Carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, fats, water, vitamins, and dietary fiber are the seven well-known nutrients essential for sustaining life. Additionally, some nutrients have a significant impact on health but are easily overlooked, earning them the name "non-essential" nutrients. Among the more important of these are nucleic acids, enzymes, prostaglandins, and hormones.
The human body obtains nucleic acids from two sources: its own synthesis and food intake. However, after the age of 30, the body's ability to synthesize nucleic acids diminishes, making it necessary to increase the intake from food. Foods rich in nucleic acids include herring, sardines, mackerel, shrimp, oysters, and other seafood, as well as vegetables like beets, asparagus, green onions, radishes, mushrooms, cauliflower, and legumes.
Enzymes are indispensable substances in life activities, with antioxidant enzymes being particularly crucial. Foods such as shiitake mushrooms, Chinese yam, ginkgo, jujubes, hawthorn, ginger, green peppers, eggplant, and garlic are high in antioxidant enzymes.
Prostaglandins are special hormones in the human body that play a vital role in lowering blood pressure, preventing cerebral thrombosis, and protecting the brain and heart. In terms of vegetables, scientists have only discovered prostaglandins in onions to date.
One of the reasons for declining health in middle age is the gradual decrease in the body's amino acid content. For instance, a reduction in glycine and alanine in the blood slows down the body's protein synthesis process. Therefore, it is highly important for middle-aged and older adults to increase their amino acid intake. It has been detected that over 20 of the more than 30 amino acids have a bitter taste. Bitter melon, bitter vegetables, lily bulbs, tea, and buckwheat contain a comprehensive range of amino acids in sufficient quantities. Furthermore, the plant estrogens found in soybeans, the salicylic acid abundant in red wine, and the anti-cancer substances prevalent in sweet potatoes and cruciferous vegetables are all special nutrients that should be noted for consumption.