell
functions
 Comprising approximately 4% of man’s total body weight
 Classified into macrominerals and microminerals
 They always retain their chemical composition/identity
 The common minerals in food are actually among the chemicals present in the periodic
table of elements

Functions of Minerals
A. Structural Substances
1. Building constituents in body’s hard tissues such as bones and teeth
2. Components in soft tissues, such as sulfur and phosphorus in the muscles
3. Components in essential body compounds such as iron for hemoglobin, iodine for
thyroxin, sulfur for thiamine, cobalt for Vitamin B12, and chloride for gastric juice.

B. Regulatory Substances
1. Muscle contraction
2. Acid-base balance in the blood
3. Body water maintenance
4. Blood clotting
5. Pulse conduction
6. Sound heart rhythm