Nutrient Absorption In The Digestive System

The small intestine absorbs most of the nutrients in your food, and your circulatory system passes them on to other parts of your body to store or use. Special cells help absorbed nutrients cracross the intestinal lining into your bloodstream.

A balanced diet

A balanced diet and regular physical activity are essential for good health. Today, however, the population of developed countries consumes too many calories and moves too little. An increasing number of children in Europe and the US are overweight and obese. Many of the important risk factors for premature death, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index and diabetes, are related to the way we eat, drink and move. For these reasons, nutrition and physical activity are now very important priorities in the public health policies of the EU, the US and other countries in the Western world.

The times we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner are no less important factors for health than the food itself. The special development of American scientists from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies explains the fact that shift workers are prone to the development of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, and elevated cholesterol. The data prove that the constant change of the work schedule within the day disturbs the exchange processes in the body. Laboratory experiments with mice have found that it is the daily change in eating hours, not (as previously thought) wakefulness and sleep, that affects liver function.

In all mammals, the "clock" in the brain determines the time of sleep and awakening and, accordingly, the time of breakfast, lunch, dinner. Our internal natural clock distributes the 24-hour schedule for work and rest of the organism and adapts its functions to the corresponding time. Therefore, stable work of the internal clock - that is, observing a certain eating and sleeping regime is very important for health. The absence or constant change of this rhythm disrupts the work of many organs. The research shows that a strict eight-hour eating regime restores the rhythmic work of metabolic genes in the liver. According to experts, this process can be compared to the hourglass, which must be turned every 24 hours. They advise as a benchmark to adopt the "golden" rule - not to eat anything from 8 in the evening to 8 in the morning.Then the natural clock mechanism will work better.

Digestive process

Digestion is a process of chemical and mechanical processing of ingested food into a form in which it can be absorbed by the body. The process consists in the breakdown of food macromolecules into smaller molecules thanks to various digestive juices. Under the influence of the latter, nutrients are broken down to their basic, water-soluble building blocks, and only then are they absorbed, distributed with the blood and absorbed by the body. Digestion in humans takes place in the digestive tract and takes place in several stages:

• First, food is broken down mechanically and chemically in the oral cavity . Here, for 15 - 20 seconds, the food is processed mechanically and chemically. During mechanical processing, the food is torn, mashed and mixed with the first digestive juice - saliva. Through it, it is further moistened, softened and shaped like a food bite. With the help of the tongue, the latter is transferred from one side to the other, and with the help of the muscles of the cheeks, food particles are not allowed to remain on the gums. Chemical processing of food is achieved with the help of saliva. Only carbohydrates can be broken down through saliva.

• Digestion in the stomach - after swallowing, the bite falls into the esophagus and for about 7 - 15 seconds. reaches the stomach. Here, the food is not mixed indiscriminately, but is layered in the order of its arrival. Therefore, only the first portions of food, layered immediately next to the walls of the stomach, are soaked with gastric juice. Internal portions of food, until they are absorbed by the acidic gastric juice, retain this reaction that they have acquired in the mouth under the influence of saliva, and therefore the salivary enzymes continue their action in the stomach for about 30 - 60 minutes. Usually, this time is enough to break down most carbohydrates. The period for which the food stays in the stomach is on average about 3-5 hours, but it varies depending on the quantity and quality of the food taken. During this time, it undergoes a new chemical treatment, by means of the gastric juice pouring over it. The latter is secreted by the gastric glands only during digestion, and not immediately, but 5-6 minutes after taking the first portions of food in the mouth. Once started, it can continue for hours as long as there is food in the stomach, and stops only when it is completely empty.

• Digestion in the duodenum - after the gastric juices grind the food in the stomach to chyme, the latter passes in separate portions into the duodenum, where three new juices are poured over it: pancreatic, bile and intestinal.

