Which description best fits nutrients?

Nutrients are essential chemicals that organisms require for growth, development, and maintenance of their bodily functions. They provide the building blocks for various biological processes and are crucial for energy production, cellular repair, and overall health. This definition encompasses a wide range of substances, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, which all play specific roles in various physiological processes.

In contrast, the other options refer to different biological concepts. The first option talks about elements specifically related to the digestion of food, which is only a narrow aspect of what nutrients do. The third option mentions products generated from photosynthesis, such as glucose, which are indeed vital for energy but do not encapsulate the broader idea of what constitutes nutrients in all organisms. Lastly, waste materials are substances that are expelled from the body after the metabolic processes and do not have a functional role in growth or sustenance. Thus, describing nutrients as chemicals needed by organisms to grow accurately captures their essential role in biological systems.