View PDF | Print View
by: GrahamFoster
Total views: 13
Word Count: 699

Today I am going to look at the 3 building blocks of a healthy diet one that is filled with nutrition and is good for you, whether you are trying to lose weight or not. They are protein,carbohydrate (carbs if you prefer) and fat.

Foods such as eggs those foods made from milk such as yoghurt, cheeses and of course just milk it's self are high in one of those essential building block protein which is why nutritionist recommend we eat plenty of protein in a balanced diet.

When looking at carbs like protein we find that calorifically around 1g of carbohydrate will produce about 4 calories of energy. However when comparing carbs it is much harder as they are rather more complex and in addition to being food found in nature than can also be found in food that is manufactured by man.

Carbohydrates which are found in nature include rice,some pulses (such as beans),potato's in various different guises, and oatmeal but this is just the tip of the iceberg a wider range of man made carbs are found in cookies, candies, and cakes plus a whole range of other processed foods.

But you probably won't be suprised to learn that from each gram of fat there are a massive 9 calories. That's right a shocking 225% more calories than either carbs or protein.But few people fully understand the implications of this fact.

Nothing is ever quite as it seems as there are a number of different types of fat there are bad fats trans fatty acids and saturated fats which are generally derived from animals or manufactured by man. Where as good fats are generally from plants.

To maintain a healthy body you need to get a balance of all 3 of these in equal proportion but avoid large amounts or unsaturated fats and avoid when at all possible all tran fats.

The balance of carbs, to fat to protein is essential to healthy living and if you choose a diet which is unbalanced you risk health problems. Consume excess of either fat or carbs or a combination of both and you are likely to end up over weight.

Since fat has substancially more calories per gram than both protein & carbohydrates, just ensure the bulk of your diet is a balance of the first two food groups with some healthy fats thrown in for good measure.

There are 4 different types of fat lets look at each in turn.

Mono unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA's). Mono unsaturated fats are found at room temperature normally in the form of vegetable oils,nuts and seeds.

Polyunsaturated fats (Poly unsaturated fatty acids):- These are are found mainly in vegetable oils, fish and seafood. They are liquid or soft at room temperature. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are types of poly unsaturated fats and are considered essential fatty acids because our bodies cannot make them themselves, thus they must be obtained through the diet. Some times referred to as PUFA's.

Saturated fats (SUFA's):- These are fats which are found predominantly in animal food sources such as meats, dairy products (those made from milk) such as butter and cheese and in some plants the most well know one being coconut and it's derivatives.

Trans fats (Trans fatty acids) are liquid vegetable oils that have been chemically processed to become solid at room temperature through the addition of hydrogen atoms. These hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils are used in some margarines and fried foods as well as to improve the flavor, texture and shelf-life of processed snack foods like cookies and crackers.

Think of it this way fat from animals such as butter, shortening, pastry and the like are saturated fats. Where as fats from sunflower oils, some nuts and olive oil are unsaturated fats. Some margarines and spreads are also unsaturated fat but read the label first.Don't forget any fat will make you fat if eaten to excess but unsaturated fats are better for you.

If you want to be eating healthy you need to keep a good balance of all 3 main food groups.