Pancreatic juice is made by the pancreas only during digestion and through a drainage channel pours directly into the duodenum. Once shedding begins, it may continue for hours (6 to 14 hours). Depending on the quantity and quality of the food, the quantity and quality of the juice itself also changes, with the largest amount of pancreatic juice being released during the processing of carbohydrate food, less of protein food and the least of fat. In a person, about 1.5 - 2 liters of pancreatic juice is released in one day. It has a pH of ≈ 8 and contains bicarbonates and inactive enzymes, such as trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, and procarboxypeptide (to break down proteins), amylase, maltase, sucrase, and lactase (to break down carbohydrates), and lipase and esterase (to break down lipids). Pancreatic juice is secreted in two ways — nerve-reflex and humoral. Nerve-reflex juice separation begins about 2 - 3 minutes after the start of the meal, although no food enters the intestines at all. A similar thing happens even at the sight or talk of some delicious food.

Bile juice isthe second digestive juice that pours over the alimentary chyme in the duodenum. It is secreted by the liver and supports the process of breaking down fats in the small intestine. About 800 — 1,000 cm3 of bile juice are secreted in one day. Bile juice contains: water, bile acids (taurocholic and glycocholic acid), bile pigments (bilirubin and biliverdin), cholesterol and mucus. Bile acids have a bactericidal effect, preventing the development of putrefactive microorganisms in the intestines. Bile juice is also secreted by a nerve-reflex and humoral pathway. Nerve-reflex juicing - usually begins 3 to 12 minutes after eating and lasts 5 to 10 hours. For example, when taking meat, bile secretion begins after 8 minutes and lasts for about 6 hours, and when taking bread, bile secretion begins after 12 minutes and lasts for about 9 hours. When taking in liquid food, the release of bile juice occurs faster and in a shorter time.

• Digestion in the small intestine - nutrients are broken down and absorbed in the small intestine. Here, the intestinal digestive juice secreted by the glands of the small intestine is poured over the food chyme. Intestinal juice has a light yellow color and pH ≈ 8. In one day, about 2 liters of intestinal juice are released. Contains about 0.65% sodium chloride, 0.35% sodium carbonate and the enzymes erepsin, enterokinase, nuclease, lipase, amylase, invertase, maltase and lactase. It is secreted under the influence of the mechanical irritations that indicate the food chyme on the walls of the small intestine.

• Digestion in the large intestine - only the indigestible components of food chyme, water and part of the digestive juices reach the large intestine. It has two main functions - to suck in/extract water (and direct it into the bloodstream) and to expel faeces. For one day, from 4 kg. of chyme passing from the small intestine to the large intestine, only about 130 - 150 g are excreted.

Two types of bacteria live in the colon - those that break down carbohydrates (bacillus coli) and those that break down proteins (bacillus putrificus). These bacteria dissolve the cellulose and thus enable the body to use the contents of the plant cells. Also, the microorganisms in the colon protect the body from breeding different types of molds. Through the colon, the body gets rid of the salts of some metals, such as mercury, bismuth, lead, excess calcium, phosphorus, etc.

PREMIUM CHAPTERS ▼

Food types and nutrient absorption (PREMIUM)

Cereals and potatoes

Cereals  provide half of the daily energy intake of people in developed countries and about 80% in developing countries. Grains of wheat, corn, rice, barley, oats, millet contain about 60-80% carbohydrates, 7-14% proteins and 2-8% fats. The rest is supplemented by water, minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers, etc. In a mixed diet (including plant and animal products), cereals provide about 1/3 of the daily protein intake. Carbohydrates, mainly starch, are located in the inner part of the grains, and proteins, vitamins and minerals - in the germ and in the shells.

A feature of grain proteins is the low content of some essential amino acids such as lysine, tryptophan, methionine. The fat of cereals is of no practical importance because of its insignificant amount. On the other hand, they are almost absent in fine flours, due to the removed germ and sheaths.

The total content of macro and micronutrients in whole grains varies between 1-4%. Cereals are rich in phosphorus, potassium, calcium. The vitamin content is mainly represented by niacin (vit. PP), pyridoxine (vit. B6), thiamin (vit. B1), riboflavin (vit. B2), tocopherols (vit. E) and others.

The casings also contain the so-called dietary fibers (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), which have no nutritional value, but perform a number of beneficial biological functions: they increase the volume of food taken and create a feeling of satiety; regulate intestinal motility; help the excretion (discharge through the feces) of exogenous and endogenous substances (cholesterol, bile acids, toxic agents, etc.); normalize the intestinal microflora.

