Round #1: How do plants help humans?

Big question: How do plants help humans?

Round #1: Nutrients in plants.

What are nutrients?

Nutrients are substances used to provide the body with energy (1).There are a lot of nutrients we get from plants that help in our body. Plants have the main nutrients we need, which are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (2). We need Nitrogen to make plants grow. It also helps in photosynthesis and nitrogen also creates proteins and without proteins plants would wither and die (3). Phosphorus is the main nutrient, it also provides the plant with energy (4). Potassium also helps in photosynthesis and it helps in opening and closing the stomata (5).    

           Fruits Why is it important to eat fruits? And why are they important in our diet? Fruits are rich in nutrients that help the body, particularly vitamins. Two major vitamins you get from fruit are Vitamin A, which is important for vision and to build your immune system and Vitamin C, which is important for your gums and to heal wounds (6). 

Some of the fruits that give us nutrients are grapes, oranges, mangoes, and passionfruit.

 

 

Vegetables

 

 

It is also important to eat vegetables. Some of the nutrients in vegetables are  important because they reduce the risk of high blood pressure and they also help in digestion (7). We should always eat a lot of fruits and vegetables because they help in building the body, keeping it healthy and also help in reducing constipation because they contain a lot of fibre (8). I found it interesting to learn about the different chemicals like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and how they help to keep us healthy. 

In my next round of research I will be learning about plants as building materials.  

 

                

                  References                                       

 

 1:https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/canteen-mgr-tr1~nutrients

2:https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/soils/improvement/plant-nutrients#:~:text=The%20three%20main%20nutrients%20are,are%20calcium%2C%20magnesium%20and%20sulfur.

3:https://www.cropnutrition.com/nutrient-management/nitrogen

4:https://www.cropnutrition.com/nutrient-management/phosphorus

5:https://extension.umn.edu/phosphorus-and-potassium/potassium-crop-production#:~:text=Role%20in%20plant%20growth,regulate%20the%20rate%20of%20photosynthesis.

6:https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/key-nutrients-that-protect/

 

7:https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/fruit-and-vegetables#:~:text=Fruits%20and%20vegetables%20contain%20many,factor%20for%20coronary%20heart%20disease.

 

8:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/why-5-a-day/#:~:text=Fruit%20and%20vegetables%20are%20a,your%20risk%20of%20bowel%20cancer.