Nutrition and balanced diet

• Food is one of God’s blessings, and it is a major reason for the continuity of life and the perpetuation of humanity. Both animals and humans consume food to obtain sufficient energy to face their day in complete mental and physical health.

 

• In order to make it easier to understand the of balanced nutrition, we have to make better food choices, and what matters is not the quantity of food that is eaten, but rather what that food contains of nutritional value that meets all the needs of the body.

 

• In this blog, we will discuss the basics of healthy food

* What is a balanced diet?

* What the food elements are?

• Macronutrients
• Micronutrients

 What is a balanced diet?

It’s about a healthy and integrated diet that provides food, drink, energy and vitamins and minerals that a person needs to build a healthy body that protects him from diseases and provides him to perform his functions properly.

There are five food groups that should be contained in our daily 3 main courses, as each group contains important nutrients for the body. The amount of food intake from each group varies from person to person according to health status, age, weight, gender, and physical activity level.

1- Vegetables

2- Fruits

3- Grains and legumes: wheat, barley, lentils, peas...

4- Proteins: red meat, poultry, fish, seeds and nuts

5- Milk products: milk, dairy, cheese

 

Nutrients:-

There are two nutrients should be in our daily meals, will discuss each of them separately.

Macronutrients:

• Carbohydrates make up 45-65% of Total energy requirement
•  Proteins make up 20-30% of TER
• Fat makes up 20-35% TER

 

Carbohydrates: provides 4 kcal/gram, and they are the main source of energy in the body, especially for the brain that cannot use other nutrients

There are 3 types of carbohydrates:-

• simple carbohydrates
• Complex carbohydrates
• Fibers

Simple carbohydrates: They are the simplest types of carbohydrates, as they are easy for the body to digest and are therefore easily absorbed, which leads to a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar, and therefore a person does not feel full for a long time, so simple sugars are considered not nutritious compound, which causes gain weight.

monosaccharides such as:

* glucose found in vegetables and fruits

  * Fructose is known as fruit sugar

  *Galactose is found in milk and milk products

 

Disaccharides such as:

*sucrose (table sugar)

 * Lactose (milk sugar)

 * Maltose (found in malt drinks and alcohol)

Examples of simple sugars:

• white sugar
• desserts and sweets
• Some types of fruits such as (dates, bananas)
• baked goods
• breakfast cereals
• honey
• white rice, white bread

 

Complex carbohydrates: they are starches and whole grains that are difficult to digest, and therefore do not raise blood sugar quickly, they are more nutritious than simple sugars because they contain a higher amount of fibers and minerals that promote heart health and give a feeling of satiety for a longer period, and it is preferable to have them more in the Diet.

Examples of complex carbohydrates:

• Whole grains such as: wheat, barley, oats, quinoa and brown rice
• Legumes such as: lentils, peas, beans
• Vegetables such as: broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes
• Fruits such as: apples, oranges, kiwis, berries

For 2000 calorie based diet, the consumption of carbohydrates should range between 225-325 grams/day

 

Fibers: are the types of carbohydrates that hard to digest, and instead it passes through the body undigested

1-protects against cancer

2-improve gastrointestinal health

3-conrtol high cholesterol

4-reduces inflammation

5-helps in weight loss

You should eat approximately 25-30 grams of fiber per day, preferably through food, not supplements.

Found in (vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, seeds and nuts)

 

Proteins: Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They do most of the work in cells and are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs

There are 2 types of proteins:

1-plant based proteins: founds in most nuts, grains and legumes

2-animal based proteins: found in fishes, meats, poultry, egg, milk and milk products
 

 

 

 

Fats: are chains of saturated and unsaturated fat, it’s very important for good health and energy, but we should be careful when consuming them.

3 types of fat are:

Saturated fats: that are solid at room temperature ex:(butter and ghee), also found in meats,milk and milk products, and most of baked goods and desserts.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of daily calories, and the American Heart Association recommends an average of 7% of daily calorie needs, because consuming it in large quantities increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and increased cholesterol levels in the blood.

Unsaturated fats: Those are liquid at room temperature, recommended to be eaten more than saturated fats. 

Monounsaturated fats such as: (olive oil, avocado, canola, peanuts and most nuts), and should be consumed up to 20% of the daily requirement of calories

Polyunsaturated fats such as: (corn oil, flaxseed, sesame, pumpkin) and should be consumed up to 10% of the daily requirement of calories

Trans fats: categorized as the bad fat for health, The primary dietary source for trans fats in processed food is “partially hydrogenated oils."

Less than 1% of Trans fats should be consumed per day.

 

 

 

Micronutrients: are the vitamins and minerals that play a major role in immunity, bone health, fluid balance in the body and many more processes

 

Vitamins are 2 types:

Water-soluble vitamins: all B vitamin (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, b6, folate, b12, biotin and vitamin c)

Fat soluble vitamins: D, E, K and A vitamin

 

 

 

 

Minerals: The vital processes in the body depend on different minerals, one of the most important minerals for the body

 

Calcium: helps balance the water percentage in the body, and helps relaxation and muscles contraction. It is found in: (salt, cheese, pickles, canned foods, spinach)

 

Magnesium: helps regulate heartbeats, and also plays an important role in nerves and muscle function. It is found in: (green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, etc.)

 

Potassium: helps regulate blood pressure, promotes heart health, and stimulates brain cells found in (bananas, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, avocados and fish)

 

Iron: Helps transport oxygen to body cells, stimulate hemoglobin production, healthy bones and joints, regulate body temperature and improve metabolism. It is found in (seeds and legumes, meat and poultry, broccoli, dark chocolate)

 

Zinc: strengthens immunity, helps with cell division, wounds healing and is found in: (meat, seafood of all kinds, cocoa, pumpkin seeds)