The facts presented prove that the most valuable are whole grains or bread and pasta made from whole grain flours. Most important in human nutrition is the wheat grain. Rye and corn play a secondary role. Oats are a valuable raw material for the production of semolina and flour for children's and dietary foods, and rice is a widely used cereal variety for cooking. Products of cereal processing are: bread, flour, semolina, starch, pasta and confectionery.

From a medico-biological point of view, the flours from whole grains obtained through the so-called are more valuable. just grinding. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, cellulose and proteins. From a technological point of view, however, they are of low quality, as they are slightly resistant to storage and have poor baking qualities. Nowadays, modern mills produce different types of flour with or without bran and germ removal.

The insufficient use of whole grain assortments, including dark types of bread is one of the reasons for increasing the frequency of a number of metabolic diseases: obesity, hyperlipoproteinemia, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease (chest frog), cholelithiasis (gallstones), gout, colon cancer, etc.

Potatoes  are an important starchy food for humans. They are primarily a source of carbohydrates from the polysaccharide group. Their carbohydrate content is about 20% of the whole product. The amount of protein is 2-3%, and mineral substances – 1-2%. Potatoes are a rich source of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, copper, manganese, cobalt, iodine. Spring potatoes contain a significant amount of vitamin C, and of the other vitamins, vitamins B1, PP, K, etc. are more significantly represented. Cellulose is in a relatively low amount – 0.5%.

Apart from being a national food for some Western European nations, potatoes are widely used in diet therapy. Of primary importance in this regard is the method of their culinary processing (e.g. 100 g of boiled potatoes contain 100 kcal, and 100 g of fried potatoes contain 300 kcal). Potato culinary products: purees, cream soups, etc. they are successfully applied in gastritis and enterocolitis problems, in peptic ulcer disease and other conditions characterized by increased acidity of gastric juice.

Fruits

Fruits are rich in water and relatively poor in energy. They do not contain fat and are therefore particularly useful in reducing diets. They contain substances that cannot be supplied by any other type of food. They are the main source of vitamins, minerals, fibers, organic acids and carbohydrates, as well as the recently discussed phytochemicals with a powerful antioxidant effect on the body. The fiber in fruits is soluble – ie. delaying the absorption of sugars and insolubles, which are of particular importance in maintaining the normal activity of the intestines.

In addition to improving the activity of the digestive tract and maintaining the rhythm of the intestines, fruits have an alkalizing effect and their regular consumption in sufficient quantities supplies the body with biologically active substances that protect against the harmful effects of "free radicals" or have a so-called antioxidant effect.

The main carbohydrates in fruit are glucose and fructose. In most types, their amount does not exceed 5%, but in some types of fruit, such as grapes, prunes, pears, peaches and apricots, carbohydrates are twice as high. Tropical fruits and dried fruits are especially rich in carbohydrates, which is why they should be consumed with caution by people with impaired carbohydrate metabolism (diabetes) and overweight. Fruits contain organic acids (mainly malic, citric and tartaric), which not only give them taste, but also affect the metabolism, the activity of the digestive system. The fruits are rich in antioxidant vitamins - C and beta-carotene, which have a protective effect on cardiovascular and cancer diseases. Vitamin C supports the strength of blood vessels, bones and gums, aids wound healing and controls blood cholesterol levels. A significant amount of vitamin C is contained in rose hips, blueberries, kiwi, raspberries, citrus fruits. Rich in beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, are apricots, peaches, melons and the more exotic ones - avocado, mango, papaya. Beta-carotenes neutralize cell-damaging free radicals and may protect against some types of cancer through this mechanism. Fruits are a good source of potassium, a trace element that has a particularly beneficial effect on the activity of the heart, normalizes high blood pressure and protects against stroke. Watermelons, bananas, apricots, oranges, peaches and apples are rich in potassium. The fruits contain the so-called phytochemicals, substances of plant origin, which possess qualities to favorably influence the state of health. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals. Rich in flavonoids are grapes and products obtained from them, as well as apples, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries.

