A page with information to guide your nutritional decisions and to build a sustainable daily consumption plan for optimal lifestyle awesomeness.
**I am not a registered dietitian, and I am not promoting any form of diet. The content below is for informational purposes only, so that a person can make an informed decision about what the do and don't want to put in their body.**
TOPICS ON THIS PAGE:
Basics of Nutrition
Nutrition Breakdown
Carbohydrate
Glycemic Index
"Good" and "Bad" carbohydrates
Sugar Substitutes and Artificial Sweeteners
Protein
Fat
Vitamins and Minerals
Recommended Values (non-athletes)
How to read a Nutrition Label
Portion Sizes and Portion Distortion
Basics of Nutrition
Understanding what the body needs in respect to nutrients is essential to proper diet. This information is a guide to a better understanding of what nutrition is, what nutrients the body needs for optimal function, how the body absorbs nutrients, how much of each of the nutrients the body needs, and more.
The term diet can be defined as either:
A specific routine followed for consumption of nutrients to lose weight; typically requires some form of restriction.
Everything (food, liquid, vitamins, minerals, supplements) that is consumed on a habitual basis.
Nutrition is defined as the process of obtaining or providing food and nutrients essential for overall health and growth. Lack of proper nutrition can lead to sickness, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, growth and development issues, strength and sports performance issues, the list goes on.
There are so many diet fads and diet myths around that it is hard to know what is truth, what is fiction, and what is junk science used by "fitness gurus", "fitness authorities", and other "experts" that have no actual background in nutrition or fitness. These people will use pseudoscience, half truths, cherry picked information from legitimate studies to conform to their products, to sell their products and "diets." The information provided below is to educate so that you can make an informed, educated decision on what you put into your body.
Nutrition Breakdown
Most often we hear dietitians, nutritionists, coaches, trainers, and fitness "authorities"/"gurus" refer to nutrients as micronutrients and macronutrients .
Macronutrients are nutrients that we consume that provide us with calories/energy. These nutrients are needed for growth, metabolism, recovery, and many other bodily functions. Macro means "large," and macronutrients are the nutrients we need in "large" quantities.
There are 3 macronutrients
Carbohydrate: provides 4 calories per gram
Protein: provides 4 calories per gram
Fat: provides 9 calories per gram
Alcohol also provides calories, but is not considered a macronutrient because it is not necessary for the body's survival. Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram.
Micronutrients are nutrients, are nutrients we need for proper body function, but in smaller amounts. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals, which are essential for proper metabolic and chemical bodily functions.
Water is also essential for survival. It is recommended for a low or non-active person to consume 6-8 glasses of water, that amount varies with activity level and environment.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates is the first source of fuel the body will burn for energy. They are the nutrient we need the most of in the macronutrients.
The body breaks down carbohydrates and stores it in the form of glycogen. Glycogen is stored in skeletal muscle and the liver. Roughly 1400-1600 calories from carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles as glycogen to be used as needed for physical activity.
There are 3 main groups of carbohydrates:
Monosaccharides. They are the most basic of carbohydrates. Fructose, galactose, and glucose are the most common. Glucose is the most important to the body because glucose is the only saccharide that the body can absorb and use for energy. All other saccharides have to be broken down into glucose in order to be absorbed by the body
Disaccharides. They consist of two monosaccharide molecules bonded together. There are 3 common disaccharides: lactose (found in dairy), sucrose (table sugar), and maltose (malt sugar). Lactose is made when glucose and galactose are combined; sucrose is made when glucose and fructose are combined; maltose is made when two glucose molecules are combined.
Polysaccharides. These are long branched chains of monosaccharides bonded together. Polysaccharides are the main energy stores and there are two main polysaccharides: starch and glycogen. Starch is the main form of energy store in plants where glycogen is the energy store for animals.
Dietary Fiber Dietary fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods, but plays a very important role in digestion. Fiber helps move food along the digestive tract. Unlike other carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, fiber isn't digested and typically moves through the digestive tract and out of the body, mostly intact. Fiber is classified as soluble (dissolves in water) or insoluble (doesn't dissolve).
