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Archive for July, 2011

0 Comments 209 days ago PERMALINK

The Skinny on Fat

Skinny FatFat, once eschewed by health-conscious people everywhere, is coming back into fashion. It’s important to recognize, however, that just like carbohydrate and protein, fat has always been essential for good health. Each gram of fat provides about 9 calories, so it’s easy to see how foods rich in fat can bump up your total calorieintake quickly.

Fat improves the taste of many foods; helps prolong feelings of satiety; and is critical for proper nerve conduction, production of hormones and cell walls, and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). Balance is important! Some fat, but not too much, is the key. Fat should provide about 20% to 35% of your total calorie intake. This range reflects differences in cultural and personal preferences, health needs, and levels of physical activity among individuals. Read the rest of this entry »

Health
0 Comments 217 days ago PERMALINK

Do You Need Whole Grains?

grainsWhole grains and their related food products are nutrition powerhouses. Unfortunately, many of the grain foods we eat have been processed in a way that removes vital nutrients.

What’s the difference, and how can you tell whether you’re buying a whole grain? The original grain has three main components—the bran, endosperm, and germ. Food processors often remove the bran and the germ, so that the resulting product may be deficient in the nutrients concentrated in those parts of the grain. Read the rest of this entry »

Diet , Health
0 Comments 221 days ago PERMALINK

Fabulous Fiber For Your Diet

fitness girlFiber is an indigestible carbohydrate found only in plant foods that deserves special mention because of its health-promoting properties. Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds are all good sources of fiber. Adults need anywhere from 21 to 38 grams of fiber daily, depending on gender and calorie needs. Read the rest of this entry »

Health
0 Comments 225 days ago PERMALINK

Why Not Go Low Carbohydrates in Our Diet?

dietThe popularity of low carbohydrate diets is causing quite a stir among health professionals, government organizations, and ordinary people trying to figure out the best way to lose weight.

Unfortunately, these diets ignore some of the most fundamental issues regarding unhealthy body weight: an abundance of high-calorie, nutrient-sparse foods; lack of physical activity; unmanaged stress; and inadequate coping skills. Any diet that manipulates food choices to reduce total calorie intake has a good chance of producing weight loss, and cutting back on carbohydrate-rich foods is a pretty simple way of accomplishing just that. Read the rest of this entry »

Diet
0 Comments 229 days ago PERMALINK

Carbohydrates: Energy for Muscles and Minds (2)

You can estimate your daily need for grams of carbohydrates by multiplying your total daily calorie needs by your desired percentage of calories from carbohydrates (45% to 65%—less if you’re sedentary; more if you’re active) and dividing that number by four (there are four calories per gram of carbohydrate):

Total daily calories × ____% = Calories from carbohydrate

Calories from carbohydrate ÷ 4 calories per gram = Grams of carbohydrate needed per day

Example (continuing with Sandra from earlier example):

2,000 calories per day × 0.50 (50%) = 1,000 calories from carbohydrate

1,000 calories ÷ 4 calories per gram = 250 grams of carbohydrate per day

Health
0 Comments 233 days ago PERMALINK

Carbohydrates: Energy for Muscles and Minds

CarbohydratesCarbohydrates are composed of units of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (commonly referred to as units of sugar) and are the body’s principle source of energy, providing about four calories per gram.

Most carbohydrates are eventually converted to glucose or glycogen in your body. Read the rest of this entry »

Health
0 Comments 237 days ago PERMALINK

Macronutrients: Fuel for Working Bodies

healthy_foodThree nutrients are responsible for providing your body with energy, or calories—carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Because you need relatively large amounts of these nutrients, they are called macronutrients. Each of the macronutrients has specific functions in your body, but in some cases, one can be interchanged with another. Read the rest of this entry »

Health