nutrients
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈnutɹiənts// UK //njˈuːtɹiənts// nu·tri·ents
n. substances that people, animals, and plants need to stay alive and grow. You get them from food and use them for energy and health.
n. substances that provide nourishment essential for the maintenance of life and for growth. Often used in the plural to refer to the collective chemical components of a diet.
Vegetables are full of important nutrients.
Farmers often add fertilizer to the soil to replace the nutrients that crops use up during the growing season.
A balanced diet ensures that the body receives a diverse profile of essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals that the metabolic system cannot synthesize on its own.
Usage
Almost always used in the plural form when discussing diet or biology.