Nutrition

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Chapter 8, food

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Food is a source of: 

Nutrient: a component in food that the body needs to grow, develop, and repair itself 

Macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats

Micronutrients: vitamins and minerals that organisms must ingest in small amounts to maintain health 

Carbohydrates: fruits and veggies, grains, legumes
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• made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen

Simple Carbohydrates/ Simple sugar (Monosaccaride): a carbohydrate made up of a single sugar subunit; an example is glucose

Complex Carbohydrate (Polysaccharide): a carbohydrate made of many simple sugars linked together, a polymer of monosaccharides; examples are starch and glycogen
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• Complex carbohydrates and starch turn into sugars

Glycogen: a complex animal carbohydrate made of linked chains of glucose molecules; a source of stored energy, a type of starch

• Extra sugar/ glucose is converted into glycogen, this type of starch is then stored in the body.  When your body needs more glucose the glycogen is converted back into glucose.  If the body's glycogen stores are full, the excess carbohydrates are stored as fat.

Fiber: a complex plant carbohydrate that is not digestible by humans

Starch: a complex plant carbohydrate made of linked chains of glucose molecules; a source of stored energy

45%-65% of your calories come from carbohydrates

Calories: the amount of energy released when nutrients are broken down in measure in units called calories, more calories means more energy from the food, if you do not use the energy it gets stored for later

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Proteins: Meats, Dairy, Legumes, also in nuts, grains, and veggies
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• made of chains of Amino Acids: long chains of building blocks of tissue

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• digestion breaks proteins down into amino acids

 

• the amino acids are absorbed into your bloodstream and used to assemble the proteins that we need for energy

Essential amino acids: the body needs 20 amino acids, 9 have to come from food, the rest can be assembled by cells

Complete vs incomplete protein: meats have all 9 amino acids while most vegetables and plants do not, you need a wider variety of food to get all the amino acids 
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• just combine rice and beans and you end up with all the amino acids

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what are proteins?

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​Fats: Dairy, meats, oils

Unsaturated fats: Liquid at room temperature. Have at least one unsaturated bond in a place where hydrogen can be added to a molecule.
  

• Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds. 
• either monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats 
• can help fight heart disease, we need these fats, just not too much of them

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Saturated fats: have all the hydrogen the carbon atoms can hold
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• usually solid at room temperature
• animal fats, lard, dairy products, coconut and palm oil

Triglycerides: the main constituents of body fat in humans and other animals, as well as vegetable fat. An ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids.

Omega−3 fatty acids: The three types of omega−3 fatty acids involved in human physiology are α-linolenic acid (ALA), found inplant oils, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both commonly found in marine oils. Marine algae and phytoplankton are primary sources of omega−3 fatty acids.

​In a healthy diet 20 35% of your calories come from fat

Cholesterol: a waxy fat like substance, we need some cholesterol to build cell membranes and nerve tissue.

• too much cholesterol can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood and clog your veins 

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• we have LDL and HDL Cholesterol

 

• Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL): Bad, travels through blood stream delivering cholesterol to cells that need it, too much can build up in the walls of your arteries and form plaque, narrowing artery and reducing blood flow

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• High Density Lipoprotein (HDL): Good, liver makes it, helps remove excess cholesterol from cells and tissues, returns excess cholesterol to the liver, which removes it from the body 

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​Trans Fat: made when manufactures add hydrogen tot eh fat molecules in vegetable oils. The food lasts longer but is hard to digest.
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• margarine, butter substitutes 

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vitamins

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Metabolism: when your body uses food, a series of chemical reactions that occur inside your cells, as a result, energy is released

Vitamin: an organic molecule required in small amounts for normal growth, reproduction, and tissue maintenance 

Water soluble vitamins:
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• B1 (thianine): cofactor for enzymes involved in energy metabolism and nerve function, found in leafy vegetable, whole grains, meat

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• B2 (Riboflavin): in eggs meat, green vegetables, helps us digest carbs, proteins, and fats

 

• B3 (Niacin): in grains, nuts, fish; helps with metabolism

 

• B6 (Pyridoxine): in whole grains, green vegetables, meat; maintains healthy nervous system and red blood cells

 

• Folate (Folic Acid): in green leafy vegetables and legume; helps with formation of red blood cells, involved in DNA synthesis and cell production

 

• B12 (Cobalamin): cofactor for enzymes involved in the breakdown of fatty acids and amino acids and nerve cell maintenance, found in algae, eggs, meat and milk

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• C (Ascorbic Acid): fruit, green vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes; collagen synthesis, iron absorption and immunity, found in citrus fruits

Antioxidants: help protect healthy cells from the damage caused by the environment.

