How can nutrients are classified

Question

How can nutrients are classified?

Answer 1

One possible and utile functional categorization for nutrients is the one which separates them in energetic, regulatory and structural.

Energetic nutrients are those employed as energy source for metabolism; mainly they are the carbohydrates (however fats and proteins can also be converted in acetyl-CoA and “cycle” Krebs cycle). Structural nutrients are those employed in the structure and support of cells and tissues; they are the amino acids which form structural proteins, such as collagen, the membrane proteins, cytoskeleton proteins, contractile proteins of muscle tissue, and so forth.

Regulatory nutrients are those which constitute coenzymes and enzymes of the homeostasis, metabolites of electrolytic and osmotic equilibrium of hormones and cells; some amino acids, vitamins and mineral salts are fraction of this group.