What Are Essential Nutrients?

Your body can do many amazing things: regulate body temperature, fight germs, heal wounds, pump blood. The one thing your body can’t do? Produce the essential nutrients that enable these amazing bodily functions.

Registered dietitian Michelle Dodd, RD, LD, explains what the six essential nutrients are, what they do and how to get enough of them.

What role do essential nutrients play in your body?

Essential nutrients are just that — essential for several body functions, including growth and reproduction. “Because you can’t make essential nutrients, you must get them from foods every day,” says Dodd.

What are the six essential nutrients?

There are more than 40 different nutrients in foods. These six are called “essential”: fats, carbs, protein, vitamins, minerals and water. Each essential nutrient plays a unique part in keeping you healthy.

1. Fats

Fats play many important roles:

• Insulate and protect organs
• Provide energy
• Regulate body temperature
• Help your body absorb vitamins and minerals

2. Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are your body and brain’s main source of energy. Carbs are a type of macronutrient. “‘Macro’ means they’re the main nutrient in a food,” says Dodd. “You typically need a lot of macronutrients to keep your body working as it should.”

3. Protein

Your body needs protein for strong bones, muscles, organs, skin and nails. “Every cell in your body has protein,” notes Dodd. “It serves as the building block for your body.”

Protein helps you:

• Build strong bones and muscles
• Carry nutrients
• Feel full longer, helping to achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• Form tissues and repair cells
• Make hormones and enzymes

4. Vitamins

Your body needs 13 different essential vitamins to fight infections, heal wounds, regulate hormones and more.

There are two types of vitamins:

• Fat-soluble vitamins are important for vision, blood pressure, and muscle and bone health.
• Water-soluble vitamins are good for your nervous system and heart, as well as your hair, skin and nails.

5. Minerals

Your body needs more than a dozen minerals to grow and function. Each mineral is important. For instance:

• Calcium builds strong bones and teeth.
• Iron carries oxygen throughout your body.
• Magnesium controls blood pressure and blood sugar.
• Potassium acts as an electrolyte and is crucial for heart function.
• Zinc supports a healthy immune system.

6. Water

“Water makes up more than half of your body,” says Dodd. This essential nutrient helps:

• Carry nutrients
• Flush out toxins
• Improve blood flow
• Prevent dehydration
• Protect nerves and joints
• Promote digestion and prevent constipation
• Regulate body temperature

How can you get essential nutrients from food?

Eating a variety of healthy foods every day is the best way to make sure you get the essential nutrients your body needs.

These seven tips can help. Aim for:

1. Balanced meals. Enjoy a mix of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein.
2. Foods high in vitamins and minerals. They keep you healthy and support your immune system.
3. Fish and seeds. They provide healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
4. “Good” carbs. Get healthy (complex) carbs from whole grains, starchy vegetables like potatoes, fruits, beans and legumes.
5. Lean meats, dairy and eggs. They provide complete proteins, giving you all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t make.
6. Lots of water. The goal is 9 to 12 cups of water every day (a minimum of 64 ounces, says Dodd). Stay hydrated by trying flavored water or sparkling water.
7. Plenty of protein. You can find lots of plant-based protein sources as well.

How do you know which foods have essential nutrients?

Nutrient-dense foods — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean proteins — naturally have essential nutrients. Another good way to look for essential nutrients is to check the nutrition label.

This label provides the amount of certain essential nutrients in food and drink items. It also provides a percentage of the daily value (written as %DV) for each nutrient per serving. This information can help determine whether a food or drink is high or low in a particular essential nutrient.

Nutrition labels feature these essential nutrients:

• Fat
• Carbohydrates
• Protein
• Vitamins
• Minerals

What are some common deficiencies of essential nutrients?

Several factors can make it difficult to get all the essential nutrients you need each day. For instance, certain health conditions or treatments can affect how well you absorb and use vitamins and minerals.

If you’re lacking in a particular essential nutrient, you may develop:

• Dehydration
• Ketosis (low carbohydrates)
• Mineral deficiencies, such as iron deficiency (anemia) or magnesium deficiency
• Vitamin deficiencies

Should you take essential nutrient supplements?

Probably not, says Dodd. “Your body responds better to nutrients from foods, not supplements,” she states. Plus, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate supplements, which means you can’t always be sure you’re getting what the label says.

If you’re concerned about a deficiency, Dodd recommends talking to a healthcare provider before taking supplements. “A blood test can detect some deficiencies,” she says. Your provider can help determine what vitamins — if any — you need based on your unique situation. They can also make sure you don’t overdo certain vitamins, which can be harmful.

What are nonessential nutrients?

Nonessential nutrients are ones that your body makes. It isn’t “essential” that you get them from foods. Nonessential vitamins include:

• Cholesterol
• L-tyrosine and other nonessential amino acids
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin K

Make healthy choices to get essential nutrients

Eating a variety of nutritious foods and drinking plenty of water can help you get the essential nutrients to stay well. If needed, talk to a provider or a registered dietitian to make sure you aren’t missing out on essential nutrients.