Quamut: the go to how to.
 
 
 
Published_by_bn Sign In Help_but My_quamut_but
 
 
 
   Healthy Eating found in Mind & Body  :  Health & Wellness  :  Diet A   A   A
text size
 
 
 
Add to my favorites Send this Quamut to a friend del.icio.us
 

How to Understand Nutrients

Proper nutrition requires an understanding of each type of nutrient and its role within the body. The human body needs five basic nutrients:
  • Carbohydrates
  • Proteins
  • Fats
  • Vitamins
  • Minerals
In addition to the above nutrients, the body also needs water and dietary fiber, two substances that are essential but contain no calories and are not digested.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. Each gram of carbohydrates contains four calories.

Types of Carbohydrates

There are two types of carbohydrates:
  • Sugars (simple carbohydrates): The body breaks down sugars quickly, providing a spike of energy that soon “crashes.” Simple sugars are naturally present in milk and fruit but are much more prevalent in artificial foods, such as soft drinks, candy, cookies, cake, fruit drinks, and dairy-based desserts.
  • Starches (complex carbohydrates): The body digests starches and absorbs them into the bloodstream more slowly than sugars. Compared to sugars, starches provide a longer-lasting source of energy and are richer in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Main sources of complex carbohydrates include grains, peas, beans, and starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and corn).
Though carbohydrates are vital to proper body function, eating them in excess can raise your blood sugar (the amount of sugar in your blood), which over time can cause diabetes.

Proteins

Proteins regulate bodily functions, provide energy, and serve as the building blocks of most body tissues. Proteins are composed of amino acids. The body breaks down the protein you consume into amino acids, then uses those amino acids to form new proteins. Each gram of protein contains four calories.

Types of Proteins

There are two types of proteins:
  • Complete proteins: Complete proteins provide all the essential amino acids that the body needs. They are found in animal products, including meat, eggs, and milk products, as well as in soy products.
  • Incomplete proteins: Incomplete proteins lack one or more of the essential amino acids that the body needs. They are found in grains, fruits, and vegetables. Incomplete proteins can be combined to make complete proteins by eating foods from each of the following three groups:
    • Grains: Rice, wheat, pasta
    • Legumes: Beans, peas, peanuts
    • Nuts and seeds: Cashews, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds

Fats

Fats, or triglycerides, have a bad reputation that isn’t entirely deserved. They provide the body with fatty acids, which are essential to brain function and healthy skin and hair. In addition, fats help regulate cholesterol, metabolism, and blood pressure and also transport fat-soluble vitamins.

Fats also serve as a secondary source of energy: each gram of fat contains nine calories, more than double the calories per gram of protein or carbohydrate.

Types of Fats

There are three types of fats:
  • Unsaturated fats: Unsaturated fats, which include both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are considered “good” fats. All unsaturated fats help reduce the overall and LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids (polyunsaturated fats found in fish and flax seeds) help lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease.
  • Saturated fats: Saturated fats are “bad” fats. They raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.
  • Trans fats: Also called trans fatty acids or hydrogenated fats, trans fats are produced artificially, by altering unsaturated fats. Trans fats are “bad” fats and act much like saturated fats in the body.
Common sources of each type of fat include:
  • Unsaturated fats: Fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, vegetable oils
  • Saturated fats: Meats, whole milk, cheese, butter, lard, palm oil, coconut oil
  • Trans fats: Stick or tub margarine, processed foods, packaged foods, fast foods

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fatlike substance found in the bloodstream and cells. Though the body needs cholesterol to build cell membranes and to form some hormones, too much cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

Types of Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol:
  • LDL cholesterol: LDL (low-density) cholesterol is “bad” cholesterol. It builds up in arteries and forms plaque, a hard deposit that clogs blood flow.
  • HDL cholesterol: HDL (high-density) cholesterol is “good” cholesterol. HDL is believed actually to decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Controlling Cholesterol

The body produces some cholesterol on its own and gets some cholesterol from animal food products such as meat, dairy, and eggs. Foods high in trans fats and saturated fats also stimulate the body to produce more cholesterol than it otherwise would. To control your cholesterol level:
  • Limit foods high in saturated and trans fats.
  • Exercise 30–60 minutes a day.
  • Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains every day.
It’s a good idea to get your cholesterol levels checked each year. The table below lists healthy and unhealthy cholesterol levels (measured in milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dl).

