The Little Book of Nutrition
Published on HivePostify by @borderline.babe · Mon Sep 07 2026
I finished The Little Book of Nutrients -- not only was this book very cute, but it was also extremely educational! 😊 ----------------------
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Author Marlene Houghton does a wonderful job of breaking down such a broad subject into absorbable, bite-sized pieces (mmm 😋...). She begins with the most important piece: "The primary nutrients known to be essential for humans are amino acids, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals." From there, we are given information about each of those categories -- some, of which, I was even surprised to learn myself!
(Source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/nutrition-in-food-for-good-health--27303141486285983/)
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Let's start with the most common nutrients: vitamins and minerals. These are "substances that help keep our bodies in a balanced equilibrium." However, there were some that I was enlightened to learn about. For example, beta-carotene is the pigment from fruits and veggies that gets CONVERTED by the body into vitamin A when it needs it. Or how, despite being in my fifth pregnancy, I learned that it is vitamin B9 that is "ESSENTIAL for growth, reproduction and the development of a healthy baby in the womb."
Meanwhile, trace minerals are as their name implies: we only need small amounts to sustain the body. Again, a few new ones that I had never known about are: ▪️Chromium: stabilizes blood sugar, improves insulin functioning and boosts immune function ▪️Molybdenum: encourages normal cell function and growth, and also metabolizes iron ▪️Selenium: improves general immune function, and needed for manufacturing the body's protein ▪️Vanadium: helps transport nutrients to cells, boosts energy, and inhibits cholesterol formation
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I was happy to be informed on Amino Acids, for I have always heard of the term but never bothered to look into it. Amino acids are chemicals from which proteins are built." "Amino acids are the building blocks of life. ... they are the constituents of protein, as well as the molecule of life, DNA." There are around 22 different kinds of these acids, including: ▪️Cysteine: needed to absorb selenium. Contains sulphur, needed to create collagen and control blood sugar levels ▪️Leucine: lowers blood sugar levels, and promotes rapid bone and skin healing ▪️Lysine: needed to repair tissues, and helps control the coldsore viruses ▪️Phenylalanine: helps maintain the skin's color, and regulates the thyroid gland ▪️Threonine: regulates neurotransmitters in the brain, and may fight depression
(Source: https://www.reagent.co.uk/blog/what-are-amino-acids/)
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After the amino acids come the Essential Fatty Acids, which are "necessary for cellular growth. Those we need most are omega-3 and omega-6 acids." Omega-3 acids are the ones found in fish and aquatic life; "they make up the protective membrane that surrounds each cell. ... These fats produce ... biological messengers that ... help to reduce the stickiness of blood." Omega-6 acids are in land-based oils, such as vegetable and olive oils.
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Finally, there was a helpful category on superfoods, including algae, mushrooms, and seeds. Algae is a "reliable source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, amino acids, and enzymes." Mushrooms have been "treasured as remedies for disease for thousands of years." What is interesting about these mushrooms is they are "challenged by the same viruses that humans are, and this has enabled them to develop the same defenses as our common enemies." Each type of mushroom is rich in different minerals!
(Source: https://www.mobu.co.uk/blogs/news/what-are-super-mushrooms?srsltid=AfmBOor8gOm30XoYUT4siD2QOhylgH4wV7pM1ssVXk2TtDGTK2f8oB-)
Then there are seeds, which are high in both nutrients and phytochemicals (plant substances that offer us benefits). Some of the best kinds of seeds are: flaxseed, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower.
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All in all, it was a very educational book that was chock-full of information and helpful tips! 🙏 As someone who has struggled with health issues in the past, including Hyperthyroidism and Hyperemesis Gravidarum -- two major health conditions that originate in the gut and are thereby influenced by nutrition -- I only wish that I had information like this made available to me sooner!... There are so many vitamins and minerals that help regulate the thyroid, as well as manage nausea, and I could have managed many of my symptoms through proper diet. ---------------------
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