What are nutrients classified under?

November 1, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of children younger than five years old suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies worldwide. This highlights the critical importance of understanding what are nutrients classified under and how a balanced diet ensures your body receives everything it needs for optimal function. Nutrients are the chemical substances found in food that are essential for providing energy, building structure, and regulating the body's processes.

Quick Summary

Nutrients are categorized in multiple ways, most commonly as macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). They can also be classified by their chemical makeup as organic or inorganic, and by whether the body must obtain them from the diet (essential) or can produce them itself (non-essential). These classifications help us understand how different food components support bodily functions.

Key Points

Macronutrients vs. Micronutrients: Nutrients are primarily classified by the quantity the body needs, with macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water) required in large amounts and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in smaller quantities.
Energy-Yielding vs. Non-Energy-Yielding: Another key distinction is whether a nutrient provides energy (calories). Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are energy-yielding, while vitamins, minerals, and water are not.
Organic vs. Inorganic: Nutrients are categorized chemically as either organic (carbon-based compounds like carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins) or inorganic (minerals and water).
Essential vs. Non-Essential: Based on the body's ability to produce them, some nutrients are essential and must be consumed through diet, while non-essential ones can be synthesized by the body.
Diverse Classification: Various classification systems, including function and chemical structure, provide a complete view of how different food components support bodily functions.
Nutrient Synergy: Both macronutrients and micronutrients work together to ensure the body operates correctly, highlighting the need for a balanced diet.

Common Ways to Classify Nutrients

Nutrients are chemical compounds crucial for life, supporting everything from energy production to cellular repair. While six main types of nutrients are universally recognized—carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water—they can be classified in several different ways to help understand their roles. These classifications help in understanding nutritional needs, diet planning, and overall health.

Macronutrients vs. Micronutrients

This is perhaps the most common way to categorize nutrients, based on the quantity the body requires.

Macronutrients

Carbohydrates: The body's primary and most readily available source of energy. They are broken down into glucose, which fuels cells, tissues, and organs. Sources include grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Proteins: Often called the body's building blocks, proteins are made of amino acids and are vital for building and repairing tissues, producing hormones, and creating enzymes. Excellent sources include meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and legumes.
Fats (Lipids): An efficient source of stored energy, fats also aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), protect vital organs, and help maintain body temperature. Healthy fats are found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and oils.
Water: While not energy-yielding, water is considered a macronutrient because it is needed in large quantities. It is essential for all bodily processes, including transporting nutrients, regulating body temperature, and flushing out waste products.

Micronutrients

Vitamins: Organic compounds required in small amounts for various metabolic functions, such as energy production, immune function, and blood clotting. They are either fat-soluble (A, D, E, K) or water-soluble (B-complex, C).
Minerals: Inorganic elements necessary for a wide range of bodily functions, including bone health, fluid balance, and nerve transmission. Minerals are further categorized as macrominerals (needed in larger amounts, e.g., calcium, sodium) and microminerals or trace minerals (needed in smaller amounts, e.g., iron, zinc).

Organic vs. Inorganic Nutrients

Another fundamental classification method is based on the chemical structure of the nutrient. This is a scientific distinction unrelated to the agricultural term "organic" food.

Organic Nutrients

These are complex, carbon-based compounds that are created by living organisms. They can be broken down or destroyed by heat, acid, or air.

Carbohydrates
Proteins
Fats (Lipids)
Vitamins

Inorganic Nutrients

These do not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds and originate from non-living sources like soil and water. They cannot be broken down or destroyed.

Minerals
Water

Essential vs. Non-Essential Nutrients

This classification system distinguishes between nutrients the body can produce and those it must obtain from the diet.

Essential Nutrients

These are nutrients the body cannot synthesize itself, or not in sufficient quantities, and therefore must be consumed through food. This includes certain amino acids, certain fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.

