Food
intake comprises of carbohydrates, fats, water fiber and proteins. Essential
minerals and vitamins that cannot be processed by the human body, we take as
foods. Vegetables, fruits, nuts and oils have lots of essential nutrition that
our body needs. Here we examine what should be the dietary intake on a daily
basis so that the food is balanced and has enough nourishment.
Primary consideration
a.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates consist of disaccharides, monosaccharides and polysaccharides.
The body metabolizes them and converts them to glucose. Glucose is the only
form of sugar that can be used by the body for its energy requirements. The
hormone insulin carries the glucose into the cells for utilization for various
metabolic processes.
We find complex carbohydrates in the form of
starch in root vegetables and bread. Fructose constitutes the simple
carbohydrate that we find in fruits.
Ketosis can occur if you do not consume enough
carbohydrates. This takes place to provide energy for the body and the
functioning of the brain. When the brain seeks energy from fats the partially
broken down fats become acidic molecules known as ketones.
i. Sources:
Cereals, Sugar crops, vegetables, milk and milk products, root crops, pulses,
fruit.
ii. Amount:
At least 50% – 60 % of the energy should come from carbohydrates. If you
increase the percentage, the food will become deficient in proteins, fibers and
fats. For example, 100 g of sugar will give you 100 calories of carbohydrates.
Cereals give 90 – 92 %.
b.
Fats:
The body has two kinds of fats, white and brown. The white fat stores energy
while the brown fat burns up releasing energy. You can understand why fats are
important by studying the amount of energy stored by each food component.
We have three kinds of fats – trans fats,
saturated fats and unsaturated fats. The body requires fats to transport
vitamins to various organs in the body. Choosing good fats over bad fats helps
you avoid heart diseases, high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats reduce
cholesterol levels and thus are good for your health. Trans fats are found in
pre-processed foods. Saturated fats you find in fried foods. Trans fats and saturated
fats are bad for your health.
Component of food
|
Energy stored (kJ/g)
|
Fat
|
38.8
|
Carbohydrate
|
17
|
Protein
|
17.2
|
Alcohol
|
29.3
|
Sugars,
sweeteners
|
9.8
|
Fiber
|
7.6
|
i. Sources:
Sources of good fats are:
1.
Monounsaturated fats
Peanut oil, Canola oil, Olive oil, sunflower
oil, nuts and peanut butter.
2.
Polyunsaturated fats
Corn oil, safflower oil, walnuts, soybean oil,
flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, fatty fish, soymilk.
Sources of bad fats are:
1.
Saturated fats
Whole fat diary products, cheese, butter,
chicken with skin, palm oil, coconut oil, meat with whole fats.
2.
Trans fats
Margarine, snack foods like popcorn and
crackers, pastries, cookies, candy bars.
Omega-3
fatty acid found in fatty fishes helps reduce incidence of heart disease.
ii. Amount:
Fat constitutes 22% – 33 % of your total calorific requirement. If you follow a
2000 calorie diet then fats will make up 440 – 650 calories. Keep trans fat at
1% –3 % (approximately 6 calories) per day and saturated fats to 9% – 10%
(approximately 180 calories to 200 calories). For instance, one teaspoon of
fish oil will give you 1.9 g of omega-3 fats. Every 50 g of walnuts give you
4.54 g of fats.
c.
Proteins:
Proteins are building blocks in the body for building cells and tissues. As a
source of energy, protein has only 4 Kcal of energy compared to the 9 Kcal that
carbohydrates and fats have. The body needs 9 essential amino acids (base form
of the proteins) of which five can be synthesized within the body. Protein is
needed for regular growth and maintenance within the body.
i. Sources:
Egg, meat, milk and fish are complete proteins. Cereals, whole grains, such as
millet, rye, oats, wheat and rice also contain proteins. Turkey, fish, cheese,
beef, beans and eggs top the list of protein rich food.
ii. Amount:
Around 30% of the calories must come from proteins. This means in a 1980
calorie diet you must have 660 – 700 calories of proteins. For example 100 g
cheese will give you 150 calories of proteins and 100 g of turkey will provide
130 calories of proteins.
d. Water
i. Do
not forget this vital ingredient. Water reduces the risk of heart attack,
boosts the metabolism, helps transport vitamins to various organs, helps
excrete waste. Metabolic water is water synthesized inside the body from
metabolic activities (For every 100 g proteins – 41.3 g, starch – 52 g and fat
– 109 g). One must drink around 2.5 litres of water every day.
e. Fiber
Dietary fiber consists of that portion of the
food that cannot be digested. We have soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble
fiber helps reduce incidence of heart disease, relieves constipation and
improves bowel movement. Soluble fiber helps reduce blood glucose levels and
reduce cholesterol.
i. Amounts:
Recommended amounts of fiber for men will be 38 gram and for women will be 25
gram.
ii. Sources:
Potatoes, cauliflower, wheat bran, beans and nuts are good sources for fiber.