Fat soluble vitamins:

• A (retinol): in eye pigment, supports skin bone and tooth growth, supports immunity and reproduction, found in fruits, vegetables egg yolk

 

• D: needed for calcium absorption and bone growth, found in fish and eggs, mushrooms, soy, we need sun to synthesize it 

 

• E: antioxidant, supports cell membrane, in green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains

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• K: synthesis of blood clotting factors, in green leafy vegetables, cabbage 

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minerals

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​Mineral: an inorganic mineral required by organisms for normal growth, reproduction, and tissue maintenance: calcium, potassium, iron, zinc

Inorganic elements not synthesized by animal bodies:
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• Calcium:  Found in dairy, green veggies, legumes; for bone and teeth, muscles and nerve function, blood clotting

 

• Phosphorous: in legumes, meat, bananas; for energy metabolism and healthy bones

 

• Magnesium: in leafy green vegetables, legumes, whole grains; builds muscle, energy metabolism, muscle contraction 

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• Iron: carries oxygen through out the body in hemoglobin in red blood cells found in green vegetables and meats

 

• Potassium: needed for electrolyte balance, water balance, muscle contraction and nerve function, found in fruits, vegetables

 

• Iodine: in Iodized salt, algae, seafood; thyroid health and metabolism

 

• Selenium: seafood and organ meats; breaks down harmful substances

 

• Sodium: needed for electrolyte balance, muscle use and nerve function, in salt, bread, milk

 

• Zinc: in whole grains and meats; part of many body processes

Electrolytes: salts that help our muscles contract and water balance
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Nutrient Dense Foods: the super foods: hemp, spirulina, chia, turmeric, reishi, gogi berries, aloe vera..

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WE EAT AND DRINK WATER TO 
​MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS, BALANCE, EQUILIBRIUM

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breaking an unhealthy food habit

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1. Define the habit you want to change​​
2. Set your goal, set a realistic deadline
3. Design an action plan, keep a log
4. Build a supportive environment, keep a list of benefits of your new behavior, invited friends and family to ask you how it is going 

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water

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• About 65% of your body weight is water

• It is considered a nutrient

 

• We do not directly get energy from water but we get energy from vitamins and minerals or sugars in water

 

• Water is essential for all life processes

 

• Nearly all of the body's reactions including the ability t build new tissues rely on water

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• Helps us maintain homeostasis which is the process of being able to maintain a steady state

• Sweat is a way to cool your body

• Electrolytes dissolve in water, sodium and potassium help your muscles move and nerve cells function

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dehydration

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• Can be caused by too much sweating

• Chia seed help prevent dehydration

• Can be cause by diarrhea, sometimes people who get sick and get diarrhea die of dehydration and not the illness itself. 

• Loss of electrolytes

• Symptoms: weakness, rapid breathing, weak heartbeat

• Drink 8 to 10 cups of water per day, any time you feel even a bit thirsty and before you feel thirsty 

• We get water from juice and coffee, just make sure to balance it out with the sugar that could be in the drink

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eating well

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• Eat a mix of foods, eat fruits, grains and veggies

• Snack on fruit, yogurt, nuts, raisins, carrots

 

• Do not make fun of people who eat well or call them names like health nut

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• Consider the meal planner web sites above

• Eat more nutrient dense foods like algae, hemp, chia, turmeric, gogi berries, potatoes, moringa, and spinach

• Eat junk food once in a while but not regularly

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what influences our food choices?

