What Our Food Consists Of: Three Tables That Will Explain Everything

Tables of minerals, vitamins. Deficiency of some vitamins and minerals can lead to serious health problems. The best way to avoid this is to eat a nutritious diet from all five food groups, including whole grain breads, cereals, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, and dairy products.

With food, the body must receive all the nutrients it needs, which include vitamins, minerals (sometimes called microminerals), fats, proteins and carbohydrates. In the small intestine, nutrients are absorbed into the blood, enter the cells, where energy is released from them.

The amount of energy obtained from food is called calories. In other words, a calorie is a unit of energy of a particular product. In the US, it is recommended that a person consume an average of 2,700 calories per day, and in the UK - 2,500 calories. There is no single standard for the number of necessary calories.

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The human body needs protein in large quantities, which is found in many products. Without this high-molecular organic substance, it is impossible to build body tissues and maintain them in a healthy state.

Proteins are made up of small compounds called amino acids. The human body uses only 22 amino acids, although there are hundreds of them in nature. The human body does not produce 9 of the 22 amino acids it needs. Therefore, they must be present in food. Such amino acids are called essential.

Different combinations of amino acids are present in the products, so the diet should be varied and complete. All essential amino acids are found in meat, dairy products and eggs. Plant proteins (soy, beans, nuts) usually have an excess of some amino acids and a shortage of other amino acids. This once again emphasizes the need for a varied diet.

An increased amount of protein is needed by people after surgery, pregnant women, children, people with injuries, as well as athletes and anyone who leads an active lifestyle.

How much protein does a person need?

This question cannot be answered unequivocally. It all depends on a person's weight and degree of physical activity. In the USA, the recommended daily rate of protein (Recommended Dietary Allowance) is 0.8 grams per 1 kilogram of body weight. However, keep in mind that this is the minimum amount of protein needed to meet the body's needs. If you work out regularly in the gym, and you work out diligently, your body needs 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day.

Daily consumption of more than 2.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight can lead to dehydration, fatigue, and an increase in the level of calcium in the body. Due to a large amount of protein (more than 200-400 grams of protein per day), the liver may have problems converting excess nitrogen into waste (urea), which sometimes leads to nausea and diarrhea.

 

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates (saccharides) participate in the construction of supporting structures and serve as a source of energy. They consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. They are found in large quantities in bread, pasta, beans, potatoes, rice, and cereals.

In principle, the human body can do without carbohydrates, because we can get all the energy we need from fats and proteins. But they are necessary for the brain, since neurons do not burn fat.

Not all carbohydrates are used as energy. Many dietary fibers are made of polysaccharides that cannot be digested by the human body. Approximately 40-65% of a person's energy should come from carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates in the body are broken down into glucose, which then enters the bloodstream, raising blood sugar levels. As a result, the pancreas secretes the hormone insulin. It causes our cells to absorb sugar, due to which its level in the blood decreases.

Blood sugar levels are controlled by natural carbohydrates, exercise and a good night's sleep.

Fats

Fats are necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Human life is impossible without them. They not only provide us with energy, but also help us absorb other nutrients better. There are several types of fats.

Saturated fats

In saturated fat, each molecule is covered with hydrogen atoms. It remains solid at room temperature. If it is regularly taken in too large quantities, it will increase the level of cholesterol in the blood, which will lead to cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats, which contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, remain liquid at room temperature. They are mainly obtained from vegetable oils. Experts classify them as "good" fat.

Monounsaturated fats

In monounsaturated fat, each molecule has room for only one hydrogen atom. This high-molecular organic substance reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol and increases the amount of "good" cholesterol.

There are many monounsaturated fats in so-called The Mediterranean diet, which, according to scientists, reduces the risk of diabetes and cancer and increases human life expectancy.

Polyunsaturated fats

Polyunsaturated fats have a lot of space around each molecule because they are not saturated with hydrogen atoms. Nutritionists claim that such a high-molecular organic substance, especially omega-3 fatty acids, is useful for human health. Omega-3 fatty acids protect against heart disease (by lowering cholesterol), improve the symptoms of arthritis and some skin diseases.

There are many polyunsaturated fats in fatty fish, grapes, sunflower oil, and nuts.

Trans fats

Trans fats appear artificially in vegetable fats during their high-temperature processing. They increase the amount of "bad" cholesterol in the body and reduce the level of "good" cholesterol. Naturally, this has a negative effect on human health (the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes increases).

Vitamins and minerals

Food products contain vitamins (which means "vital") and minerals, without which the human body cannot do. We need these nutrients to grow, build bones, muscles, organs, skin, and fight infections. Vitamins and minerals are considered trace elements.

 

The deficiency of some vitamins and minerals can lead to serious health problems. The best way to avoid this is to eat a nutritious diet from all five food groups, including whole grain bread, cereals, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, and dairy products.