Subject Code: HE 1 Health Education 1

Module Code: 1.0 Nutrition Education: Nutrition During Adolescence

Lesson Code: 1.1 Overview of the Six Essential Nutrients
Time Frame: 30 minutes/1 session

TA ATA
Components Tasks (min) (min)b
a

Target By the end of this learning guide module, the students should be able to: 1
1. identify the six essential nutrients according to their functions in our
body; and
2. understand the importance of good nutrition.

Hook Title of Activity: A Tale of Two Foods 10

Materials needed:
Different food labels (actual food labels may be used by students or they can search
the labels on the internet)

Instructions:
Secure two food labels of foods belonging to the same food group, e.g. (Milk: Bear
Brand vs. Nido). Using the worksheet below, try to compare the nutritional content
of the two food products on a per pack basis.

Image source: https://classroom.kidshealth.org/classroom/3to5/personal/nutrition/food_labels.pdf

Health 1 | Page 1 of 8
 Ignite 15

Image source: https://nulivscience.com/research/ultimate-guide-healthy-weight-management

We have learned from the previous activity that the same type of food could differ
in their nutritional content. This highlights the importance of checking and
comparing nutritional contents of food products before choosing one food over the
other.

For years, people have been assuming that there are "bad" and "good" nutrients
when, as a matter of fact, all nutrients have their own special role in the body. Even
carbohydrates and fats that were once deemed as "bad nutrients", perform essential
functions inside the body. Consuming too many "good" nutrients like vitamins or
minerals has its negative effects as well.

Nutrients are the compound or substances in food that your body requires for its
proper functioning. In other words, you basically need nutrients to:
• serve as fuel (energy) for your body;
• help you grow;
• repair your body; and
• keep normal bodily functions

Here’s an overview of the six (6) essential nutrients:

1.) WATER

Water is very crucial to human life and health. We can

live for weeks with no food, but we cannot survive several
days without water.¹ A large percentage of the human
body is made up of water; in muscles (75%), brains
(75%), blood (92%) and even bones (22%).² Whenever
you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated! Teenagers
Image source:
are strongly encouraged to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki
each day on top of the 4 cups of water we get from food /File%3AIcon-water-blue.svg
every day.

Functions in the body:

• Delivers nutrients to the cells and eliminates waste from the body
• Acts as a body thermal regulator
• Diffuses amino acids, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients
• Serves as a joint lubricant.

Trivia:
Of the earth’s water, only 1% is available for us to drink. A huge 97% of earth’s
water is salty water in the seas.
Source: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-percentage-of-the-earth-s-water-is-drinkable.html

Health 1 | Page 2 of 8
¹ Retrieved from:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/water-and-nutrition
² Retrieved from:
http://www.getskinnybehappy.com/healthy-living/why-water-is-essential-for-health-and-weight-loss/
2.) CARBOHYDRATES

This is the primary source of energy that our body needs.

Carbohydrates are mostly composed of starches and
sugars that are broken down by the body into a simple
sugar called glucose that the cells feed on.
Image source:
https://www.shutterstock.com/s
There are two types of carbohydrates namely: earch/carbohydrates

a. Simple Carbohydrates – They have a bad image due to their high

calorie content and low value in nutrition.
Food Sources: fruit juices, donuts, milk teas, carbonated drinks, etc.

b. Starches or Complex Carbohydrates – These are excellent sources of

energy for the body and are rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins. Majority
of complex carbohydrates contain fiber but not all.
Food Sources: Oatmeals, cereals, pasta, vegetables, rice and whole
grain bread.

Functions of carbohydrates:
• Provide the body with stored energy
• Helps to develop and preserve healthy muscles
• Promote good digestion
• Supply our bodies with dietary fiber.
Fiber is a plant material that does not dissolve during digestion.

Functions of fiber in the body:

• helps with good digestion;
• may potentially minimize the development of heart diseases, obesity,
diabetes and colon cancer; and
• aids in promoting regularity of urine and bowel movement

3.) PROTEINS

They provide energy for the body and promotes repair of

body tissues as well as for growth and development.
Amino acids are chemical compounds which are the
building blocks of protein that the cells of your body
practically use to build the proteins you need for survival.
Image source:
There are 20 amino acids to which 11 of them are https://www.istockphoto.com/v
ector/healthy-nutrition-
produced by our bodies and the remaining 9 also known proteins
as “Essential Amino Acids” are found in food sources.

Two Types of Protein:

a. Complete Proteins - Contains all 9 essential amino acids and are
usually found in animal sources such as meat, fish, eggs, poultry and
dairy products.
b. Incomplete Proteins - They are found in plant sources like legumes,
nuts, seeds, breads, cereals and vegetables and lacks 1 or more of the
essential amino acids.