Secondary consideration
Vitamins
Vitamins
are essential chemical elements and compounds that is mostly derived from the
food we eat. They help break the carbohydrates, proteins and fats present in
the food and convert them into energy. They help produce genetic material,
blood cells, hormones and chemicals needed for your nervous system. They do not
provide energy by themselves as they do not have any calorific content.
We
categorize vitamins as fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. We have four fat
soluble vitamins Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Vitamin E that need fat to
undergo transportation to various parts of the body. The other ten vitamins are
water soluble.
i.
Vitamin
A: It helps maintain normal vision and cell
growth. Vitamin A helps immune system and so deficiency can lead to infections.
It further helps in protein transformation, good skin health and gene
transcription. Daily requirement is 700 µg to 2,800 µg. Pumpkin, squash, leafy
greens and carrots are rich in Vitamin A.
ii.
Biotin:
We refer to this as Vitamin H or Vitamin B7. Necessary for converting food into
energy in the metabolic process, our body requires 30 mcg of Biotin everyday.
Sources are bread, egg, salmon and whole grain bread.
iii.
Vitamin
B 12: This vitamin finds use in cell creation,
metabolism of amino acid and fatty acids and provides protection for nerve
cells. Daily requirement of this vitamin is 2.45 µg. Foods containing this
vitamin are pumpkin, mango, carrot and eggs.
iv.
Vitamin
B6: Also known as pyridoxine, Vitamin B6 helps
synthesize serotonin, steroids and red blood cells. Daily requirement is 1.35 –
81 mg. hazelnuts, potatoes with skin, bananas,
and salmon have plenty of Vitamin B6.
v.
Choline:
Choline is a water soluble B vitamin. The human body requires Acetylcholine, a
neurotransmitter that plays a role in activities of the muscle and brain.
Choline helps in the formation of acetylcholine. Vegetarians have high risk of
choline deficiency. Daily requirement would be 500 mg. Sources are broccoli,
beef, milk chocolate, milk and eggs. Do not exceed 3,000 mg.
vi.
Vitamin
D: Helps in maintaining bone density, functioning
of nervous system, immunity functions and metabolizes of calcium while the body
synthesizes Vitamin D from the sun shine shining on the skin. Daily
requirements is 15 µg and not to exceed 50 µg. Egg yolks, fortified milk and
salmon are good sources of this vitamin.
vii.
Vitamin
C: This vitamin helps the body absorb iron and
has antioxidant properties. It helps form collagen in blood vessels, bones,
muscle and cartilage. Minimum requirement of Vitamin C is 75 mg and one should
not exceed 2000 mg. Pepper, guava, broccoli, oranges and tomatoes have Vitamin
C.
viii.
Vitamin
K: This is a fat soluble vitamin that helps bone
development and wound healing. Women consuming pills for birth control should
avoid taking Vitamin K supplement as this could give rise to unnecessary clots.
Daily recommended dosage is 100 – 120 µg. You get it from parsley and broccoli.
ix.
Vitamin
E: Excellent source of antioxidant, Vitamin E
helps maintain cell integrity. It relieves pain and numbness in limbs, improves
coordination and battles muscle weakness. Recommended intake is 15 mg. One
should not exceed 1000 mg. Sources include hazelnuts, almonds, canola oil and
olive oil.
x.
Niacin:
Also known as Vitamin B3, Niacin helps maintain your hair, nails and your RBC.
It helps convert food to energy. Extreme deficiency of this vitamin can lead to
death too after you go mad. It begins as a skin irritation and then leads to
diarrhea (Four D’s). Daily requirement is 16 mg. Upper limit is 35 mg. Sources
are coffee, chicken, and peanuts.
xi.
