Essential nutrients are nutrients from food that your body is unable to make on its own. The counterparts to the essential nutrients are the accessory nutrients also called nonessential nutrients, or co-factors. ALL are critical to good health.
There are many nonessential nutrients that work in harmony with the essential nutrients, and they aid in the breakdown and conversion of food into cellular energy, and this supports all of the body’s physical and mental functions. So, it’s essential to have nonessential nutrients every day.
Important Nonessential Nutrients
Some of the primary accessory nutrients that help support metabolism include:
* Vitamin B-Complex co-factors choline and inositol
* Coenzyme Q10 (a close relative of the B-vitamins)
* Lipoic acid
Accessory nutrients that have preventative functions in the body are:
* B-Complex co-factor PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid)
* Bioflavonoids which work with vitamin C
Amino Acids
Some amino acids found in protein are considered nonessential accessory nutrients because they can be synthesized by the body from the essential amino acids. Always supplement with a “complex” amino acid as opposed to using isolated amino acids because ALL the amino acids work synergistically, not separately from one another.
Supplements
It is always best to eat a well-rounded and diverse whole foods diet every day, but if you are on the run, out of town, or just too busy to cook an organic meal, take a vitamin and trace mineral supplement, an amino acid complex, and a good B-Complex at least 5 times a week. This will secure that you are providing your body the esential and the nonessential vitamins that it needs every day.