Soluble fiber: can help lower blood cholesterol and lower blood glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley, and psyllium.
Insoluble fiber: helps in the digestion process. This type of fiber helps keep stools consistent and regular. Insoluble fiber is found in whole wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, lettuce and other vegetables.
Benefits of adequate or high fiber diet:
Regulates bowel movements and decreases incidence of constipation. Fiber adds bulk to stool as well as help solidify loose/watery stools.
Keeps bowel healthy. "An active colon is a healthy colon!" Regular pooping reduces the risk and incidence of a bowel obstruction.
May lower cholesterol levels by lowering low density lipoproteins (LDL) (the bad cholesterol). May also decrease cardiovascular disease.
Soluble fiber helps control blood glucose levels.
Eating fiber helps with weight control; takes longer to chew as well as makes you feel more full than you really are.
Glycemic Index
Ever wonder what the glycemic index is? Basically, when you eat certain foods, your blood glucose levels increase. Certain foods cause a greater glucose increase than others. The glycemic index is a chart that labels foods on a scale from 1-100 (glucose is 100). This index gives an estimate of how much of each gram of carbohydrate, minus the fiber, increases a person's blood glucose level, after consuming that food, relative to the ingestion of pure glucose.
The glycemic index has it's limits...
Typically, the index only gives one value per food. The index value can vary based on the the different varieties of a particular food, how it's cooked, ripeness, and how long the food has been stored. Potatoes are an example, where some varieties are moderate on the index and others are very high on the index.
The glycemic response is different in different people; this is simple genetics, anatomy, and physiology.
Blood glucose levels can remain elevated longer in certain individuals more than others.
The glycemic index doesn't measure how much insulin is released per a particular food. Where two foods can have the same index value, they can have different insulin responses.
Some foods that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates or have no carbohydrates also elicit an insulin response, however they have no index value. An example would be a lean cut of steak.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT:
Understanding the glycemic index allows for better eating choices that can aid in fitness/training goals.
Eating foods high on the index can cause blood sugar spikes, which can eventually result in blood sugar drops, which can lead to feeling lethargic or "crashing"
Eating foods low on the index can curb hunger and cravings and keep energy levels more stable
Insulin spikes (insulin responding to high blood sugar) can cause the food that is being consumed to be stored instead of used, this can increase the amount of body fat and body weight a person has
The tables above show how blood glucose spikes after food consumption.
This chart shows some examples of foods and their glycemic index value.
Sugar SUBSTITUTES and artificial sweeteners
Table sugar has a significant amount of calories (16 calories per teaspoon) and some people want to eliminate or reduce the amount of table sugar in their diet. There are several table sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners that are many times sweeter than table sugar, that have little or no caloric value.
Artificial sweeteners can be labeled as"natural" even though they have been processed and refined. Stevia is an example of this.
Some artificial sweeteners are derived from naturally occurring substances, like sucralose.
Sugar alcohols have minimal caloric value and are used in products like gum, processed foods, mouthwash, and fruit spreads. Sugar alcohols add sweetness, bulk, and texture, to many foods. They also prevent foods from losing moisture, prevent browning when heated, and add a cooling sensation to certain products.
Artificial sweeteners are regulated by the FDA. and are recognized as food additives. The FDA will put food additives through testing, reviews, and approvals before an additive is available for sale.
There are some additives that the FDA declares as "generally recognized as safe" or GRAS. These types of additives and substances are placed in this category after they are either deemed safe for intended use by scientific professionals based on scientific data or they have such a long history of common use in food that they are considered safe and don't need FDA approval.
ADI or acceptable daily intake, is a value that is assigned to a substance that is the maximum amount considered to consume each day over the course of your lifetime. ADI's are intended to be 100 times less than the smallest amount of a substance that is considered harmful to the human body.
In the 1970's there were some studies that linked saccharin to stomach cancer in rats. Due to those studies, saccharin use to carry a warning label for consumption. Since then, several more studies have been done and have found that in limited quantities (ADI) that artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes are safe for consumption, even during pregnancy. Results of these more recent studies is the reason why the warning label has been taken off of saccharin. The button below is a link to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health and their research results on artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes.
