From a purely physical perspective, humans are solid bodies. However, continuous observation of the activities occurring within them reveals an unparalleled biological complexity.
All human organs are essentially astronomical assemblies of cells, each housing microscopic galaxies. Science has enabled us to “travel” within these cells, uncover many of them, isolate their units, determine their weights, and arrange them neatly before our eyes.
When a biochemist considers this, the living being emerges as a small, astonishing entity in which reactions organize and express its states and fate.
Today, it has become very routine to determine the proportions of various chemical elements in plants, animals, humans, or specific parts thereof. All you need for this task is an ashing furnace, a sensitive balance, and some familiarity with the various scientific techniques in analytical chemistry.
The following table shows, with great precision, the results of such analysis, where the elements of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon dominate the overall percentages of other elements, as evidenced by the molecular ratios listed at the end.
Water constitutes the majority of the human body composition, while other chemicals are primarily combinations with carbon and, to a lesser extent, with nitrogen, and exceptionally with sulfur, resulting in sugars, fats, and proteins.
Most of the calcium and phosphorus exist in the form of calcium phosphate, which forms the solid matter known as bones and teeth.
This abundant and complex structure in its functional interactions requires constant repair and ongoing construction.
From this very perspective, we strive to continually supply it with elements that we call nutrients, which are not always so.
For these elements to find a “beneficial” place in the human body, you must choose them wisely. The world around us, in both its plant and animal realms, is abundant and often perplexing.
Chemical Composition of the Human Body
Most of the analytical data available on the compositions of the most consumed foods in our country follows the classification used by contemporary nutrition specialists.
The tables primarily rely on data from the Food Quality Information Center, with results directly sourced from specialized laboratories. Some have been supplemented by referring to studies, information banks, and other nutritional tables.
The values provided in these tables have been selected with the utmost precision and reflect the compositional structure of the consumable part. These values may change depending on the food substance’s conditions related to its production, degree of ripeness, harvest time, display duration, and the part subjected to analysis methods.
The lack of some analyses prompts researchers and workers in this field to complete what has been delayed.
Clarifications on the Composition Table of a Food Substance
Each food substance has a detailed composition table on one page.
- Each table starts with the name of the food substance in Arabic, English, and French.
- Each table includes caloric values and the percentages of thirty possible compositions in the consumable food substance.
- Missing data for any substance is indicated by the symbol “N/A” (not available).
- Caloric values are calculated based on conversion factors for each gram of the consumed food substance and are given in kilocalories per gram (one kilocalorie = 4.185 kilojoules).
- Monosaccharides and various organic acids have been accurately calculated, while current methods only show the total sugar value without distinguishing between starch, high sugars, or monosaccharides, and do not differentiate between different organic acids like acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, and malic acid.
- The lipid values depend solely on the concentrations of fatty acids without considering glycerides, sterols, or phospholipid derivatives. Therefore, the total values of fatty acids are naturally lower than the total lipid values.
- Retinol values are equivalent to beta-carotene or vitamin A precursor and express vitamin activity through the formula:
Vitamin A Activity = Retinol Value + 1/3 Beta-Carotene Value.
This formula can be used for beta-carotene in the following way:
Retinol Equivalent Unit = 1 microgram of Retinol + 3 micrograms of Beta-Carotene.
Recently, the use of the international unit for vitamin A activity has been abandoned, although it is still commonly used by some and is given by the formula:
Vitamin A Activity Unit = 0.1 Retinol Equivalent Unit.
Vitamin E activity is calculated by summing the following compounds: - The vitamin C value represents the total amount of biologically active ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid present in the substance.
- The consumable portion percentage indicates the actual edible part of the purchased food substance.
For example, in 100 grams of almonds, the actual edible portion is 40%, meaning the shells constitute 60% of it.
For dry beans, the actual edible portion is 2.5%, meaning 100 grams of dry beans equal 250 grams of cooked beans after soaking.
Today, foods are classified according to the preferences of nutrition researchers and specialists into six groups, differing based on their sources and primary components.
A balanced diet practically requires that our daily meals consist of all these groups.