The health care modalities that have the least risk of adverse effects should be the first choices where practical.
1
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are sugars and starches in food (usually called simple and complex carbohydrates). They provide energy and are the main fuel source in the body. Carbohydrates are found in the plant kingdom.Carbohydrates may be classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides by the number of sugar units they contain. Monosaccharides contain 1 sugar unit, disaccharides contain 2, and polysaccharides contain 3 or more. Polysaccharides are often referred to as complex carbohydrates because they are long chains of sugar units, whereas monosaccharides and disaccharides are simple carbohydrates. The difference is important to nutritionists because complex carbohydrates take longer to metabolize since their sugar units are processed one-by-one off the ends of the chains. Simple carbohydrates are metabolized quickly and thus raise blood sugar levels more quickly resulting in rapid increases in blood insulin levels.
Several lines of evidence indicate lifestyle-induced hyperinsulinemia and reduced insulin function (i.e. insulin resistance) as a decisive factor in many disease states. For example, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are strongly linked to chronic inflammation, which in turn is strongly linked to a variety of adverse developments such as arterial microinjuries and clot formation (i.e. heart disease) and exaggerated cell division (i.e. cancer). Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance (the so-called metabolic syndrome) are characterized by a combination of abdominal obesity, elevated blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, elevated blood triglycerides, and reduced HDL cholesterol. The negative impact of hyperinsulinemia on prostaglandin PGE1/PGE2 balance may be significant.
Carbohydrates require less water to digest than proteins or fats and are the most common source of energy. Proteins and fat are vital building components for body tissue and cells and are also a source of energy for the body.
kcal/gram: 4
Examples of complex carbohydrates include bread,
rice, pasta,
potatoes, cereals, and whole grains. Simple
carbohydrates include fruits (fructose), and
vegetables. Refined simple sugars include table sugar
(sucrose), which is widely available in
processed foods like candy, cakes, cookies, sodas, and fruit
punch.
There are many different classifications of carbohydrates,
and therefore, you may see many words that represent a
carbohydrate or sugar. You do not need to memorize these
names, but they are listed here for your information.
Carbohydrates classifications:
Carbohydrates
Chief Food Sources
|
Monosaccharides: Glucose Fructose Mannitol Sorbitol Xylitol Disaccharides: Sucrose Lactose Maltose Trehalose Polysaccharides: Cellulose and Hemicellulose Pectins Gums and mucilages Inulin Mannosans Raffinose Stachyose Pentosans Starch and dextrins Glycogen |
Fruits, honey, corn syrup Fruits, honey Pineapple, olives, asparagus, sweet potatoes, carrots, and dietetic products Fruits, vegetables, dietetic products Fruits, vegetables, cereals, mushroom, seaweed, dietetic chewing gum, and other dietetic products Cane and beet sugars, molasses, and maple syrup Milk and milk products Malt products, some breakfast cereals Mushrooms, yeast Stalks and leaves of vegetables, outer coverings of seeds Fruits Plant secretions and seeds Onions, garlic, and mushrooms Legumes Sugar beets, kidney beans, lentils, and navy beans Beans Fruits and gums Grains, vegetables (especially tubers and legumes) Meat products and seafood |
How the Body Uses Carbohydrates
When you eat carbohydrates, the body breaks them down into simple
sugars. These sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream. As the sugar
level rises in your body, the pancreas releases a hormone called
insulin. Insulin is needed to move sugar from the blood into the
cells, where the sugar can be used as a source of energy.
When this process goes fast - as with simple sugars - you're more
likely to feel hungry again soon. When it occurs more slowly, as
with a whole-grain food, you'll be satisfied longer. These types of
complex carbohydrates give you energy over a longer period of time.
The carbohydrates in some foods (mostly those that contain a lot of
simple sugars) cause the blood sugar level to rise more quickly than
others. Scientists have been studying whether eating foods that
cause big jumps in blood sugar may be related to health problems
like diabetes and heart disease. You're probably already on the
right track if you are limiting simple sugars (such as candy) and
eating more complex carbohydrates (like vegetables, oatmeal, and
whole-grain wheat bread).