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​The foods you choose:

Personal Preference: what you like to eat

Cultural Background: what your family cooks

Time and Convenience: eating on the go, not being able to cook, we oftentimes eat at a fast food place because it is easier to get the food

Friends: what our friends encourage us to eat, what they cultural background introduced them to

The Media: advertisements
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how to read a food label

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• Read the Ingredient List:​
  • ​​Ingredients are listed in order from biggest to smallest amount of ingredient
  • If an ingredient ends in -ose, it is probably a sugar
  • Check for food additives such as artificial sweeteners (aspartame and sucralose) and preservatives (BHA, BHT, sulfites)
  • Check out food dyes like Red 40
  • Look for anything that you might be allergic to
  • Look at the number of servings per container​
  • Look at the difference between brands fat, sugar and salt per serving

• Check out the number of calories in one serving​
  • consider the person's size, weight, age, level of activity to see if the serving size applies to them.

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• Look at the percentages of the daily values​
  • saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, if the food is high in those areas, you may want to avoid it
  • look at fiber and vitamins and minerals such as iron or calcium

 

• Look for health and nutrient claims such as GMO labeling

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body weight

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• We all have different body types and my be healthy even when our pant size is bigger

• Weight is not a direct indicator of health

 

• What matters is that you feel energized and comfortable with your weight

 

• Many people who appear to be overweight have more muscle mass and are quite strong

 

• Many people who are underweight struggle to gain weight

 

• We can have body image issues at any weight and it is important to love ourselves as we are

 

• We can have goals for body outline but they key is to accept ourselves wherever we are at in the moment 

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• Body Composition: is you percentage of muscle, fat and bone

• Body Mass Index: is a ratio of weight to height, it is not always accepted as healthy because it is not appropriate for all body types and can tell a person that they are overweight when they are actually perfectly ok

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reasons for weight gain

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• Grocery stores offer more food choices that are prepared at the store, they are marketed to look like home made foods but have hydrogenated oils and preservatives

• High fructose corn syrup in almost all food, used as a sweetener, it is harder to digest than cane juice

• More meals are eaten outside the home

• Portion sizes have increased

• We are sedentary, we are less active at home, school, work

• Sometimes going outside is not safe street harassment, bullying

• We rely on technology more, cars and computers, we order takeout or delivery 

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exercise

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• Choose an activity that you enjoy

• 30 minutes 3 times a week is all it takes

 

• You get many healthy benefits like stronger heart muscle and clearer arteries

 

• Getting your blood flowing gets nutrients to your brain and clear out cholesterol 

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what we can do

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• Cook with your family

• Have community gardens

 

• Go outside with your friends, strength in masses

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• Exercise with your family, ask your family if they will go on walks with you

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• Plan activities to look forward to like camping and going to the lake

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loving yourself is essential

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• Working on weight gain or weight loss goals takes time, you deserve love now, especially love from yourself

• Fad diets can be temporary, sometimes people starve themselves and then they gain the weight back right after the fad diet is over

 

• Healthy diet is a life long thing

 

• Weight loss pills can cause heart attacks

 

• Fad diets are usually a way for companies to make money

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• Fasting: it can be good for a bit, it is not very helpful in the are of losing weight

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healthy weight gain

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• Snack on nutrient dense foods

• Eat more protein, not as much fat or sugar, though you need both fat and sugar

• Try not to skip meals

• Eat slightly bigger servings

• Exercise to store the nutrients and build muscle

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diets for people with diabetes

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• Balanced meals and snacks on a regular schedule

• Monitor carb intake

• Regular exercise 

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vegetarian nutrition

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• We can get all the nutrients we need from a vegetarian diet

• It is important to get enough B12, algae has B12

 

• B12 is made by anaerobic microorganisms (ie. bacteria that do not require oxygen to live).

 

• Get enough calcium from seeds like sesame and dark leafy vegetables

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food allergies

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• A food allergy is a response to proteins in certain foods by your immune system

• Food allergy symptoms: Swollen tongue, coughing, sneezing, swollen throat, vomiting headache, nosebleed, rash, breathing difficulty, drop in blood pressure

• Food intolerance symptoms: Rash stuffy nose, headache, anxiety, tiredness, inability to concentrate, digestive problems, cramping, diarrhea, weight loss or gain, malnutrition  

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• Common causes: peanuts, other nuts, eggs, milk, soy, fish, shellfish, wheat, milk, eggs, citrus

RESOURCES:

CHOOSEMYPLATE.GOV

MEAL PLAN CALCULATOR

FOOD INFORMATION

SAMPLE 2 WEEK MENUS
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