Approximately how many nutrients are considered indispensable in the diet?

Another way to refer to an indispensable nutrient, is to call it an essential nutrient. This means the body needs these to function properly. Differentiating sources have placed the number of essential nutrients anywhere from 6 to 50 or more. On average there are carbs, fats, vitamins, proteins, minerals, and water. These can further be broken down into different categories, listing the various examples of each.