2
Protein
Protein is composed of amino acids, that are body's structural
(muscles, skin, hair etc.) materials. The body requires amino acids
to produce new body protein (protein retention) and to replace
damaged proteins (maintenance) that are lost in the urine. In
animals amino acid requirements are classified in terms of essential
(an animal cannot produce them) and non-essential (the animal can
produce them from other nitrogen containing compounds) amino acids.
Consuming a diet that contains adequate amounts of essential (but
also non-essential) amino acids is particularly important for
growing animals, who have a particularly high requirement. Dietary
sources of protein include meats, eggs, grains, legumes, and dairy
products such as milk and cheese. Proteins can be converted into
carbohydrates through a process called gluconeogenesis.
Proteins that cannot supply the body with all the essential amino
acids are known as incomplete proteins. These come from non-animal
sources such as legumes (soybeans, peanuts, peas, beans, and
lentils), grains and vegetables. Incomplete proteins are deficient
in
one or more of the essential amino acids.
Sources of proteins:
Complete proteins are foods containing large amounts of essential amino acids. Animal sources are complete proteins such as beef, chicken, fish, pork, eggs, milk, and cheese. Dietary sources of protein include meats, eggs, grains, legumes, and dairy products such as milk and cheese.[1] Of the 20 amino acids used by humans, the 10-12 nonessential amino acids can be synthesized by the body, and are not required in the diet. The 8-10 essential amino acids, however, cannot be created by the body and must come from dietary sources.
By combining two incomplete proteins, a complete protein can be obtained, if all essential amino acids will be provided by the combination of foods. Anyone choosing to avoid animal foods should seek the advice of a Registered Dietitian (R.D.) who can provide dietary counseling on meeting protein needs without animal foods (referred to as the concept of "complementary proteins").
PROTEIN
The Nutrition Source Protein
Pay attention to the protein package. Fish, poultry, and beans are your best bets.
Animal protein and vegetable protein probably have the same
effects on health. It's the protein package that's likely to make a
difference. A 6-ounce broiled porterhouse steak is a great source of
protein—38 grams worth. But it also delivers 44 grams of fat, 16 of
them saturated. That's almost three-fourths of the recommended daily
intake for saturated fat. The same amount of salmon gives you 34
grams of protein and 18 grams of fat, 4 of them saturated. A cup of
cooked lentils has 18 grams of protein, but under 1 gram of fat.
So when choosing protein-rich foods, pay attention to what comes
along with the protein. Vegetable sources of protein, such as beans,
nuts, and whole grains, are excellent choices, and they offer
healthy fiber, vitamins and minerals. The best animal protein
choices are fish and poultry. If you are partial to red meat, stick
with the leanest cuts, choose moderate portion sizes, and make it
only an occasional part of your diet
PROTEIN
All Protein Isn't Alike
Some of the protein you eat contains all the amino acids needed
to build new proteins. This kind is called complete protein. Animal
sources of protein tend to be complete. Other protein sources lack
one or more "essential" amino acids—that is, amino acids that the
body can't make from scratch or create by modifying another amino
acid. Called incomplete proteins, these usually come from fruits,
vegetables, grains, and nuts.
Vegetarians need to be aware of this. To get all the amino acids
needed to make new protein—and thus to keep the body's systems in
good shape—people who don't eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or dairy
products should eat a variety of protein-containing foods each day.
PROTEIN
Protein and Weight Control
The notion that you could lose weight by cutting out carbohydrates and eating plenty of protein was once tut-tutted by the medical establishment, partly because such diets were based on little more than interesting ideas and speculation. In the past few years, head-to-head trials that pitted high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets against low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets have provided some evidence that a low-carbohydrate diet may help people lose weight more quickly than a low-fat diet, although so far, that evidence is short term.
Why do high-protein, low-carb diets seem to work more quickly than low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets? First, chicken, beef, fish, beans, or other high-protein foods slow the movement of food from the stomach to the intestine. Slower stomach emptying means you feel full for longer and get hungrier later. Second, protein's gentle, steady effect on blood sugar avoids the quick, steep rise in blood sugar and just as quick hunger-bell-ringing fall that occurs after eating a rapidly digested carbohydrate, like white bread or baked potato. Third, the body uses more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fat or carbohydrate.