 
Cholesterol Type
  
Healthy Levels (mg/dl)
  
Unhealthy Levels (mg/dl)
Total cholesterol
  
below 200
  
above 200
LDL cholesterol
  
below 130
  
above 130
HDL cholesterol
  
above 40
 
below 40
 

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds essential to regulating normal body function. Though the body can survive for a time without vitamins, prolonged vitamin deficiency can cause serious health issues. Vitamins contain no calories.

Types of Vitamins

There are two types of vitamins:
  • Fat-soluble vitamins: Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve only in fat. These vitamins remain in the liver and the body’s fatty tissues for up to four months and can therefore become toxic if consumed in excess.
  • Water-soluble vitamins: Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. They are not stored by the body and therefore should be consumed daily.
 
Fat-Soluble
  
Sources
Vitamin A
  
Sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, spinach
Vitamin D
  
Fortified milk, eggs, also synthesized by the body from sunlight
Vitamin E
  
Plant oils, seeds, nuts, wheat germ
Vitamin K
  
Leafy green vegetables, cabbage, vegetable oil
 
 
Water-Soluble
  
Sources
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
  
Pork, whole and enriched grains, peas, beans, nuts
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
  
Dairy, meat, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, enriched bread/cereal
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
  
Meat, poultry, fish, whole grains, enriched bread/cereal, nuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts
Vitamin B6
  
Meat, fish, poultry, peas, beans, fruit, potato, whole grains, soy
Vitamin B12
  
All animal products
Vitamin C
  
Citrus, cabbage, green vegetables, cantaloupe, strawberries
Folate
  
Green leafy vegetables, peas, beans, seeds, grains
Pantothenic acid
  
Poultry, mushrooms, dairy, rice
Biotin
  
Nuts, peanuts, soy, eggs, dairy
 

Minerals

Minerals regulate organ function, provide fluid balance, and control nerve impulses.

Types of Minerals

There are two types of minerals:
  • Major minerals: Major minerals are needed in large amounts (more than 100 mg a day). They include sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sulfur.
  • Trace minerals: Trace minerals are needed only in small amounts (less than 100 mg a day). They include iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, fluoride, and molybdenum.

Sodium

Sodium is a particularly noteworthy mineral because most people eat far too much of it. The average American regularly consumes about twice as much sodium daily as is required for healthy nutrition. This excess sodium is a major cause of high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and kidney disease.

Avoid consuming more than one teaspoon of salt per day, which includes the salt contained in the foods you eat and the salt you use as a seasoning.

Water

Water makes up 70% of the human body and is essential to all bodily functions. Good nutrition requires being properly hydrated. To stay properly hydrated, drink 6–8 glasses of water per day. Symptoms of dehydration include headaches, constipation, and fatigue.

People often mistake the symptoms of thirst for hunger. So keeping hydrated should also help you moderate the amount of food (and calories) you consume.

Dietary Fiber

Fiber is a nondigestible carbohydrate found in plants. It contains no calories and has no nutritional value but is nonetheless a crucial part of a healthy diet.

Types of Dietary Fiber

There are two types of dietary fiber:
  • Insoluble fiber: Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains. It helps maintain bowel regularity and reduces the risk of colon cancer.
  • Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber is found in bran, oatmeal, nuts, beans, and many fruits and vegetables. It lowers cholesterol and helps balance blood sugar.
 
 
  Acknowledgments & Disclaimer
 
 

 
 
 
Download the PDF
for just $2.95
 
Healthy Eating
 
► Complete guide
► Handy, portable format
 
Healthy Eating Chart
 
Buynow_button
 
 
 
 
How-to-steam-vegetables-3.postit
How to Steam Vegetables 3

How-to-understand-food-labels.postit
How to Understand Food Labels