Nutrition is an important component of health and is strongly associated with physical activity. One goal of a nutritious diet is to prevent nutrient-deficiency diseases, such as osteoporosis or anemia.  A second goal is to lower the risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It’s incredible how important good nutrition is to your overall health!

Nutrients

Your body needs nutrients in order to function and grow. There are six classes of nutrients found in the food that we eat: fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals and water.

Fats, Carbohydrates and Protein

Fats, carbohydrates and protein are the only nutrients that provide energy to the body. These three nutrients break down and reassemble into a fuel that our body uses to support its basic functioning as well as the physical activity you do.

The breakdown of calories per nutrient:

Fat: 9 calories/gram
Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram
Protein: 4 calories/ gram

Fats

Fats are an important energy source while your body is at rest and during low-intensity exercise, such as light walking. Cholesterol is a form of fat that our body can actually make, despite seeing it listed in Nutrition Facts Tables. Did you know that there is good and bad cholesterol? LDL “bad” and HDL “good” are the two types. Higher HDL and lower LDL levels have very beneficial health effects. However, high LDL and low HDL levels can put you at increased risk for heart disease. To increase HDL levels, a diet of adequate omega-3 and physical activity will do the trick! Now, it’s important to differentiate between fats. Some fats are good for you and others are not. Unsaturated fats are the “good fats”, which include polyunsaturated fats, omega-3, omega-6 and monounsaturated fats. Good sources of unsaturated fats are canola oil, flax seed oil, sunflower oil, avocados, eggs, and fish. Saturated and trans fats are the “bad fats” which are commonly found in hydrogenated oils used to fry foods, and oils that are solid at room temperature.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, which include starch, sugar and fibre, are the primary source of energy for our bodies during physical activity and for our brain function. Carbohydrates are broken down into two categories: simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates include sugars, whereas complex carbohydrates contain starch, fibre or long chains of sugar molecules. Like the names suggest, simple carbohydrates digest more quickly and easily than complex carbohydrates that keep you feeling full for longer. Foods high in carbohydrates include bread, pasta, rice, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and seeds. Dietary fibre is a type of carbohydrate that must be eaten; it does not provide energy but has a functional role in the intestine to help digest food.

Protein

Protein is composed of many amino acids that are broken down by our body after ingesting protein-rich foods, such as meat, beans, and dairy products. The amino acids are reassembled to your own body proteins that make up the proteins found in your blood and muscles. Protein plays a major role in the body repairing itself, maintaining strong bones and in regulating your metabolism. It is important to all tissues in your body! There are 20 types of amino acids, 9 of which are essential meaning that your body cannot produce them – you have to consume them as part of a healthy diet to meet your body’s needs.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins

Vitamins help your body to regulate its processes. Vitamins are also important in building and maintaining strong, healthy bones and muscles supporting your immune system to fight off illnesses  helping to maintain your excellent vision and keeping your blood healthy. Vitamins play a lot of roles in our health! Vtiamins include vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B complexes (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12 folate, biotin, and pantothenic acid).

minerals

Minerals assist in regulating fluids and producing energy, help maintain blood and bone health, and help your body get rid of harmful byproducts of metabolism. Minerals are not broken down during digestion and absorption. Important minerals include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron.

Probiotics and Prebiotics

probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that have beneficial health effects when consumed at appropriate levels. Probiotics have been scientifically proven to protect against diarrhea and constipation, as well as enhancing immune system functioning. Preliminary findings have found links to probiotics preventing some cancers, heart diseases and allergies.

probiotics

Prebiotics are indigestible food components that encourage the growth of specific microbes linked to health benefits. They are a type of fibre (a carbohydrate) that ferment in the human digestive tract. The end products from the prebiotics fermenting in your digestive tract encourage the growth of microbes, such as probiotics.

Calcium and Iron Absorption

The most important information I learned about nutrition is the absorption of calcium and iron. Calcium is vital for strong and healthy bones and teeth. It is used virtually everywhere in your body, but most importantly is for strong bones and teeth. On the other hand, iron is important for blood and energy levels. Quite often, women have low iron levels.

Now, the tricky thing about these two important vitamins is that they cannot be absorbed at the same time. So if you consume calcium and iron at the same time, neither one will be absorbed. The other item that prevents your body from absorbing calcium is caffeine. Caffeine blocks your calcium absorption sites in your bones. It’s best to consume calcium a couple of hours before or after you consume caffeine.

To ensure that you receive sufficient calcium levels, it is best to consume calcium-rich foods 2-3 times daily. This includes calcium-fortified orange juice and alternative milk products like soy or almond milk.