Fat@Know The Facts

Is Fat good or bad?

Do we need fat or should we avoid it?

Apart from oil,what are the other types of fat?

These are some of the many questions to which the answers are often unclear.On the one hand, we are aware of the health problems related to excessive fat in our diet.On the other, there is enough information to indicate that our bodies require some amount of fat for normal functioning.So,the important question is,"what kind|how much fat do we really need to consumer?".

  Here, we delve deeper to differentiate between good | bad fat and the roles they play in our bodies.

About FAT

   Fat is a concentrated source of energy stored by our bodies as reserve fuel.

"Have you ever wondered why it is easier to put on weight than lose it,especially if on a fat-rich diet?"

   

Our body cannot break down stored fat easily body.Whenever we eat more calories than our body need,even if for one meal,the excess is converted into fat | stored for later use.This added to the fat already present in our body,piles up | eventually leads to obesity.
 Excess fat in our diet can directly or indirectly responsible for many health problems.

Healthy Diet

A balanced diet for All

Builders

Dal,Milk,Meat,Fish,Poultry,Egg

Dal,Nuts,Milk,Milk Products,meat,fish,poultry,and eggs share one predominant nutrient----Proteins.

Dal(also known as pulses),

Dal is a dried pulse which has been split. It is called bele in Kannada and pappu,paruppu in Telugu and Tamil.

Nuts

A Nut is a fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, which is generally edible. In botany, there is an additional requirement that the shell does not open to release the seed.

Milk,Milk Products

Milk or mammal milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals.It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals.

Meat

Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans are Omnivorous, and have hunted and killed animals for meat since prehistoric times.

Fish

A Fish is any member of a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits.

Poultry

Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the eggs they produce, their meat, their feathers, or sometimes as pets.

Egg

Eggs are laid by female animals of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have been eaten by humans for thousands of years.

Proteins

What does protein do?

                           








 Protein is the main building block of our bodies. All our cells |tissues are made of protein. Right from the growth of a fingernails to healing a wound,It's the protein in our bodies that makes it all happen. Also an energy provider,the body uses protein energy only after it has exhausted the energy provided by carbohydrates.



Like carbohydrates,1g of protein provides 4 kcals of energy.

  

Protein is made up of very small units called amino acids.There are basically 20 amino acids that link together forming chains in many different combinations to create thousands of proteins. Some amino acids can be manufactured by our bodies.However,some cannot | therefore must be obtained through the food we eat.
These protein units are appropriately called essential amino acids. Needless to say,we have to ensure that we eat the right combination of protein-rich foods to fulfil our daily requirement of essential amino acids.
We get protein through vegetable and animal sources. However, the amount|quality of the protein in both vary considerably:

• First class protein is found in meat,fish,eggs,poultry,milk and milk products.It contains most of the essential amino acids| is therefore of very high quality.

• Second class protein is found in dal,nuts and vegetables(peas,beans etc.). It does not contain all the essential amino acids and is hence referred to as second class protein.

"Our bodies can mix|match to build first class protein.So,vegetarians too can get their protein requirements with the right combination of vegetarian food sources."




Milk| Milk Products contain very good quality protein.That's not surprising considering only source of protein for an infant is milk.

Milk , in the form of curd, is even better because the process of fermentation breaks down the protein into its simplest form making digestion easier.

Beside Protein, milk contains vitamins|minerals like riboflavin | calcium, both essential for good health across all age groups. Milk is a must in everyone's daily diet.


"Did you know the whey of curd(the liquid that separates from it) is rich in protein?
So,never throw it away.Knead it into your chapatti dough or add to curries?"



Meat,Fish|Poultry are good sources of  first class protein |Vitamin B12. But the downside to meat | poultry is Fat. In additional,meats are traditionally cooked in extra oil.So not only does the fat content increases, but the risk of many health problems like Heart diseases, etc.

Meat must therefore be eaten in moderation using methods of cooking that require very little or virtually no oil at all.


"Did you know nutritionists recommend fish as the healthier non-vegetarian option because its   fat is known to protect the heart?"


Egg is an excellent source of protein.In fact,egg white contains all the amino acids,making it a perfect source of protein.So much so, the study of nutrition uses the quality of protein found in egg as a standard to compare other sources of protein.



"Protein is found in both egg white | yolk,while fat is mainly concentrated in the yolk"



How much is enough?

Nutritionists recommend that 15-20% of our daily calorie requirement be fulfilled with foods rich in protein from either vegetables or animal sources i.e, appr 2-4 servings of milk and 1-2 serving of dal.

For How much is 1 serving? additional information is also available in Food Composition Tables | Recommended Daily Dietary Allowances for Indians.

