Why Diet and Nutrition is so important - Part 2

Why Diet and Nutrition is so important

This is the second part of the blog entry examining why diet and nutrition is so important to us, and why we must be aware of what we are consuming. This entry will look at water, vitamins and minerals in particular. 

Water

Water is crucial to our body functioning correctly. When we are even slightly dehydrated our body is not working as it should be. Water carries oxygen and nutrients around the body, allowing the body to function. It also clears out waste and dissipates body heat. It is important to note that we should not wait until we feel thirsty to drink water, as by then we are already slightly dehydrated.

Vitamins

We should aim to get our vitamins from food, not pills. This is something that a lot of research appears to agree on. Vitamins are vital for the body to function correctly, as they ensure that a lot of complicated actions happen. Vitamins help to allow the body to make energy from other nutrients, help the bones and muscles to grow, help with our cells and many other functions that we need just to live!

Minerals

As with vitamins it is important that we get our minerals from food rather than a tablet. We do not actually need large amounts of minerals but they are still vital for our body. Bone structure, heartbeat and cell activity are all impacted by our mineral intake.

Another thought

An important point to remember is that our diet plan will vary on what our goals are. For example, if we want to bulk up then it is important to increase the number of calories we consume during the day, focussing on increases in protein and carbohydrates.

The Importance of Vitamin D

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is fat soluble vitamin that we need. There are five types of vitamin D that have been identified and vitamins D2 and D3 appear to be the most important to us as humans. Most people do not need to take vitamin D supplements as long as they have a reasonable amount of exposure to the sun. As the vitamin can be synthesised by the human body, it is often argued that it should not be considered a vitamin.

The Health Benefits

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for the human body and there are many health benefits associated with it.

A major reason as to why we need vitamin D is due to the fact that without sufficient levels we are unable to process calcium properly. This is important for healthy bones.

There are reports that suggest that the threat of colon cancer can be reduced with the right amount of vitamin D being taken in. Reports show that vitamin D can help protect against other cancers too, such as prostate and breast cancers.

There are a number of other reasons as to why vitamin D is so important to us. Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, glucose intolerance and multiple sclerosis are all conditions that have been found to be helped through having healthy levels of vitamin D in our body.

The Risk of Too Much Vitamin D

As with most things in life, moderation is the key. There is the risk that we can have too much vitamin D and this can cause various problems. The feeling of nausea, vomiting, weight loss and a weak feeling are all potential signs of too much vitamin D and there are more serious symptoms too. Kidney stones, mental confusion and an irregular heartbeat are all serious signs of too much vitamin D.

A Natural Source

There are a number of sources of vitamin D, but there is one natural source that can be utilised easily for us all to get free vitamin D. The Sun provides us with vitamin D so it is important that we get ourselves out there in the sunlight.

Other Sources of Vitamin D

When not getting our vitamin D from the sun, the best way to get it is from the diet. In reality should only really use vitamin D supplements if our doctor, or another medical professional, advises us to do so. Foods such as milk and yoghurt are good sources of vitamin D.

Carbohydrates

There is a lot of confusion with regards to healthy eating. Carbohydrates is a major discussion point with some quarters stating that carbohydrates should be cut down (or even out) and some people suggesting that carbohydrates are the best thing for you. The truth is that carbs are not all bad, and are not all good. Simple?

What are Carbohydrates?

So what are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates, also known as saccharides, can be split into two separate groups; simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are, essentially, sugars and can exist in natural or refined forms. Complex carbs are referred to as starch and also be found in natural or refined forms. The main function of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the body.

Simple Carbohydrates

As mentioned before, simple carbs can be natural or refined. Common examples are lactose and sucrose. Sources of natural sugars are fruits and vegetables. Refined sugars are found in things like cakes, chocolate, honey, soft drinks and sweets.

Complex Carbohydrates

As with simple carbs, complex carbohydrates can be natural or refined. We can get our natural complex carbs from foods such as bananas, beans, potatoes, nuts, whole grains and root vegetables.

So should we eat carbohydrates or not?

We should absolutely have carbohydrates in our diet. Carbs are a fantastic source of energy for the body. Low carb diets exist, and have had major publicity, but the truth is that eating too much is why people put on weight, regardless of where we get our energy from. In fact, there are fewer calories in 1g of carbohydrate than in protein or fat. The key to carbohydrates is, essentially, choosing the right type of carbohydrate to consume. We should focus at getting our carbohydrates from vegetables, wholemeal foods, and other complex carbohydrates. Most reliable sources will suggest that around 60% of our energy should come from carbohydrates.

Diet Myths – Part 2

I posted about diet myths recently and I would like to follow that up with some more common myths that should be ignored!

The first myth that I will discuss today is that of avoiding dairy products. The rumour that is put about is that dairy products, such as cheese and milk, are fattening and unhealthy. To avoid dairy products would be a silly thing to do. They are a good source of protein, zinc and some B vitamins and they are PACKED with calcium, which is essential for healthy bones.

Now a fairly controversial one (or maybe not). Frozen and canned vegetables are often considered to contain less ‘good stuff’, such as vitamins, than fresh produce. This is a controversial one because it CAN be true, but it isn’t always. Often, by freezing, you can keep more vitamins and minerals than if fruits and vegetables have travelled a long distance. Usually, you will be just as well off by eating frozen vegetables as if you were eating fresh. (A bigger problem may be what is used to produce the vegetables that may affect what nutrition vegetables can provide, but that’s another issue).