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Understanding The Importance Of Nutrition To Your Health
- By Daniel Millions
- Published 06/25/2008
- Nutrition
- Unrated
You are what you eat is a phrase often repeated. This is definitely true as you need to understand that your diet directly affects your overall health. Exercise is important, but if you do not educate yourself about what kinds of food you should be eating on a daily basis then you will not reap the overall long term health benefits. This article seeks to identify the key nutrients that should be a part of your diet.
To ensure that you maintain a healthy and balanced diet you need to make sure that you include some key nutrients. These are carbohydrates, protein, water, vitamins, fiber, minerals and fat.
Carbohydrates are important as they release energy. They are not essential as the body is capable of creating energy from other nutrients such as fat. Although some dietitians try to discourage Carbohydrates from a diet, it has been shown that the risk of heart disease from them is minimal if intake is measured. It is recommended by the American Institute of Medicine that around 45-60 percent of your daily energy intake should come from Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can be found in potatoes, beans, pasta, rice, etc.
Protein is an important ingredient that the body needs. It is comprised of amino acids that are needed to form new skin, hair and muscles. Amino acids help to grow new protein so this process can continue. It is recommended that the daily intake for men under the age of 70 should be 56 grams and for women it is 46 grams. Typically, protein can be found in milk, eggs, cheese and meats.
It is estimated that the body is comprised of around 70 percent water excluding the fat and so it is vitally important that you maintain a high intake of fluid each day. To prevent
easily detected by dark, concentrated urine. Prevented by drinking water or sports drinks before, during and after exercise. When you are fully hydrated, urine is plentiful, pale and odorless.'); return false">Dehydration it is recommended that you should drink around 2 liters of water each day, this equates to roughly 8 to 10 glasses. There are lots of factors that may also necessitate the need to drink more water such as humid conditions, exercise and pregnancy.
To ensure that you maintain a healthy and balanced diet you need to make sure that you include some key nutrients. These are carbohydrates, protein, water, vitamins, fiber, minerals and fat.
Carbohydrates are important as they release energy. They are not essential as the body is capable of creating energy from other nutrients such as fat. Although some dietitians try to discourage Carbohydrates from a diet, it has been shown that the risk of heart disease from them is minimal if intake is measured. It is recommended by the American Institute of Medicine that around 45-60 percent of your daily energy intake should come from Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can be found in potatoes, beans, pasta, rice, etc.
Protein is an important ingredient that the body needs. It is comprised of amino acids that are needed to form new skin, hair and muscles. Amino acids help to grow new protein so this process can continue. It is recommended that the daily intake for men under the age of 70 should be 56 grams and for women it is 46 grams. Typically, protein can be found in milk, eggs, cheese and meats.
It is estimated that the body is comprised of around 70 percent water excluding the fat and so it is vitally important that you maintain a high intake of fluid each day. To prevent
Vitamins are essential in maintaining your health. They help to produce certain chemical reactions within the body that facilitates the encouragement of cell reproduction. In turn vitamins help to maintain skin and muscles. At present there are 12 vitamins that are classified as essential and they need to be consumed on a daily basis. These include Vitamin C which is an effective antioxidant and Vitamin D which helps to maintain the vital organs.
The daily recommended Fiber intake is 20 to 35 grams for a typical healthy adult. This is important because Fiber helps to keep the intestines functional. Evidence has also suggested that Fiber helps to encourage the muscular contractions in the digestive tract that assist in swallowing food. Fiber can be found in many foods. It is rich in legumes such as peas and beans, and it can also be found in whole grain, nuts and seeds.
Minerals such as Calcium, Sulfur and Potassium are essential for the body. Calcium helps to develop bones, and cleanses toxins in the body. It is commonly found in dairy products. Sulfur is important in the development of amino acids and is found in meat and eggs. Potassium helps with the heart and nervous system and is found in tomatoes and bananas.
Finally, fatty acids are a crucial component in the diet because some cannot be created by the body, so they have to be consumed. Fat should be taken in moderation as they help to maintain skin, hair and body temperature and help to prevent some diseases by protecting the vital organs.
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