Nutrition : Nutrition is defined as the process in which breakdown of complex food materials into simpler substances and its subsequent absorption in the body takes place.
Nutrients : The organic and inorganic substances which the living organism collects from the nature to carry out all the basic activities of the body are called nutrients.
Minerals : These materials play important roles in the growth and metabolism of plants and animals. This is known as mineral nutrition.
General function of Minerals
C,H,O,S,P,N etc. form the protoplasm in the body. These are known as the framework elements.
Ca, Mg etc, form the cell wall and chlorophyll.
The anions and cations of minerals affect the permeability of cytoplasmic membrane. They also affect the osmotic pressure.
Iron is an essential element which forms ferrodoxin and cytochrome.
Autotrophs : Green plants which are capable of making their own food materials from simple inorganic materials are called autotrophs.
Autotrophic nutrition : Nutrition shown by autotrophs is termed as autotrophic nutrition.
Heterotrophs : The non-green plants and animals are heterotrophs because they cannot make their own food.
Malnutrition : Malnutrition is defined as the state of abnormal nutrition, that is caused by an insufficient intake of the basic nutrients, or their impaired assimilation and utilization by the body.
Food : Food is reffered as edible substances, due to which growth, nutrition, yield of energy and building of new tissue of the living body take place.
Energy producing foods : Carbohydrates (sugar, potato, cereals, carrot, etc.) and fats (animals and vegetable oils) are known as energy foods because they give energy and heat for different activities of our life.
Body building foods : Proteins (milk, egg, meat, fish, pulses, etc.) are the body-building foods, because they are utilized for growth of the body. They carryout repair of wear and tear of damaged tissues.
Protective and Regulative Food : It is that food which provide protection to the body. Vitamins and minerals (milk, egg, liver, green leafy vegetable, fruits, etc.) are called protective food as they protect the body from attack of various diseases.
Roughage : Roughage is that part of the food which cannot be digested. For man, it consists mainly of the cellulose of plant cell walls. It adds bulk or fibre to the food. This allows more efficient movement of food along the canal, especially in the large intestine.
Vitamins : Vitamins are organic compounds present in minute quantity in natural foodstuffs (vegetables and fruits) which are required for the normal growth as well as maintenance of good health.
Water soluble vitamins : Some vitamins are soluble in water and are called water soluble vitamins e.g., vitamin B-complex and vitamin C.
Fat soluble vitamins : Some vitamins are soluble in fats like chloroform, benzene, etc., are called fat soluble vitamins e.g., vitamins A, D, E and K.
Autotrophic nutrition : This is defined as the nutrition by means of which the plant synthesises their own food substances within their body.
Holophytic nutrition : In case of autotrophic nutrition plants get simple and inorganic matter in liquid and gaseous form for making organic food matters. This type of nutrition is called holophytic nutrition.
Essential elements : The nutritional requirement of autotrophs include several inorganic ions. Which are mainly taken from their surroundings and are called essential elements.
Macroelements : The inorganic ions which are needed in large quantities are called macroelements. Macroelements are, Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Phosphorus (P), Sulphur (S), Potassium (K), Nitrogen (N), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg) etc.
Microelement : Some elements which are required in minute quantities are called trace elements or microelements. These are Manganese (Mn), Boron (B), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Molybdenum (Mo). Sometimes Sodium (Na), Iodine (I), Silicon (Si) and Aluminium (Al) are also required in minute quantities.
Heterotrophic nutrition : The process of nutrition in which the plants are not able to synthesize their own food matters and for nutrition they have to depend upon other living host plants or on dead decaying organic matters is called heterotrophic nutrition.
Parasitic nutrition : Parasitic nutrition is the process in which the plants obtain their necessary nutrition from other plants or animals. These plants are called parasites.
Saprophytic nutrition : The nutrition in certain non-green plants which draw their nourishment from the dead and decomposed organic substances are termed to be saprophytic nutrition. e.g. Monotropa, Agaricus, etc.
Symbiotic nutrition : In symbiotic nutrition two organisms live in close association with each other for their mutual benefit of nutrition.
Mutualism : When two plants live in close association for mutual benefit for their nutrition is called mutualism. e.g. lichen.
Commensalism : In commensalism two plants living together obtain their nutrition independently. This type of plants do not affect their hosts as they are capable of preparing their food. e.g. Ficus benghalensis (Banyan).
Insectivorous plants : Certain green plants which are unable of drawing nitrogenous nutrients from the soil obtain the same from insects. They eat insects. These plants are called insectivorous plants. e.g. (i) Pitcher plant (Nepenthes) (ii) Bladderwort (Utricularia) (iii) Sundew plant (Drosera) (iv) Venus flytrap.
Saprozoic nutrition : The form of nutrition in which the animal before absorption, liquefies the dead and decaying animals or plant matters by secreting juices is called saprozoic nutrition. e.g. Euglena, Astasia, etc.
Holozoic nutrition : The type of nutrition in which the animlas get their solid food from vegetable or animal source and subsequently digest the nutrients obtained from the food, is called holozoic nutrition.
Herbivorous : Animals eating only plants are called herbivorous e.g., cow, goat, horse, deer, etc.
Carnivorous : Animals eating only other animals are called carnivorus. e.g., lion, tiger, shark, jackal, cat, owl, etc.
Insectivorous : Animals depending on insects are called insectivorous e.g., lizards.
Carrion feeder : Animals depending on flesh of dead animals are called carrion feeders. i.e., crow, vulture, etc.
Omnivorous : These Animals consume both plants and animals for their nutrition and are called omnivorous. e.g., man, rat, cockroach, etc.
Ingestion : The process of taking food into the body by the organism called ingestion.
Digestion : The process by which complex foods are converted into simple assimilable forms is known as digestion.
Intracellular digestion : Intracellular digestion is the process of digestion inside the cell.
Extracellular digestion : Extracellular digestion is the process of digestion outside the cell of an organ.
Digestive system of man : The system formed by the complex organs which are concerned for ingestion of food, digestion of food, absorption of digested food and elimination of undigested food is called digestive system or alimentary system. In man, it starts from mouth and ends at intestine.
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