|
Good nutrition is a complex subject. Yet we all know the basics. Every day, we
need to eat as wide a range of foods as we can, making sure that we include proteins,
carbohydrates, fats, fibre, and plenty of liquids.
Proteins
Proteins are vital for the building, repair and maintenance of all the cells
in our body. They are involved in growth and in other functions such as the strengthening
of our immune system. They come from animal sources such as meat, fish and eggs,
dairy sources such as milk and cheese, and vegetable sources such as beans, lentils,
nuts and soya and other meat alternatives. Go for a four- to six-ounce (100-150
grams) mix of animal and vegetable proteins a day.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the starchy foods that provide us with energy. They include
bread, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes – and that real no-no, sugar.
It’s best to eat whole grains (wholemeal bread and cereals, for instance) and
brown rice where possible, as these contain higher levels of fibre, vitamins and
minerals than the processed white alternatives. Unrefined carbohydrates are also
more satisfying for longer, as the energy they contain is released slowly, thus
minimising the load on the body’s metabolic processes that the apparently simple
act of eating can produce.
Basically, food is digested and absorbed, and waste material excreted, through
these metabolic processes. Carbohydrates are turned into glucose, the body’s most
important fuel, for example.
But today we tend to take in excess sugar, and a metabolism that is out of kilter
can lead to problems. A diet high in hidden sugar and refined carbohydrates can
give rise to a disorder known as Syndrome X, or Sugar Overload Disorder. This is
due to insulin resistance, where the body’s ability to convert sugar to energy is
impaired; untreated, it can lead to raised blood pressure, heart disease and Type
2 diabetes, among other conditions. So cut right back on adding sugar, honey or
syrup to your food.
Fats
Fats are a key source of energy – so dense that they supply nine kilocalories
per gram, as opposed to proteins and carbohydrates, which supply four. It’s through
the fats we eat that we can absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E.
Fats are found in butter, margarine, cream, cheese, meat, lard, vegetable oils,
oily fish (which contain Omega-3 oils), nuts and seeds. Current official advice
is to cut back on animal fats such as butter and lard, and to increase the intake
of monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and nuts. Omega-3 oils can reduce the
risk of heart disease and prevent blood clots, so it’s a good idea to eat oily fish
such as sardines, mackerel or herrings once a week.
Fibre is obtained through wholegrain cereals, fruit and vegetables. It helps
avoid constipation and protects against colon cancer.
You need to take in plenty of liquids, especially water, alongside your food
(alcohol in moderation, though). This helps with digestion and the elimination of
waste products.
Where fruit and vegetables are concerned, everybody knows that we’re being advised
to eat five a day. Altogether, this should tot up to 400 grams, or 80 grams a portion.
But what is a portion of fruit or vegetables?
The official line is that it’s one medium-sized apple, banana or similar-sized
fruit, two satsumas or similar-sized fruit, half a grapefruit or avocado, one slice
of large fruit such as melon or pineapple, one cupful of grapes, cherries or berries
or one glass of fruit juice. Note that, no matter how much fruit juice you drink
during a day, it only counts as one portion.
For vegetables, it’s three heaped tablespoons of any vegetable, a dessert bowl
of salad, or three heaped tablespoons of beans or other pulses. Again, no matter
how much you gorge yourself on baked beans or other pulses in the course of a day,
this only counts as one portion.
Your fruit and veg can be fresh, frozen, chilled, canned, dried or 100 per cent
juice. Note, though, that potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava and plantains
don’t count as vegetables, but as starchy foods in the same class as bread, breakfast
cereals, rice and pasta. Also, vegetarians may need to take vitamin B12 supplements,
as B12 is found only in meat and fish.
There is a serious argument, in fact, that the nutrient quality of our fruit
and veg is no longer what it was, partly because the soil they are grown in is becoming
increasingly impoverished, partly because today’s methods mean produce is picked
before fully ripe, and then transported long distances for ripening in warehouses
by artificial means.
People who have access to a farmers’ market, or who can grow their own, can potentially
offset some of this, but for most of us it can help to take a high-quality multivitamin
if we are starting to feel run-down. It also pays to take vitamin D in the form
of cod liver oil supplements during the winter months, when our body stores of vitamin
D, built up in the summer through the action of the sun on our skin, have been depleted.
Men are reckoned to require about 2,500 calories a day, women about 2,000, but
this can vary between individuals. Children and the elderly require fewer calories.
Above all, don’t become fixated on calorie-counting. Just ensure you’re eating the
best-quality food you can obtain, and all the fruit and veg you can manage.
|