No one knows the long-term effects of eating high-protein diets with little or no carbohydrates. Equally worrisome is the inclusion of unhealthy fats in some of these diets. There's no need to go overboard on protein and eat it to the exclusion of everything else. Avoiding fruits and whole grains means missing out on healthful fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients. It's also important to pay attention to what accompanies protein. Choosing plant-based high-protein foods that are low in saturated fat will help the heart even as it helps the waistline.
3
Fat
Fats are composed of fatty acids, long carbon/hydrogen chains
bonded to a glycerol. Fat may be classified as saturated or
unsaturated. Saturated fats have all of their carbon atoms bonded to
hydrogen atoms, whereas unsaturated fats have some of their carbon
atoms double-bonded in place of a hydrogen atom. Generally,
saturated fat is solid at room temperature while unsaturated fat is
a liquid.
Fat is made up of oils found in foods, and is stored in the body as
triglycerides (otherwise known as body fat or adipose tissue). Fats
include vegetable oils, butter, margarine, shortening, lard, and
fats present in animal foods such as beef, chicken and dairy
products. We
need some fat in our diets. Our bodies use fat in many ways; we need
it to manufacture antibodies to fight disease, fats are carriers of
certain vitamins, fat deposits cushion and protect vital organs.
Fat also lines and insulates our neurons (nerves) which allows all neural information to move through our brain and body. Without fat, we wouldn't be able to move a muscle or think a thought.
Unsaturated fats may be further classified as
mono-unsaturated (one double-bond) or poly-unsaturated (many
double-bonds). Trans fats are saturated fats which are typically
created from unsaturated fat by adding the extra hydrogen atoms in a
process called hydrogenation (also called hydrogenated fat). Fat is
also the body's insulation against environmental temperature
changes.
Most fatty acids are non-essential, meaning the body can produce
them as needed, however, at least two fatty acids are essential and
must be consumed in the diet. An appropriate balance of essential
fatty acids - omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids - has been discovered
to be crucial for maintaining health. An appropriately balanced
intake of omega-3 and omega-6 partly determines the relative
production of different prostaglandins, which partly explains the
importance of omega-3/omega-6 balance for cardiovascular health. In
industrialized societies, people generally consume large amounts of
processed vegetable oils that have reduced amounts of essential
fatty acids along with an excessive amount of omega-6 relative to
omega-3.
Fats and Cholesterol
"Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet" has been the mantra for healthful eating for decades. Touted as a way to lose weight and prevent or control heart disease and other chronic conditions, millions of people have followed (or, more likely, have tried to follow) this advice. Seeing a tremendous marketing opportunity, food companies re-engineered thousands of foods to be lower in fat or fat free. The low-fat approach to eating may have made a difference for the occasional individual, but as a nation it hasn't helped us control weight or become healthier.
Almost all foods contain some fat. Even quintessential fat-free foods like carrots and lettuce contain small amounts of this nutrient. That's a testament to how important fats are for life. Fat provides a terrific source of energy as well as a great depot for storing it. It is an important part of cell membranes, helping govern what gets into cells and what comes out. The body uses cholesterol as the starting point to make estrogen, testosterone, vitamin D, and other vital compounds. Fats are also biologically active molecules that can influence how muscles respond to insulin's "open up for sugar" signal; different types of fats can also fire up or cool down inflammation.
read more for Cholesterol
4
Vitamins
A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny
amounts by an organism.[1] A compound is called a vitamin when it
cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and
must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both
on the circumstances and the particular organism. For example,
ascorbic acid functions as vitamin C for some animals but not
others, and vitamins D and K are required in the human diet only in
certain circumstances.[2] Vitamins are defined by their biological
activity, not their structure. Thus, each "vitamin" actually refers
to a number of vitamer compounds, which form a set of distinct
chemical compounds that show the biological activity of a particular
vitamin.
Vitamins are essential for the normal growth and development of a
multicellular organism. Using the genetic blueprint inherited from
its parents, a fetus begins to develop, at the moment of conception,
from the nutrients it absorbs. It requires certain vitamins and
minerals to be present at certain times. These nutrients facilitate
the chemical reactions that produce among other things, skin, bone,
and muscle. If there is serious deficiency in one or more of these
nutrients, a child may develop a deficiency disease. Even minor
deficiencies may cause permanent damage.
kcal/gram: 0 read more
5
Fiber
Dietary fiber consists mainly of cellulose that is indigestible because we do not have enzymes to digest it. Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fiber.
