Good day readers. Today I want to start a little series inclined to introduce how our body functions and what we need to understand and do in order to live long, fulfilling and happy lives. Today's post details the building-blocks of our diet and what they do for you. Get ready to learn!
Nutrients
Nutrients are the substances that allow organisms to live and grow. Nutrients come in 6 general classes:
- Carbohydrates
- Water
- Proteins
- Fats
- Vitamins
- Minerals
Carbohydrates
These are the main sources of calories in our diets (there are 4 calories/gram of carb). They are found in legumes, vegetables and fruits (to name a few natural productions of carbs). They are also found in breads, cereals, pastas and so on. Generally speaking, the latter group (comprised mainly of refined carbs like sugar and flours) are what we eat the most. The problem with these carbs we eat the most of is that they are simple carbs; ones that break down fast and cause rapid rises of glucose levels in the blood which can greatly alter our mood and will give us that great energy rush followed by that painful crash. Not only do we have a mood altering substance, but also a health and fitness issue. The liver stores glucose. When we overdo the sugar intake and the liver can not store any more, the glucose is released back into the blood as fatty acids.
Water
We all know the importance of water. Being of a biological origin, we are around 60% water. With this nutrient, water-soluble products we put into our body will be absorbed, and passed as waste. Secondly, this nutrient aids in our ability to maintain temperature through evaporation (a.k.a. sweating).
Proteins
This nutrient class is the second area we gain our daily calories from. This group also contains 4 calories/gram of protein. These are what provide the foundation of our cells, tissues and organs. We gain the needed protein in our diets from items such as meat, poultry, fish (contains the best fat we can take in also), eggs, nuts, seeds, and beans/legumes. When on a work-out plan, these are a must. Proteins, along with carbs will aid in the proper muscle regeneration after those intense workout sessions and provide us with the fuel we need to handle that next session.
Fats
This class is also an energy provider. There are 9 calories/gram of fat. When tracking the fat it is important to realize what the body is capable of producing compared to what you need take in. The body itself is capable of synthesizing the saturated and mono-saturated fats, so we want to greatly limit these numbers as much as possible. The unsaturated fats are what we need to focus on. Items like sunflower oil, extra-virgin olive oils, flax and others are what to focus on, rather than butters and vegetable oils. Excess saturated leads to high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Vitamins
This nutrient class is where we start to mention metabolism. This group is responsible for metabolic functioning and a maintaining a healthy, responsive immune system.
Minerals
This last class is where we look at substances that are not made from living things. Here exist such substances as calcium, potassium, and sodium. These substances make up part of the electrolyte category. There also exists a category called traces. Such members include fluoride, iron, zinc, copper, and others.
There you have it folks! Let this stand as diet and health 101. Now that we know a little more about the foods that we eat, we will slowly focus on ways to apply this knowledge to gain a better understanding about fad-diets and preventable disease/death. Till next time!
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