Proteins are a very important part of a daily diet. Whether a person is a meat eater or vegetarian or vegan, there are plenty of sources of protein both animal and plant, that a person can consume to meet their protein needs.
Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of life. When protein is consumed, the body breaks down the protein into amino acids, that are then utilized by the body for various functions.
Functions of protein (amino acids)
Growth and development
Tissue repair and recovery
Makes essential hormones and enzymes that are necessary for body function
Energy source when carbohydrates and fats are no longer available or during long duration exercise or during starvation
Needed for preserving lean muscle mass
There are 3 types of amino acids
Essential amino acids: are not made by the body, therefore, they need to be consumed from the diet. There are 9 essential amino acids: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenyalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine
Non-essential amino acids: are made by the body even if we don't consume it in our diet. The non-essential amino acids are: alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid
Conditional amino acids: are typically not essiential, except in times of illness and stress. They are: arginine, glutamine, tyrosine, cysteine, glycine, ornithine, proline, serine.
The amino acids listed above come together to make proteins. There are two groups of proteins. Complete proteins and incomplete proteins. Complete proteins are proteins that contain the 9 essential amino acids. Most animal proteins/foods are complete proteins. Incomplete proteins are proteins lack significant amount of one or more of the essential amino acids. Most plant foods are incomplete proteins. For a person who doesn't eat animal based protein, can still get all their essential amino acids by eating several different incomplete proteins throughout the day. When two incomplete proteins are combined to compensate for each other's deficiencies, they are called complementary proteins.
Fats
Often, fat gets a bad rap. Fat is and essential part of our diet and survival. Without fat certain body functions wouldn't occur, we wouldn't have much, if any padding/protection, and that's just the start. Fat does much more for the body than you would think. However, consuming too much fat is not a good thing and can lead to weight gain.
Functions of Fat
Energy source that is second to carbohydrates. Fat is the most concentrated source of energy. Fat is utilized during long bouts of exercise, after carbohydrates have been used up.
Growth and development
Aids in absorption of fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, E, D, K, and carotenoids)
Provides cushion for internal organs
Maintaining cell membranes
What is Fat? Just as carbohydrates and proteins are made of smaller molecules, fats are also composed of smaller molecules. These molecules are called triglycerides. Triglycerides are three individual fatty acids connected together by glycerol. Fat that is consumed gives the body the essential fatty acids linoleic acid and linolenic acid; your body can't function with out them. These acids are responsible for brain development, controlling inflammation, and blood clotting.
Fat can be made by the body when an excess of calories are consumed. The fats that are consumed from plants and animals are called dietary fats. Dietary fat is a macronutrient and is an energy source for the body. The body stores fat in adipose cells in subcutaneous fat (between skin and muscle tissue) and in visceral fat (around the organs in main body cavities). Due to genetics some people can have more fat cells than others and have varying metabolism rates, which can make utilizing fat easier or harder. A simple way to think of fat cells is to imagine a dresser drawer, you can fill it, make it overflow, and empty it, but no matter what you still have a drawer. You can fill and empty a fat cell but you still have the fat cell.
Saturated, unsaturated, (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, omega-3), and trans fats have become common lingo in today's health and nutrition. Saturated fat has lately been labeled as a "bad" fat, however, the body still needs saturated fat for some biological functions. With that being said, consuming too much can have negative effects such as weight gain, increase of total blood cholesterol levels and LDL. (bad cholesterol) levels, which can lead to heart disease. Saturated fat comes mainly from animal food products like red meat, poultry, and full fat dairy products.
Most trans fats are found in certain oils that are made from the food process called partial hydrogenation. This makes the fats more solid at room temperature and are used to prolong the life of certain foods. Trans fats increase LDL levels and decrease HDL (good cholesterol) levels. This can increase the chance of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Trans fats are found in many baked goods, some processed foods, shortening, and some margarine.
Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are the "healthier" fats, however, too much of a good thing, is still too much. Consuming monounsaturated fats as part of a regular diet can improve blood cholesterol levels and help decrease risk for heart disease. There is also a link that consuming monounsaturated fats may help control blood glucose and insulin levels. Polyunsaturated fats are mostly found in plant foods and oils. Consuming polyunsaturated fats as part of a regular diet can improve blood cholesterol levels and may decrease risk for Type 2 diabetes.
Omega-3 fatty acid is a polyunsaturated fat found mostly in some fish, although omega-3 fatty acids can be found in plant sources, the body can metabolize omega-3 fatty acids from fish better than from plants. Consuming omega-3 fatty acids as part of a regular diet can be beneficial to your heart and cardiovascular system. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish may decrease blood pressure and may play a role in decrease risk for coronary artery disease.
Sources for monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and omega-3 fatty acids are: fats that are liquid at room temperature such as olive oil, peanut oil, and corn oil. Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids are: salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, sardines, and herring. Plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids are: ground flaxseed, canola, flaxseed, and soybean oils, walnuts, butternuts, and sunflower seeds.
Cholesterol isn't fat, it's a waxy-fat-like substance that is manufactured by the body. The body makes enough cholesterol to supply itself; no dietary cholesterol is needed, but it is absorbed from certain foods like animal meat and eggs. Cholesterol is vital to the building of the body's cells and the production of certain hormones. LDL or low density lipoproteins make up the majority of the body's cholesterol, it is also known as the "bad" cholesterol. High levels of LDL can allow for build up in the arteries, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. Since most foods that have high saturated fat also have high levels of cholesterol, cutting back on those foods can help decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke. HDL or high density lipoproteins are the "good" proteins because they absorb cholesterol and brings it to the liver for elimination. HDL reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are known as micronutrients because they are needed in the body in very small amounts. These vitamins and minerals are considered essential and play a large role in certain functions of the body. Deficiencies of these vitamins and minerals can lead to severe symptoms, with some being life threatening. With that being said, most people in the United States don't suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies due to the availability of food.
Vitamins are organic and can be broken down by heat, air, or acid. Vitamins are either fat soluble or water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins are A, E, D, K. They are stored in the liver and fatty tissue. Fat soluble vitamins are not eliminated from the body as fast as water soluble vitamins. Water soluble vitamins, the B complex and C, dissolve in water, and are eliminated from the body, daily.
Minerals are inorganic and maintain their structure, so they don't lose their potency during cooking, storage, and simple air exposure, like vitamins do. Major minerals are minerals that are stored in larger quantities in the body. These minerals are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. Trace minerals are just as important as major minerals, just in much smaller amounts. Trace minerals are chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc.
Daily Recommended Intake (DRI)
Through the years the USDA and HHS have modified the DRI (daily recommended intake) values and the food guide pyramid, based on the most recent research for a nutritious, healthy lifestyle.
The DRI can vary for each individual person, based on their needs, exercise/fitness levels, and metabolic demands. There is no one size fits all.
The DRI charts put forth by the USDA are expansive. Click on the link below to look at these charts in PDF format.
Nutrition labels can be very overwhelming to understand. Below is a quick guide on how to follow a nutrition label. Remember that the nutrtion label put forth by the USDA is for the average person. Nutritional needs will change for some people based on their individual needs, activity/fitness level, and metabolic demands.
Portion Sizes and Portion Distortion
Understanding portion sizes is essential to maintaining healthy eating habits. A person can measure out servings when at home, but what happens when you don't have access to measuring utensils? Below are some graphics to follow to give an idea of how big serving sizes are.
When purchasing pre-packaged foods, it's good to understand what one serving actually consists of.
This graphic gives an idea how sometimes, if a nutrition label isn't read correctly, more can be consumed than intended.
Portions have changed greatly in the past 20 years (late 1980's/early 1990's to mid 2000's/2013-2014). Portions have become much larger, and with nothing to compare it to immediately, it's hard to see how much bigger these portions have become. Below are several graphics that depict the differences in portion sizes in the past 20 years.