Importance of dietary fiber:
- stimulates peristalsis (rhythmic muscular contractions passing along the digestive tract)
- provides bulk to the intestinal contents
Lack of dietary fiber in the diet leads to
constipation (failure to pass motions).
Fiber is composed of compounds of plant origin, such as
the plant cell wall (cellulose, hemicelluloses, and
pectin), as well as the intracellular "cement" that
holds plants together (gums and mucilage). Fiber is
edible, but cannot be digested or absorbed by humans.
Fiber itself is calorie free, however foods rich in
fiber usually contain calories. Carbohydrates containing
fiber include starches, breads, vegetables and fruit.
More you can read here: soluble fiber
and insoluble fiber.
6
Water
About 70% of the non-fat mass of the human body is made of water.
To function properly, the body requires between one and seven liters
of water per day to avoid dehydration; the precise amount depends on
the level of activity, temperature, humidity, and other factors.
With physical exertion and heat exposure, water loss will increase
and daily fluid needs may increase as well.
"An ordinary standard for diverse persons is 1 milliliter for each
calorie of food. Most of this quantity is contained in prepared
foods."[9] The latest dietary reference intake report by the United
States National Research Council in general recommended (including
food sources): 2.7 liters of water total for women and 3.7 liters
for men.[10] Specifically, pregnant and breastfeeding women need
additional fluids to stay hydrated. According to the Institute of
Medicine—who recommend that, on average, women consume 2.2 liters
and men 3.0 liters—this is recommended to be 2.4 liters (approx. 9
cups) for pregnant women and 3 liters (approx. 12.5 cups) for
breastfeeding women since an especially large amount of fluid is
lost during nursing.
Normally, about 20 percent of water intake comes from food, while the rest comes from drinking water and beverages (caffeinated included). Water is excreted from the body in multiple forms; through urine and feces, through sweating, and by exhalation of water vapor in the breath.
kcal/gram: 0 read more
7
Minerals
Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen which are present in common organic molecules. The term "mineral" is archaic, since the intent of the definition is to describe ions, not chemical compounds or actual minerals. Some dietitians recommend that these heavier elements should be supplied by ingesting specific foods (that are enriched in the element(s) of interest), compounds, and sometimes including even minerals, such as calcium carbonate. Sometimes these "minerals" come from natural sources such as ground oyster shells. Sometimes minerals are added to the diet separately from food, such as mineral supplements, the most famous being iodine in "iodized salt.
Macrominerals:
- Calcium (for muscle and digestive system health, builds bone, neutralizes acidity, clears toxins, helps blood stream)
- Chloride
- Magnesium required for processing ATP and related reactions (health, builds bone, causes strong peristalsis, increases flexibility, increases alkalinity)
- Phosphorus required component of bones (see apatite) and energy processing and many other functions (bone mineralization)
- Potassium required electrolyte (heart and nerves health)
- Sodium electrolyte
- Sulfur for three essential amino acids and many proteins and cofactors (skin, hair, nails, liver, and pancreas health)
Trace minerals:
A variety of
elements are required in trace amounts, unusually
because they play a role in catalysis in enzymes.
- Cobalt required for biosynthesis of vitamin B12 family of coenzymes
- Copper required component of many redox enzymes, including cytochrome c oxidase
- Chromium required for sugar metabolism
- Iodine required for the biosynthesis of thyroxin
- Iron required for many proteins and enzymes, notably hemoglobin
- Manganese (processing of oxygen)
- Molybdenum required for xanthine oxidase and related oxidases
- Nickel present in urease
- Selenium reqiured for peroxidase (antioxidant proteins)
- Vanadium (There is no established RDA for vanadium. No specific biochemical function has been identified for it in humans, although vanadium is found in lower organisms.)
- Zinc required for several enzymes such as carboxypeptidase, liver alcohol dehydrogenase, carbonic anhydrase. Zinc is pervasive.
kcal/gram: 0
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