Vital Nutrients To Nourish Your Body
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Vital Nutrients To Nourish Your Body
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Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that are required not for their calorific value, which is negligible, but because they help regulate the body’s metabolism. All vitamins and essential minerals are necessary to assist in normal functioning of the thousands of different chemical reactions that make up the body’s metabolism.
If the supply of vitamins and minerals in the diet is inadequate, this will result in changes in body chemistry, and a slowing down or altering of the body’s metabolism, usually with some deterioration in body fitness or health. Vitamins and minerals often work together in this respect, and some are necessary for normal energy production, the use of protein in growth and tissue repair, and in many other functions, ranging from hormone production to effects on skin quality. Additionally, some minerals, particularly calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, are necessary with certain types of protein for the formation of the skeleton.
Fibre is a specialised form of complex carbohydrate, which cannot be broken down by the normal human digestive system. It thus becomes a major constituent of the waste product, faeces. Diets high in fibre are often high in vitamins and minerals, and a high-fibre diet is an important part of a weight-reduction programme.
Vegetarian diets are becoming increasingly popular, and indeed can be very healthy. By definition, vegetarians do not eat meat or fish, but may include eggs and dairy products – milk, cheese, butter and so on. Strict vegetarians who avoid even these are called vegans. The main difficulty with vegetarian diets is ensuring a good intake of protein and nutrients such as iron and zinc that are found in protein-rich foods. Meat and fish, as well as eggs and dairy products, provide a balance of amino acids, the essential components of proteins. Plant foods do not, and this can only be achieved by combing two or three different plant foods in the diet, and preferably at each meal. Particularly good combinations are:
.rice, with legumes, sesame or cheese
.wheat or rye with legumes
.wheat with mixed nuts and milk
.wheat with sesame and soy bean check for wheat alternative
.corn with legumes
.mixed nuts with sunflower seeds
The most protein-rich members of the legume family are in declining order: Mung beans, red kidney beans, haricot beans, butter beans, chick-peas, red pigeon beans, lentils, peas – fresh or frozen, and split peas.
Adding half to one pint of milk a day, and one egg a day, to a vegetarian diet generally increases its protein content and makes it easier to achieve a balance using plant proteins.
A well balanced diet
Part of a healthy weight loss programme is to get the nutritional balance right. On average, we have an adequate or slightly excessive intake of calories derived from fat and carbohydrate. Protein intakes are normally adequate, unless the diet is very restricted. The intake of vitamins and minerals is, if we are eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, almost certainly adequate, but how many of us are already eating a healthy, well-balanced diet?
At certain times of our lives, and in certain situations, it may be difficult to achieve a proper balance of all the vitamins and minerals in the diet. These situations include:
.episodes of rapid growth, e.g. puberty
.pregnancy
.breast-feeding
.prolonged or heavy periods
.prolonged adherence to a weight-loss programme
.adherence to a very restricted or fad diet
.adherence to a vegetarian or vegan diet, unless it is well balanced
.old age
.taking long-term drugs, such as steroids, diuretics (water tablets), anti-epileptic drugs, and possibly the oral contraceptive Pill
If you fall into any of the above categories, you may need to take a daily multi-vitamin and mineral pill as your nutritional insurance policy!
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