Vegetables

Most vegetables contain 5% carbohydrates, with some (carrots and potatoes) having twice the carbohydrate content. An important component of vegetables is fiber (insoluble and soluble), which has a regulating effect on bowel functions and binds excess cholesterol. Sufficient dietary fiber consumption helps to reduce the risk of a number of diseases (gastrointestinal - chronic constipation, hemorrhoids, intestinal diverticula, gallstone disease, overweight).

Peppers, tomatoes, cabbage are rich in vitamin C. Yellow-red vegetables are rich in carotene (precursor of vitamin A) - carrots, peppers, green onions, tomatoes. Green leafy vegetables are high in folic acid, which helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Vegetables also contain other B vitamins – vitamin B2, biotin, inositol, choline. Vegetables are rich sources of minerals. Tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, beetroot are rich in potassium. Sources of iron are kidney beans, spinach, green beans. The mineral substances of vegetables are well absorbed by the body, and some vitamins facilitate their absorption (vitamin C and magnesium contained in vegetables improve the absorption of calcium). They contain organic acids - malic, citric, tartaric, oxalic, etc. which have not only taste significance, but are involved in digestion and metabolism. Malic acid is found in large quantities in almost all vegetables, oxalic acid - in spinach, lapad, sorrel, beets, etc. Vegetables are rich in various phytochemical biologically active substances with beneficial health effects. Bioflavonoids are a group of many phytochemical compounds that help reduce the risk of disease by acting as antioxidants and supporting the activity of vitamin C. Anthocyanins are widely distributed coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients. but are involved in digestion and metabolism. Malic acid is found in large quantities in almost all vegetables, oxalic acid - in spinach, lapad, sorrel, beets, etc. Vegetables are rich in various phytochemical biologically active substances with beneficial health effects. Bioflavonoids are a group of many phytochemical compounds that help reduce the risk of disease by acting as antioxidants and supporting the activity of vitamin C. Anthocyanins are widely distributed coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients. but are involved in digestion and metabolism. Malic acid is found in large quantities in almost all vegetables, oxalic acid - in spinach, lapad, sorrel, beets, etc. Vegetables are rich in various phytochemical biologically active substances with beneficial health effects. Bioflavonoids are a group of many phytochemical compounds that help reduce the risk of disease by acting as antioxidants and supporting the activity of vitamin C. Anthocyanins are widely distributed coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients. Malic acid is found in large quantities in almost all vegetables, oxalic acid - in spinach, lapad, sorrel, beets, etc. Vegetables are rich in various phytochemical biologically active substances with beneficial health effects. Bioflavonoids are a group of many phytochemical compounds that help reduce the risk of disease by acting as antioxidants and supporting the activity of vitamin C. Anthocyanins are widely distributed coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients. Malic acid is found in large quantities in almost all vegetables, oxalic acid - in spinach, lapad, sorrel, beets, etc. Vegetables are rich in various phytochemical biologically active substances with beneficial health effects. Bioflavonoids are a group of many phytochemical compounds that help reduce the risk of disease by acting as antioxidants and supporting the activity of vitamin C. Anthocyanins are widely distributed coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients. Vegetables are rich in various phytochemical biologically active substances with beneficial health effects. Bioflavonoids are a group of many phytochemical compounds that help reduce the risk of disease by acting as antioxidants and supporting the activity of vitamin C. Anthocyanins are widely distributed coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients. Vegetables are rich in various phytochemical biologically active substances with beneficial health effects. Bioflavonoids are a group of many phytochemical compounds that help reduce the risk of disease by acting as antioxidants and supporting the activity of vitamin C. Anthocyanins are widely distributed coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients. Anthocyanins are widespread coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients. Anthocyanins are widespread coloring substances in vegetables and fruits - red, orange, pink. The aromatic substances in vegetables give them freshness and have a beneficial effect on the digestive process. The essential oils in vegetables improve the absorption of nutrients.

Milk and milk products

Milk and milk products are foods that in recent years have caused extremely opposing opinions. While the opinion of experts at the World Health Organization and all national nutrition and dietetic associations recommend the regular consumption of milk and milk products from childhood to old age, there are doctors, including nutritionists, who believe that dairy products have a harmful effect and they even denounce them as "white poison".

