| Fat - Fat - Fat ! This isn't a bad word and we actually need it as part of a healthy diet! Ideally we should have 20-30% of our total calories from fat. So, if you're eating 1,400 calories per day, 420 of them should be fat calories! Fats supply essential fatty acids and help absorb the fat soluable vitamins such as A, D, E, K and carotenoids. Fat calories from legumes such as peanut butter, soy, other nuts and fruits such as avocado are found to be ideal! Don't forget the fat from fish such as salmon too! The fats to absolutely, positively, all the time avoid are called saturated fats and "trans fats". They clog arteries, increase cholesterol and lead to significant other health problems (like coronary heart disease). These are frequently found in fast foods, packaged/prepared foods such as cookies and crackers, most cheese products (not 'natural') and so on. If having fat from sources such as lard, dairy products, meats, palm oil, coconut oil, try to limit it to no more than 10% of your total number of calories. That leaves you 15-20% to get from other sources as outlined above. Cholesterol? Foods high in cholesterol also tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods would include liver, other organ meats, egg yolks and dairy fat. The U.S. recommended daily allowance of cholesterol is no more than 300 milligrams. Salt/Sodium While there is no FDA limit on sodium at this time, the National Academy of Sciences recommends a minimum of 500 milligrams per day. We need salt/sodium to regulate fluids and blood pressure. Too much will also contribute to a tendency toward high blood pressure. Carbohydrates Sugars are carbohydrates and a source of energy (calories). Dietary carbs also include the complex carbohydrates starch and dietary fiber. During digestion, all carbs (except for fiber) break down into sugars. Foods high in sugars, but low in essential nutrients, primarily contribute calories only - and the recommended daily allowance of carbohydrates from all sources is 310 grams. That low carb diet is not only going to fail, but likely contribute to health problems later on, as any weight loss will pack back on. Learn more about this diet and other 'fad' diets by clicking here |
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| Protein: Men should have 45-63 grams per day; Women 44-50 grams per day |
| Fiber! Don't believe the commercials! |
| The commercials selling pills, powders and the latest gimmick for necessary fiber are padding their pockets while taking some really good food away from you and possibly lending to a weight problem. You can have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, or any number of other whole grain products that not only taste good, but will keep you feeling fuller longer - or you can take one of their pills, have one of their drinks and stay hungry, more likely to reach for that donut, candy bar or (gasp!) meal replacement bar! Getting your daily minimum of fiber is too easy and too much fun to give up! Don't buy the sales pitch - buy some toasted oat flakes, oatmeal, broccoli, whole grain bagels or any number of other selections instead! |
| What is fiber & Why do we need it? |
| Plant material that cannot be digested by the human digestive enzymes, consisting largely of cellulose (a carbohydrate found in plant cell walls) is fiber. Fiber adds bulk to the gut (stomach) contents, assisting the muscular contractions that force food along the intestine. A diet low in fiber will cause constipation and is believed to increase the risk of diverticulitis, diabetes, gall bladder disease, cancer of the large bowel and more. In countries where diets contain high proportions of unrefined cereals, these diseases are rare! It's because the human gut cannot break down this material that the signal to move it on occurs. It not only moves the undigestible fiber through (and out), but other foods are more efficiently processed too Soluble fiber consists of indigestible plant carbohydrates such as pectins, hemicelluloses and gums, that dissolve in water. A high proportion of fiber in foods like oat bran, pulps from fruits and vegetables is of this fiber. |
| The typical American eats only about 11 grams of fiber a day, but need 20-30 grams! |
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