Essential Amino Acids: Nine of the 20 amino acids must be obtained from the diet.
Essential Fatty Acids: Alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3) and linoleic acid (an omega-6) are essential.
Vitamins & Minerals: Most vitamins and all minerals are essential nutrients.

Non-Essential Nutrients

These are nutrients the body can produce in sufficient amounts to meet its needs. It is important to note that "non-essential" does not mean unimportant, only that dietary intake is not strictly necessary. Many non-essential nutrients are still obtained from food.

Non-Essential Amino Acids: The body can produce the other eleven amino acids.
Conditionally Essential Nutrients: Some non-essential nutrients can become essential under specific circumstances, such as illness or physical stress, when the body's synthesis capacity is impaired.

Comparison of Nutrient Classifications


Classification System	Categories	Purpose of Classification
Macronutrient/Micronutrient	Macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, Water) vs. Micronutrients (Vitamins, Minerals)	Categorizes based on the quantity the body needs.
Organic/Inorganic	Organic (Carbs, Proteins, Fats, Vitamins) vs. Inorganic (Minerals, Water)	Distinguishes based on the chemical presence of carbon.
Energy-Yielding/Non-Energy	Energy-Yielding (Carbs, Proteins, Fats) vs. Non-Energy (Vitamins, Minerals, Water)	Separates nutrients based on whether they provide calories.
Essential/Non-Essential	Essential (Must be obtained from diet) vs. Non-Essential (Body can synthesize)	Categorizes based on the body's ability to produce the nutrient.

Conclusion

Understanding what are nutrients classified under provides a foundational framework for comprehending how our bodies function and the role of diet in maintaining health. From the broad categories of macronutrients and micronutrients to the chemical distinctions of organic and inorganic compounds, each classification system offers a unique perspective on nutrient function. The essential versus non-essential designation highlights the importance of a balanced diet to provide the necessary compounds our bodies cannot produce. A diet rich in a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins ensures the intake of all these vital components, working in synergy to support overall well-being and protect against disease. For most people, focusing on a diverse, high-quality diet is the most effective strategy for fulfilling their nutritional requirements.

References

: Open Oregon. Classification of Nutrients. Pressbooks, 2023.
: Slideshare. Nutrients classification. 2023.
: VCU Pressbooks. Classification of Nutrients. 2023.
: Healthline. Micronutrients: Types, Functions, Benefits and More. 2024.
: Health. Macronutrients vs. Micronutrients. 2025.
: EuroSchool India. Difference Between Essential and Nonessential Nutrients. 2023.
: Biology LibreTexts. 4.2: Nutrients. 2022.
: Unacademy. Different Non-Essential Nutrients. 2023.
: Vedantu. Inorganic Nutrients in Biology. 2021.
: Quora. What nutrients are organic and what nutrients are inorganic?. 2016.
: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Nutrition, Health, and Your Environment.
: Open Oregon. Classification of Nutrients. Pressbooks, 2023.
: Numan. Explained: macronutrients and micronutrients. 2024.
: Slideshare. macronutrients and micronutrients. 2022.
: Nutrisense. Why Do We Need Macro and Micronutrients?. 2022.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary classification of nutrients is based on the amount the body needs: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are required in large quantities, while micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts.

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are all considered macronutrients. They are needed in large quantities and are the primary source of energy for the body.

Vitamins are organic compounds because they contain carbon and hydrogen, while minerals are inorganic elements that come from the earth.

Essential nutrients are compounds the body cannot make on its own or in sufficient quantities, so they must be obtained from food. Non-essential nutrients can be synthesized by the body.

No, water does not provide energy (calories), but it is still considered a macronutrient because it is required in large amounts for all bodily functions.

Conditionally essential nutrients are typically non-essential but become essential under specific circumstances like illness or stress. Examples include certain amino acids like arginine and glutamine.

A balanced diet ensures that you get the right mix of both macronutrients and micronutrients. A deficiency in either can lead to health problems, while a balanced intake supports optimal body function.