Vitamins, minerals, and water are categorized as which type of nutrients?

• A. Fuel Nutrients
• B. Vitamins Only
• C. Minerals Only
• D. Non Fuel Nutrients

Answer: (D)

Vitamins, minerals, and water do not provide calories; they are non-fuel nutrients. They support the body's functions without supplying energy. Fuel nutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are what the body uses to generate energy, so they’re distinct from non-fuel nutrients. Vitamins and minerals act as cofactors in countless biochemical reactions and help regulate metabolism, while water is essential for hydration, digestion, temperature regulation, and transport of nutrients and wastes. Some vitamins and minerals are involved in energy metabolism, but they don’t themselves yield energy. That makes non-fuel nutrients the best way to describe vitamins, minerals, and water.