Related blog

http://www.avestagoodearthfoods.com/h&w_2.htm

Healthy Nutrition

http://nutrition4yourfamily.blogspot.in/p/instant-energisers.html




http://nutrition4yourfamily.blogspot.in/p/proteins.html

http://nutrition4yourfamily.blogspot.in/p/height-weight-chart.html

First What Is Nutrition ?

Nutrition is the relationship of food to the well-being of the human body.

It includes - The Metabolism of foods.
                  - The Nutritive value of foods.
                  - The Qualitative and Quantitative requirements for the food at different ages and developmental levels to meet physiological changes and activity needs.
                  - The changes in nutrient and food requirements that accompany and
                  - The Economic,Psychological,Social and Cultural factors that affect the selection and eating of foods.

What Does Nutrition Do ?

All living things, including you, need food and water to live.We also need food with proper Nutrients, to live well.
Eating Healthy well-balanced diet while getting plenty physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, avoid smoking and controlling diseases such as Heart diseases and Diabetes is the best approach to a healthy  lifestyle.

Have You Ever Heard The Saying "You Are What You Eat"?

It is true that human body really is build from the nutrients it gets from food: Water,Protein,Fat,Carbohydrates,Vitamins, and Minerals.

"An Apple a day keeps the doctor away!"

How often we've heard this phrase and how little we think about its real meaning.Beyond drawing attention to the goodness of the humble apple,it's real insight lies in knowledge that nutritious foods make a healthy body.

   Nutrition is about the relationship between food and good health.Nutrition gives us energy,help build/heal tissues, fight infections | enable our healthy bodies to execute daily tasks with ease.

Nutrients

Food contains a variety of nutrients required by our bodies every day.On an average, we need a daily dose of approximately 40 odd nutrients.That sounds like a lot if it weren't for the fact that each of these nutrients is available in the foods we ordinarily eat.The nutrients essential for normal body functioning includes Carbohydrates,Fat,Proteins,Vitamins,Minerals,Fiber and Water.

Interestingly,our bodies require some nutrients in much larger quantities than others.These nutrients - carbohydrates,proteins and fats are collectively known as  macro nutrients.

Macro Nutrients give us energy in the form of kilo calories(kcals).

Have you ever wondered why we need to eat far more rice,wheat, ragi , jowar, and bajra than meat,fish,fruit and vegetables?

Cereals like Rice,wheat,etc. are abundant in carbohydrates(the body main energy supplier) and therefore eaten in substantial quantity.

Conversely, nutrients that our bodies need in lesser quantities are called micro nutrients.

Vitamins|Minerals are the micronutrients in our diet.

Often dismissed, water and fiber are two other important nutrients that play a pivotal role in our bodies.

To ensure that we fulfil all our nutrient requirements, we need to known a lot more about foods and their nutrient content.Discussed in detail in the next few pages are broad food groups and the nutrients they provide.

What do Carbohydrates do ?

Carbohydrates give us energy.Our bodies absorb carbohydrates from the foods we eat and convert them into energy.Like fuel in an engine,Carbohydrates power all our body activities right from breathing to running,thinking,etc.

1g of carbohydrates provides 4 kcals of energy.

Depending on their structures,there are two types of Carbohydrates.

• Simple Carbohydrates are found in sugar,honey,etc.To known more about this group,refer to Instant Energisers.
• Complex Carbohydrates are found in rice,wheat,ragi,etc.In the form of starch.Our bodies digest these foods over a longer period of time and release energy from them more gradually.Complex carbohydrate provides us the energy to sustain any long endurance sport or exercise routine.

Did you know that whole wheat flour(atta) is healthier than refined wheat flour(maida)?

Complex Carbohydrates can be either refined or unrefined.Whole wheat flour(atta) is known as an unrefined carbohydrates because the bran(outer skin of the grain) is retained.

Rich in fiber and other important micronutrients,unrefined carbohydrates are a more wholesome choice of food for everyday consumption.


As the name suggests,refined wheat flour(maida) is a refined carbohydrate.All cereals belonging to this category lose their fiber| micronutrient content in the refining process.Eating too much refined carbohydrates can cause health problems ranging from cavities to gastric irritation|constipation.

Given below are examples of unrefined and refined carbohydrates.

Unrefined                                   Refined

Atta                                              Maida
Brown bread                               Noodles                                
Brown rice                                   Polished rice
Ragi                                              White bread

How much is enough?

Nutritionists recommend that cereals make up the bulk of our diet providing 60-70% of our daily calorie requirements i.e.,approximately 6-11 servings per day.For How much is 1 serving? Additional information on the nutritional value in cereals is available in Food Composition Table.