Thiamine:
Supports normal growth and helps convert food to energy. It is integral to
muscles and nerves. Recommended daily dose would be 1.1 mg. You get it from
whole cereal food items.
xii.
Riboflavin:
Riboflavin in water soluble B vitamin
that augments iron absorption in intestines, converts food to energy, enhances
health of skin, eyes, brain, muscles and hair. Too much intake will turn color of
pee into yellow. Daily requirements is 1.3 mg. Sources are egg, cereals cheddar
cheese, almond and milk.
xiii.
Folic
acid: This B vitamin helps women get pregnant.
People refer to it as Vitamin B9 or Vitamin M. This cannot be synthesized in
the body. Recommended intake is 400 ---1000 µg per day. Pregnant women need to
take more, about 600 –1000 µg per day. The body needs this for production and
maintenance of new cells. Sources are orange juice, spinach, lentils, asparagus
and cereals.
xiv.
Pantothenic
acid: Pantothenic acid takes part in carbohydrate as
well as fat metabolism. This coenzyme helps in synthesis of cholesterol and
neurotransmitters. Recommended dosage is 5 mg per day. Sources of Pantothenic
acid are peanuts, sunflower seeds, eggs, vegetables, milk and meat.
Minerals
Minerals
do not contain any carbon in their chemical makeup. They make up 4 –5 % of our
body weight. They participate in nervous system responsiveness, initiation of
chemical reactions, secretion of body fluids and maintain water balance in the
body.
i.
Manganese:
This element helps in bone building, healing of wound and in synthesizing
energy. Daily requirement for men is 2.34 mg and for women is 1.79 mg. Green
tea, oatmeal and pineapples are good sources for manganese. Take care not to exceed
the daily intake over 10 mg.
ii.
Magnesium:
Other than building strong teeth and healthy bones in conjunction with calcium,
magnesium helps in cell signaling, blood clotting, blood pressure regulation
energy metabolism and proper contraction of muscles. Men would require 400 mg
(women need a little less at 310 mg). Sources are bananas, spinach, brown rice
and almonds.
iii.
Iron:
Essential component of hemoglobin (present in red blood cells) and myoglobin
(present in muscles) that help conduct oxygen to different parts of the body.
Iron helps the body produce collagen (blood clotting) hormones,
neurotransmitters and amino acids. Women need more iron than men (18 mg, men 8
mg). Sources are potatoes, raisins, oysters and beef.
iv.
Phosphorus:
Phosphorus is good for the teeth and the skeletal system. It helps convert food
into energy and forms a vital component of DNA as well as RNA and moves
nutrients to the respective organs.
Daily requirement is 700 mg. One should not have more than 3,500 mg as this
could lead to toxicity. Sources comprise of chicken, eggs, salmon, yogurt and
cheese.
v.
Molybdenum:
Molybdenum helps accelerate the rate at which the body converts stored
nutrients into energy. Daily requirement of this nutrient is 45 µg. Sources are
chestnuts, peanuts, almonds and black beans. Do not exceed 1750 µg.
vi.
Calcium:
Teeth and bones need calcium. Calcium also plays a role in nerve signaling,
blood pressure, blood clotting, muscle function and hormone secretion. Daily
requirement is 1000 mg and upper limit is 2,500 mg. Spinach, cheddar cheese,
yogurt and milk have plenty of calcium.
vii.
Zinc:
Zinc boosts the immune system, forms building block of cells, proteins and
enzymes. It helps free Vitamin A from the liver. It enhances wound healing and
sense of hearing and smell. Recommended intake is 11 mg daily. Do not go over
40 mg. Sources of zinc in food consists of cashews, milk, oyster, turkey and
beef.
viii.
Iodine:
Iodine helps maintain basal metabolic rate. It aids thyroid function. It helps
in body growth, development, muscle and nerve function and regulation of body
temperatures. Daily requirement is 150 µg. Do not exceed 1000 µg. Sources are
baked potatoes, milk, shrimp and eggplant.
ix.
Fluoride:
Fluorides help reinforce bone and teeth. Daily requirement is 3 – 4 mg. Sources
are chicken and grape juice.
x.
Copper:
Copper helps create red blood cells, plays a part in functioning of nervous
system, immunity and energy metabolism. Requirement is 900 µg per day. Sources
are raw mushrooms, nuts, crabmeat and liver.
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