Fresh milk from animals is a good source in human nutrition of high-quality protein and the most easily digestible calcium. It contains phosphorus, known amounts of many other minerals, but is poor in iron. The entire spectrum of vitamins can be found in milk, with its greatest importance as a supplier of vitamin B2. All our studies show that insufficient intake of milk and dairy products is associated with insufficient dietary intake of calcium and vitamin B2. Whole milk provides significant amounts of fat, however, you will find reduced fat (3%), semi-skimmed (2-1%) and skimmed milk (0.1%) on the market.

Lactic acid, which is produced under the influence of lactic acid bacteria, suppresses the development of harmful microorganisms not only in milk, but also in the human intestine. The main protein in cow's milk and most animal milks is casein (about 80% of the total) and it is bound to calcium. Dairy products are also butter and cream, which are sources mainly of fat and vitamin A. Yogurt and other fermented milk products have a special effect on health. They belong to the so-called probiotics. Probiotics are products containing live microorganisms that have a very beneficial effect on health.

Meat and meat products, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts

Meat is one of the most complete protein foods in human nutrition. The main component of meat is muscle tissue. Its protein content varies from 15-22% in boneless meat, fat - from 5-20%, carbohydrates (glycogen) - 0.5%, with water content - 70-80%. It is rich in mineral substances - 0.5-1.5% (macroelements: potassium, phosphorus, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and of the microelements the most important are iron and zinc), extractive substances - 0.4%, vitamins - vit. B1, B6, niacin. The meat has a diverse protein composition - myosin, actin, actomyosin, etc., with high bioavailability - 95-96%. The amino acid composition is characterized by a favorable ratio between essential and replaceable amino acids, as well as by the wealth of amino acids important for growth - tryptophan, lysine, arginine. The proteins of the connective tissue in meat are less valuable - collagen, elastin. Cartilage tissue has negligible nutritional value (byproduct).

Particularly valuable for dietetics are the so-called white meats, such as poultry. It has a tender consistency, high content of complete proteins and relatively low fat content. Fish is a source of complete proteins, which do not differ from the proteins of the meat of warm-blooded animals. Due to the significantly lower content of connective tissue, fish proteins are more easily digested in the gastrointestinal tract and absorbed more quickly, which makes it a suitable food for both the growing body and the elderly. The amount of fat in fish varies widely (0.5-35%) and depends on the type, age and season of the catch. The fats in the fish are evenly distributed in the muscle tissue and are mainly represented by the biologically valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids of the σ (omega) - 3 family. It is considered that the main credit for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease with increased fish consumption is precisely these fatty acids. In terms of calcium and phosphorus content, fish ranks after milk and milk products, before meat. The fish also contains large amounts of vitamins A, D, E, B1, B2, B12, niacin, which are important for the body.

One of the most complete products of living nature are eggs. The egg white and yolk contain a complex of proteins (13%) with a balanced amino acid composition (considered a benchmark), fats with high biological value, vitamins and minerals - all of which are very well digestible by the body. According to amino acid composition and balance between essential (vital) amino acids, as well as according to the ratio of replaceable/irreplaceable amino acids, eggs have a very high biological value and usability. The total amount of fat in the yolk is almost twice that of the proteins. Cholesterol content is high. Important for the nutritional value of eggs is the presence in their composition of vitamins A, D, B2, B12, folic acid, as well as antioxidants - vitamin E (tocopherol), beta-carotene (provitamin A).

Legumes - beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, soybeans, chickpeas - are rich in protein and starch, B and E vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. They contain cellulose, which causes flacculence (formation of gases in the intestines), therefore in dietetics (especially in gastrointestinal diseases) leguminous foods are avoided.

