In many articles on the site, I go into a rather great deal of detail on various aspects of human nutrition and the various nutrients that comprise it. But it’s easy when doing this to miss the basics, which are arguably far more important. For that reason I wanted to put together this guide to basic nutrition. And I intend to keep it basic. Where appropriate, I’ll point readers to other articles on the site (or my books) which discuss a given topic in more detail than I want to cover here.
Essential vs. Non-Essential Nutrients
The body has a requirement for somewhere around 60 nutrients on a daily basis for normal functioning or basic health. Please note that as nutritional science has progressed, it’s clear that many more nutrients contribute to optimal health even if they aren’t required for survival. Put differently, you can live without consuming them but you might be healthier or perform better as an athlete if you did eat them.… Keep Reading