The most effective way to supply the body with complete proteins is by eating
various foods in a day.

Health 1 | Page 3 of 8
4.) FATS
A form of food energy (calories) which is concentrated.
Functions in the body:
• Releases substances that are essential for growth
and healthy skin
• Enhances the texture and flavor of food
• Supply energy Image source:
https://www.istockphoto.com/v
• Transports “fat-soluble” vitamins around the ector/healthy-nutrition-fats
body

Food Sources:
Meats, whole milk or cream, butter, nuts and seeds, vegetable oils, salad
dressings and dairy products.

Two Types of Fats

a. Saturated Fats – These are fats that are usually solid at room
temperature. The type of fat responsible for causing high cholesterol and
increases the risk of heart disease.

Food Sources: animal foods and tropical oils.

b. Unsaturated Fats – Unlike saturated fats, these are liquid at room

temperature. They have two types and they are:
• Polyunsaturated Fat – Supplies the body with two essential fatty
acids necessary for its normal functions and are found in
vegetables and fish oils. Fatty acids are the building blocks of
the fat in our bodies and in the food we eat.
• Monounsaturated Fat – They play a role in reducing the risk of
heart disease and are mostly found in olive oil, canola oil, nuts
and seeds.

If you’re curious to know why saturated fats are solid and unsaturated fats are
liquid in room temperature, you may visit:
https://sciencing.com/why-are-unsaturated-fats-liquid-at-room-temperature-13710550.html

5.) VITAMINS

They help control the body's many chemical processes.

However, vitamins DO NOT provide the body with
energy unlike carbs, proteins and fats. All in all, there are
13 variety of vitamins considered essential for good health
every day. The vitamins are divided into two types: Image source:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/
howto/guide/vital-vitamins
a. Fat Soluble Vitamins
- They need fat for them to be transported from the stomach onto the
blood stream for absorption and the body can also store them for
later use.
Trivia:
Polar Bear liver is so rich in Vitamin A that eating an entire polar bear ca be
fatal to humans.
Source: https://www.multivitaminguide.org/infographic/20-fun-facts-about-vitamins.html

Health 1 | Page 4 of 8
VITAMIN FUNCTIONS SOURCE(S)
➢ Helps keep skin and hair
Milk, deep yellow and orange
healthy
A fruits, liver, cheese, eggs and
➢ Has a key role in developing
dark green leafy vegetables
strong teeth and bones
➢ Aids the body to utilize
phosphorus and calcium Egg yolk, vitamin D-fortified
D ➢ Helps in building strong bones milk, liver and of course the
and teeth sun
Vegetable oils, margarine
➢ Helps form red blood cells, whole-grain breads, cereals,
E
muscles, and other tissues dark-green leafy vegetables,
nuts, seeds and liver
Dark green and leafy
K ➢ Promotes blood clotting
vegetables

Trivia:
Hemophilia (also known as the “Royal Disease”) is a rare genetic disorder that
prevents the blood from clotting as it should.
Source: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/hemophilia.html

b. Water Soluble Vitamins

- These are mainly vitamins C and B-complex. They rely on water
for absorption. The body can absorb them easily and passed through
as waste.

VITAMIN FUNCTIONS SOURCE(S)

➢ Hasten the healing of wounds
➢ Ensures that the blood vessels, Oranges, lemon, pineapple,
C teeth and bones are healthy guava, canistel fruit (tiesa),
➢ Strengthens the immune calamansi and mangoes
system
B-Complex
➢ Stimulates the body to utilize Meat and poultry products,
(B1, B2, B3, the energy from the foods peanut butter, whole grain
B5, B6, B7, ➢ Aids in proper nerves, muscle breads, cereals, fish, eggs,
B9, B12)
and brain function milk, dried beans and peas.

6.) MINERALS
0
Minerals are elements found everywhere on earth and in
the food we eat which our bodies need for development
and to function properly. The body is dependent on
minerals for every process that are essential for life. As a
matter of fact, the body requires 16 minerals daily.
Eventually minerals actually become part of the body like Image source:
https://www.dreamstime.com/illu
calcium in our bones and teeth. stration/essential-minerals.html

There are two types of minerals: (a) macrominerals and (b) trace minerals.
Basically, you need large quantities of macrominerals which includes potassium,
calcium, phosphorous, sodium, sulfur, chloride and magnesium. For trace
minerals, you only need small amounts of these. They include manganese, iron,
iodine, cobalt, zinc, selenium, fluoride and copper.