Nuts - walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, chestnuts - are high-energy foods (400 kcal/100 g of product), which should be taken into account for obese people. Their protein composition is close to that of milk. Nut fats are biologically valuable due to their high content of essential fatty acids. Carbohydrates are mainly presented as polysaccharides, including - dietary fiber. Of the trace elements, phosphorus and magnesium are the most abundant, and of the vitamins, vit. A, B1, B2, and especially vit. F. In dietetics, nut fruits are included in regimes requiring a reduced import of animal proteins, primarily for the purposes of prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Fats

Dietary fats consist mainly of a heterogeneous mixture of triacylglycerols, made up of three molecules of fatty acids and one molecule of glycerol. They also contain cholesterol (animal fats), phospholipids, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), traces of some fat-soluble substances (pesticides used for crop protection) and antioxidants added to animal feed. Fat is the highest energy component of dietary intake. One gram of fat supplies the body with 9 kcal. They also serve to transport fat-soluble vitamins, participate in the structure of cell membranes, supply essential (non-synthesizable in the body) fatty acids and are carriers of flavor and aroma substances.

Vegetable fats are a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are obtained from the seeds of various plants and contain natural antioxidants.

Animal fats are located under the skin or around some internal organs, where they have a protective function. Main sources of animal fat are pigs, sheep, cattle. Animal fats mainly contain solid saturated fatty acids (SFA) - myristic, palmitic, stearic and less polyunsaturated fatty acids (SFA). In lard, the amount of NMC is about 40%, and PNMK - about 12%, while in sheep and beef tallow, NMC is 51%, and PNMK - 4%. This ratio, together with the five times higher content of arachidonic acid in lard compared to beef determines its better biological qualities, but the antioxidant content of lard is too low and this leads to low oxidative stability. The use of lard is traditional for Bulgarian cuisine. Recently, a number of scientific experimental and epidemiological studies have proven the anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherogenic, immune-boosting and weight-reducing effects of conjugated linoleic acid. Regardless of its low content in animal fats - 5.6 g/kg in sheep meat, 4.3 g/kg in beef, 0.6 g/kg in pork - conjugated linoleic acid has a powerful physiological effect.

Margarines are fats similar to butter. They are obtained from vegetable, fish or animal fats by hydrogenation or trans-esterification. Water is additionally added to them (in the case of halvarin, its quantity is higher), vitamins - A, D, dyes, flavorings, emulsifiers, etc. Their consumption is limited due to the high content of trans-isomers in some species.

Sugar, sugar and confectionery products

Sugar is widely used in human nutrition. It is part of sugar, dough-sugar and confectionery products, it is added to soft drinks, coffee, tea, milk drinks. Sugar is obtained from sugar beet and sugar cane. Depending on its quality, sugar is white, refined and brown, industrial, and according to its appearance - crystalline, lumpy, powdered sugar. Refined sugar contains over 99% sucrose (a sweet disaccharide) and brown sugar - 92% sucrose. Sugar supplies 394 kilocalories/100 g. The main nutritional value of sugar and confectionery products is based on their high taste properties, significant content of low-molecular easily digestible carbohydrates and, in some cases, high fat content. According to the added ingredients, these food products can have a high content of some vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids, antioxidants.

Types of foods according to nutritherapy (PREMIUM)

In  nutritherapy  (treatment with food), foods are divided into three types, according to how much energy they give to our body.

 

• Biostatic foods . These are all foods that have undergone processing - baking, frying, boiling, drying, freezing, etc. This processing changes the chemical bonds between the individual food components in the food, which means that its energy value for the body changes. After consuming biostatic food, the organism spends a lot of its own energy to break down the food particles, i.e. for digestion. This is one of the reasons why after eating we are sleepy, we don't feel like doing anything, we want to lie down, sleep, we have no energy for work.

• Bioactive food.  These foods activate cellular processes. They include the whole range of raw vegetables and fruits, seeds, raw oil nuts (without peanuts)... They, as a rule, do not give the body as much energy. But they don't consume that much either. Therefore, according to nutritherapy, we cannot live on fruit alone throughout our lives. But they create enzymatic comfort - they supply our body with microelements, vitamins and minerals necessary for life.

• Biogenic food. It gives our body much more energy than it used to break it down. This is because it is simply built, built from simple chemical relationships, raw, taken from nature. Several foods are biogenic: breast milk (babies grow on it alone), raw sprouts and nuts, honey and bee products, microalgae (these are the algae that give energy to the largest animal on Earth - the whale). These foods, because they give energy to the body, are often used for treatment. For example, a few drops of breast milk can cure conjunctivitis or a runny nose. Honey and bee products are the basis of a whole type of healing practice - apitherapy.