Health demands certain things called 'vital nutrients'. Life cannot be sustained unless these substances are provided either in the daily diet or by supplementation. Organically-grown, fresh, whole foods provide all essential nutrients, but the full range of foods needs to be enjoyed for optimum health. This is hard to achieve in today's society, so many people use vitamin, mineral, and other nutrient-providing pills. Knowing how to answer the question 'What nutrients does my body need?'is necessary for well-being.
Research shows that food sold in American grocery stores has almost fifty percent less nutrition than the same products had fifty years ago. This is in part because agricultural land farmed by conventional methods - drenched with chemical fertilizers and tainted by pesticides and herbicides - has fewer minerals than soils did in former days. Picking vegetables and fruits before they are fully ripe also diminishes their food value, as does long periods in cold storage.
The daily diet must provide protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Water is needed for body fluids that digest, transport, and metabolize these elements. Even if the gross amount of calories is adequate, malnutrition may occur if vitamins and minerals are lacking. Remember the sailors who lived on dried beef, peas, and hard tack; many died of scurvy before the need for vitamin C was discovered.
Fat is another vital nutrient, needed for energy as well as proper development and maintenance of the nervous system. Unfortunately, some important fats go rancid easily, so manufacturers remove them from shelf-stable foods. Others are harmed by heat and turn into toxic substances that harm rather than nourish. Experts advocate supplementation of important fats like Omega-3 fatty acids.
Protein is another thing which may be deficient in the daily diet. People who limit the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy products they consume may be getting less than the forty grams that are recommended as a minimum for each day's consumption. Getting less than this amount can cause fatigue, loss of muscle strength, lack of mental alertness, weak hair and nails, and other conditions that affect health and well-being.
Carbohydrates tend to make up too much of the diet for many. Baked goods, sweets, sugary drinks, and fruit juices are often replacements for whole foods, fresh vegetables, and pure water. Especially when carbohydrates are refined, as in white flour and sugar, the resulting food products are hard to digest and provide little but empty calories. This can cause obesity, diabetes and hypoglycemia, and the fatigue that plagues so many of us today.
The need for high-quality fat is often ignored by both health professionals and the general populace. Fish oil contains a kind of fat important for proper brain development and function, but most of the population of America is deficient in this nutrient. Good fats are found in wild, cold water fish, in extra-virgin olive oil, and in fresh nuts and seeds. Processing and testing to make sure fats are not tainted with environmental pollutants is important.
Organic, whole foods should be the basis of the daily diet, while supplements from reputable manufacturers can provide for gaps in nutrition caused by lack of time or access to fresh, locally-grown foods. Refined carbohydrates should be eliminated if health is to be achieved, maintained, or restored.
Research shows that food sold in American grocery stores has almost fifty percent less nutrition than the same products had fifty years ago. This is in part because agricultural land farmed by conventional methods - drenched with chemical fertilizers and tainted by pesticides and herbicides - has fewer minerals than soils did in former days. Picking vegetables and fruits before they are fully ripe also diminishes their food value, as does long periods in cold storage.
The daily diet must provide protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Water is needed for body fluids that digest, transport, and metabolize these elements. Even if the gross amount of calories is adequate, malnutrition may occur if vitamins and minerals are lacking. Remember the sailors who lived on dried beef, peas, and hard tack; many died of scurvy before the need for vitamin C was discovered.
Fat is another vital nutrient, needed for energy as well as proper development and maintenance of the nervous system. Unfortunately, some important fats go rancid easily, so manufacturers remove them from shelf-stable foods. Others are harmed by heat and turn into toxic substances that harm rather than nourish. Experts advocate supplementation of important fats like Omega-3 fatty acids.
Protein is another thing which may be deficient in the daily diet. People who limit the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy products they consume may be getting less than the forty grams that are recommended as a minimum for each day's consumption. Getting less than this amount can cause fatigue, loss of muscle strength, lack of mental alertness, weak hair and nails, and other conditions that affect health and well-being.
Carbohydrates tend to make up too much of the diet for many. Baked goods, sweets, sugary drinks, and fruit juices are often replacements for whole foods, fresh vegetables, and pure water. Especially when carbohydrates are refined, as in white flour and sugar, the resulting food products are hard to digest and provide little but empty calories. This can cause obesity, diabetes and hypoglycemia, and the fatigue that plagues so many of us today.
The need for high-quality fat is often ignored by both health professionals and the general populace. Fish oil contains a kind of fat important for proper brain development and function, but most of the population of America is deficient in this nutrient. Good fats are found in wild, cold water fish, in extra-virgin olive oil, and in fresh nuts and seeds. Processing and testing to make sure fats are not tainted with environmental pollutants is important.
Organic, whole foods should be the basis of the daily diet, while supplements from reputable manufacturers can provide for gaps in nutrition caused by lack of time or access to fresh, locally-grown foods. Refined carbohydrates should be eliminated if health is to be achieved, maintained, or restored.
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