"197 minerals essential for the functioning of the human body. Their work and the acknowledgement by President FDR of the nutritional inadequacy of the American diet evoked a united response between scientists and government leadi ng to the enrichment of flour, the development of school lunch programs, and advancements of nutritional education in this country. In the latter part of the twentieth century nutritional scientists, public health organizations, and the American public inc reasingly recognized that eating too much of certain foods is linked to chronic diseases. We now know that diet - related conditions and diseases include hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and osteoporosis. These diet - related conditions and diseases are some of the biggest killers of Americans. The HHS reports that unhealthy diets and inactivity cause between 310,000 and 580,000 deaths every single year. Calories As previously stated, many of th e health issues associated with poor eating habits are a result of an energy imbalance. Most Americans are obtaining more energy from food than they actually need to function in their daily lives. With a large percentage of Americans engaging in no physica l activity, this excess of energy is stored as fat in the body. This food energy is measured in calories, also known as kilocalories (kcals). A kilocalorie is the amount of energy needed to raise 1 kilogram of water 1 degree Celsius, but food labels use th e term calorie to describe the amount of energy in the individual foods described. The term calorie is used in this textbook to describe food energy. Nutrients Ideally, when we consume and obtain energy from our food, we will primarily eat nutrient dense f oods. A nutrient is a compound that provides a needed function in the body. Nutrients can be further classified based on the amount needed in the body. The six Essential Nutrients are the nutrients that our bodies need in order to survive. They can be bro ken into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are nutrients needed in larger amounts. There are four macronutrients which include: • Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram • Fats (lipids): 9 calories per gram • Protein: 4 calories per gram • Water: contains 0 calories Note: As can be seen, carbohydrates, protein, and fats provide energy. However, there is another energy source in the diet that is not a nutrient - alcohol. Alcohol is NOT a nutrient! But it does provide energy. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. Micronutrients are nutrients needed in smaller amounts, but they are still considered essential. There are two groups of micronutrients which are:"