4.3: Energy-Providing Nutrients
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The body gets energy from carbohydrate, fat, and protein (and alcohol). Besides water, these energy-providing nutrients—the topic of the next chapter—make up the bulk of the diet. They provide energy and also the basic molecular building blocks. For example, carbohydrate, fat, and protein can all be broken down to a 2-carbon molecule called acetate, the building block of some big molecules like cholesterol. Acetate is also the building block used to make the body fat that stores excess calories. This is why we can get fat whether the excess calories come from carbohydrate, protein, or fat.
Essential Amino Acids and Fatty Acids: Protein and fat also provide certain molecules that the body needs but can’t make (Table 4-1). Protein provides essential amino acids; fat provides essential fatty acids.