Water
Water is the most important nutrient of all and essential for life. Animals can lose almost all their fat and half their protein and still survive, but if they lose 15% of their water, it will mean death.
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Carbohydrates
Energy-producing nutrients The nutrients that supply us with energy are carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Carbohydrates Carbohydrate Source Sugars Fruits Honey Lactose Milk Dairy products (milk sugar) Starches Corn Wheat Rice Barley Oats Potatoes Slowly fermentable fibre like cellulose Wheat bran Moderately fermentable fibre Rice bran Pea fibre Wheat bran Rapidly fermentable fibre Apples Citrus pulp Guar gum Simple carbohydrates and starches in foods are used by the body as a source of glucose.
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Proteins
To make a protein, amino acids are linked together in a long chain. The chain is then bundled into to a three-dimensional structure, like a tangled ball of yarn.
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Fats
Fats Dietary fats are required to: supply energy: dietary fat provides the pet with 2.25 times more calories per weight unit than protein or carbohydrates; aid absorption of the fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A,D, E and K): dietary fat provides a physical environment in the gut that enhances the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
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Minerals
Minerals More than 18 mineral elements are believed to be essential for mammals. By definition, macrominerals are required by the animal in the diet in larger amounts and microminerals or trace elements in much smaller amounts.
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Antioxidants
The threat of free radicals Cells are continually under attack from compounds called 'free radicals'. Generated as a 'by-product' of the body's own metabolism or as a result of external factors like pollution, free radicals can kill cells by damaging the membrane, the enzymes and the DNA contained within.
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Vitamins
Vitamins Vitamins can be divided into two main groups depending on whether they are soluble in fat or water. In addition, there is a group of vitamin-like substances that are similar to vitamins without fitting exactly into the categories.
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