Health 1 | Page 5 of 8
Here are some of the macro/trace minerals that are essential for our everyday
health:
MINERAL FUNCTIONS SOURCE(S)
➢ Helps maintain the normal
fluid balance in the body Processed foods like hotdogs,
Sodium
➢ Helps in the transmission of bacon, luncheon meat,
(Na) sausages, French fries, chicken
nerve impulses
nuggets, canned foods and
➢ Improves the relaxation and instant noodles.
contraction of muscles
➢ Responsible for maintaining
Green leafy vegetables, dairy
Calcium healthy teeth and bones
products like as milk, ice
(Ca) ➢ Helps heart, nerves, and
cream and cheese, canned fish
muscles work properly
➢ Contribute to the formation of
bones and teeth
➢ Assist the body to utilize carbs Squash and pumpkin seeds,
Phosphorous and fats shellfish, tuna (yellow fin),
(P) ➢ Needed by the body to make lean pork and chicken meat,
protein for growth low-fat milk and tofu.
➢ Maintain and repair cells and
tissues
➢ Keeps the immune system Fruits, nuts, peas and beans,
Magnesium
(Mg) healthy soy products, whole grains and
➢ Strengthens the bones milk
➢ Regulates muscle contraction
and nerve functions
Potassium ➢ Promotes regular heartbeat Bananas, dried fruits, fruit
(K) from vines (grapes, berries),
➢ Helps transport nutrients into
root crops and citrus fruits
cells and removes waste out of
the cells
➢ Helps the red blood cells in Dried fruit, dried beans, peas,
hemoglobin production liver, heart, kidney, meat, egg
➢ Aids the cells to utilize oxygen yolk, spinach, nuts, whole-
Iron (Fe)
grain enriched breads, cereals
and of course the bitter melon
(ampalaya)
➢ Strengthens the immune
system to ward off invading Dairy products, whole grains,
viruses and bacteria nuts, beans, cereals, seafood
Zinc (Zn)
➢ Promotes wound healing and is such as oysters, red meat and
vital for the sense of taste and poultry products.
smell to work properly
➢ Helps to prevent goiter,
hypothyroidism, and mental Seafood (tuna, seaweed,
deficiency shrimp, etc.), dairy products,
Iodine (I)
➢ Crucial during pregnancy and breads, cereals, fruits,
infancy for proper bone and vegetables and iodized salt
brain development

Trivia:
A human body has enough iron in it to make a metal nail 3 in. (7.5 cm) long. Most
of this iron is in the blood.
Source: https://quipoquiz.com/quiz/the-human-body/index

Health 1 | Page 6 of 8
 Navigate Now it’s time to test what you have learned so far. Fill in the blanks with the 3
correct nutrient. You may text/pm your answers to: _______________ or send
it via: ______________ before ____________. This quiz is non-graded. (5pts)
1.

Knot NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY 1

This happens whenever the body does not absorb sufficient nutrients. It usually
begins with mild symptoms such as fatigue, having trouble sleeping or focusing,
regular colds and weight loss/gain. But, if it’s not treated immediately, the
symptoms can become more severe and may affect the skin, eyes, bones, and even
brain function. The diagram below shows clearly how much the human body
requires for each of the six basic nutrients.

Image source: https://slideplayer.com/slide/6669175/

Remember that “no single food contains enough amount of nutrients needed for
optimum growth and health.”³ Eating a well-balanced diet is best way to avoid
nutrient deficiency.

³ 2012 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos, DOST-FNRI Health 1 | Page 7 of 8

a
TA – time allocation suggested by the teacher
b
ATA- actual time allocation spent by the student (for information purposes only)

References:
1. Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (Revised Edition 2012), DOST-FNRI
2. Nutrient Basics by Louanne Kaupa, RD, ©2002 Learning Zone retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net/haramimran1460/nutrient-basics-44307709
3. Six Essential Nutrients published by Virgil Heath retrieved from
https://slideplayer.com/slide/6669175/
4. HOOK activity: A Tale of Two Foods, ©2017 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth, adapted
and retrieved from
https://classroom.kidshealth.org/classroom/3to5/personal/nutrition/food_labels.pdf
5. THINK icons retrieved from https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons

Prepared by: Virgil Donovan F. Famini Reviewed by: Myla A. Argente

Position: Special Science Teacher Position: Special Science Teacher III
Campus: PSHS MRC Campus: PSHS CBZRC

Health 1 | Page 8 of 8
© 2020 Philippine Science High School System. All rights reserved. This document may contain proprietary information and may only be
released to third parties with approval of management. Document is uncontrolled unless otherwise marked; uncontrolled documents are not
subject to update notification.