Nutrition: organisms, nutrients, and health

Nutrition as biochemical and physiological process

Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which organisms use food and water to support life. Through intake, organisms obtain nutrients—both macronutrients (needed in larger amounts) and micronutrients (needed in trace amounts)—which are metabolized to generate energy and to build chemical structures. Because essential nutrients must be present within an appropriate range, both too little and too much can lead to malnutrition or nutrient-excess conditions. Nutritional science treats nutrition as a hard science and emphasizes how different organisms obtain and use nutrients. Organisms may acquire nutrients by consuming organic matter, consuming inorganic matter, absorbing light, or using combinations of these strategies. Nutrients are used in metabolic biochemical reactions such as energy-fueling reactions, biosynthesis of building blocks, polymerization into macromolecules, and assembly of cellular structures. All forms of life require carbon, energy, and water, but the specific nutrient needs and acquisition methods vary by organism type (e.g., animals, plants, fungi, protists, and prokaryotes).

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Nutrients: macro- and micro-nutrients

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