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What Is Basically In Our
Food?
by Thomas Herold
Isn't it wonderful that our body produces everything that we need just by eating
something? What we will look at in this article is what that 'something' is. There are
some essential things that most foods have in common.
Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are not foods, but rather nutritional categories into
which all foods fall. All three are essential to a well-balanced lifestyle, and are the
primary sources of fuel for our body.
They can be difficult to understand, so here's a quick review of what each of the
categories are, and the types of foods that fit into each of them.
Protein:
Protein literally means "primary substance", which is a perfect definition since
all tissues in our bodies are built and repaired with protein. The main function of
protein is the formation of body protein and new cells.
The antibodies of the immune system, mostly hormones, the hemoglobin of red blood cells,
and all enzymes have protein as their basic component. Protein is the major source of
building the necessary materials for muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails, and our internal
organs, like the brain and the heart.
Next to water, protein is more plentiful than any other substance in the body. Protein can
be used as a source of heat and energy for the body at a rate of four calories per gram.
Some hormones in the body are proteins, such as the thyroid hormone and insulin. These
control several bodily functions, such as growth, sexual development, and metabolism.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are the best source of energy for all bodily functions, especially the brain
and central nervous system. They also help with muscle exertion and assist in the
digestion and assimilation of foods. Carbohydrates come from plant sources and, like
protein, each gram is four calories. A carbohydrate is made up of the chemical elements:
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. These chemicals provide us with immediately available
calories by producing heat in the body when the carbon unites with the oxygen in our
bloodstream. Carbohydrates also help regulate protein and fat metabolism because fat
requires carbohydrates to break it down within the liver.
This is very important for dieters to remember when they mistakenly think they should
eliminate carbohydrates from their diet. Fat can only "burn" in a carbohydrate
"flame". All sugars and starches are carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates
(starchy foods) take longer to break down enzymes in the body. You may have already heard
the term "empty calories"; it refers to carbohydrates that lack essential
vitamins, minerals, and fibers.
White-flour cookies, candy, cakes, and other starchy sweet foods all fall into this
category. A diet that is too extreme in these foods will probably result in a nutritional
deficiency as well as a weight problem. Although you might get a quick boost of energy
from eating snacks that are these types of carbohydrates (they cause a sudden rise in
blood-sugar levels,) you might feel the effects when that "buzz" wears off, like
dizziness, fatigue, nervousness, or a headache.
Carbohydrates can be manufactured in the body from some amino acids. Most authorities
agree that 55-60 percent of total calories should be from complex carbohydrates, with a
minimum of 100 grams a day being essential.
Fat:
Fats - or lipids - are the most concentrated source of energy in our diets. There are
three classes of fats: triglycerides, phospholipids, and terols. When oxodized, fats
furnish more than twice the number of calories per gram as carbohydrates or proteins. One
gram of fat yields nine calories to the body. The function of fat is vital, but too much
can be a major health problem. Finding the proper balance of fat intake is essential to a
"centered" diet.
Standard American dietary guidelines suggest that the total fat intake should not exceed
30 percent of the day's total food intake. We strongly believe that it should be much
lower, optimally between 20 percent and 25 percent. |
The new Herold Weight Loss
SystemTM
Stop losing weight - start winning!
Visit: http://www.SugarFreeFood.com
Info: mailto:info@SugarFreeFood.com |
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This page was last updated Monday, November 20, 2006 01:49:33 PM |
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