Download Nutrition

Nutrition
Food provides the body with energy to work, grow and play. The energy in food is measured in
calories. The more calories a person eats the more energy a person has to work, grow and play.
If a person eats (energy-in) more calories than he/she uses (energy out), the body stores the
extra calories as fat.
There are 6 essential nutrients. There are three macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats and
proteins) that provide the body with energy and three micronutrients (minerals, vitamins and
water) that are also essential but needed in much smaller quantities.
Macronutrients:
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are the body's #1 source of energy and are usually referred to as sugars or
starches and contain 4 calories per gram. Complex carbohydrates are the carbohydrates that
we keep hearing about that we should improve our food intake of. These carbohydrates are
found in such foods such as potatoes, bananas, pasta, bread, cereals etc. Carbohydrates are
converted into sugars by the body and should compose approximately 55% of your diet.
Carbohydrates come in two forms:
1) Simple Sugars
Simple sugars are sugars like processed sugar and sugar from fruits. This kind of sugar is used
almost immediately during exercise. Just eating these sugars would not give you endless
amounts of instant energy because as your sugar level in your blood increased, more insulin
would be released to grab the sugar and dispose of it because there is too much. All this insulin
grabs all the sugar and more as well so eventually you would have even less energy than you
started with. This is why when you eat a chocolate bar you feel great for about 15 minutes, your
body will then loose energy and become slightly fatigued.
2) Complex Sugars
This kind of sugar is taken from foods like potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, vegetables and fruits.
The difference between these sugars and simple sugars are that the sugars are released at a
slower level so you do not get this insulin rush. As the sugar is released a lot slower it also lasts
a lot longer because it takes the sugar a lot longer to be broken down. It should be obvious to
you that these complex sugars or carbohydrates as they are better known are a 100 times
better for you than the simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates should compose approximately
55% of your diet.
Fats:
Fats are the most concentrated form of energy and contain approximately 9 calories per gram.
Too much fat in your diet can lead to obesity, heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Fat
does have its uses though, the body needs some fat to process vitamins and minerals and to
insulate its inner systems. Fat is also used by the body to provide energy to the body during
exercise. Cheese, nuts, cooking oil etc are high in fat content. Fats should only compose
approximately 30% of your diet.
There are three types of fats I want you to know about: Saturated, Unsaturated and Trans
Fats.
Saturated Fat
Saturated fats are the "Bad" type of fat. The body has a tough time processing saturated
fats. Excessive saturated fat causes the arteries to clog which in turn can cause strokes, heart
attacks and coronary heart disease. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and
some plants. Foods from animals include beef, veal, lamb, pork, butter, milk and cheeses.
Unsaturated Fats (Polyunsaturated Fat and Monounsaturated Fat)
Unsaturated fat has fewer fatty acid molecules than saturated fat. Unsaturated fats are much
better for you than saturated fat. Unsaturated fats are found mainly in fish, nuts, seeds and
oils from plants. Some examples of foods that contain these fats include salmon, trout, herring,
avocados, olives, walnuts and liquid vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, canola, oive
and sunflower. This fat helps with the developments of the nervous system and a host of other
bodily functions.
Trans Fats: (Also called hydrogenated fats) Inorganic man-made fats. The most destructive fat
found in our food. Although Trans Fat can be found in many foods, they are predominantly found
in fried foods like French fries and doughnuts, and baked goods including pastries, pie crusts,
biscuits, pizza dough, cookies, crackers, and stick margarines and shortenings. You can avoid
these fats by reading the nutrition label and ingredience list on the back of the package.
Proteins:
Protein is composed of amino acids and contain approximately 4 calories per gram. Protein is
needed to help to build muscle mass. Cells in the body are being replaced all the time every day
365 days a year, so we need to give the body the tools to complete the task of keeping our
bodies fit and healthy. Protein is found in such foods such as chicken, beef, egg white, beans,
skimmed milk etc. If you eat too much protein the excess will also be stored as body fat.
Approximately 15% of your diet should be composed of protein.
Micronutrients:
Minerals:




Are essential to helping the body function properly but do not provide energy.
Minerals are inorganic substances (man made) and they regulate processes within the
body.
Calcium, iron, zinc, copper are micronutrients.
Calcium is a mineral found in the dairy food group that promotes bone growth.
Vitamins:







Vitamins are organic (found in living plants)
Are required for a wide variety of body functions but are not a source of energy.
Are found in fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin C is needed for resisting infections and healing cuts.
There are two types of vitamins 1) water soluble 2) fat soluble
Water soluble vitamins (Vitamins C and theB's are examples) travel through the
blood and what is not used by the body is eliminated by the body when you go to the
bathroom. Consequently, there is little concern of taking too much of these particular
vitamin.
Fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A,D,E,K are examples) can be stored in the body for up to 6
months. Consequently, taking too much of these vitamins can be a concern.
Water:






Water is a vital nutrient for good health. Most of our body weight (60-70%) is made up
of water.
Water helps to control our body temperature, carries nutrients and waste products from
our cells.
It is recommended that adults drink 8 glasses of fluid daily (or more in hot weather or
during physical activity).
This fluid does not have to be water alone. It can also be obtained from juice, milk, soup,
and foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables.
Caffeine-containing beverages (coffee, tea, cola) don't count because caffeine is a
diuretic, making us lose water.
A great plus for water in comparison to the other fluids is that it hydrates our body
without extra calories