1.02 Basics of Nutrition

Water

The human body is two-thirds water. It is an essential nutrient involved in every function of the body.

6 Functions of Water in the Body

The six functions of water in the body are:

1. Helps kidneys flush out waste
2. Regulates body temperature
3. Cushions organs and tissues
4. Keeps joint and eyeballs lubricated
5. Dissolves and moves nutrients and oxygen through your body
6. Aids in preventing constipation

Drinking enough fresh, clean water every day will keep your body working at the highest level.

How Much is Enough?

The current recommendation is to drink ½ your body weight in ounces (oz) of water every day. Stop and think about that:

• If you weigh 120 pounds, half of 120 is 60, so you would need to drink 60 ounces of water per day.
• If you weigh 200 pounds, half of that is 100. You would need to drink 100 ounces of water per day.

The old idea of "8 glasses of water per day" is no longer scientifically acceptable now that we can tailor fluid intake with body weight.

But I Hate Water! It is so Boring!

You need to drink some water, but it does not all have to be plain water! Some ways to make water more appealing include:

• Squirt some lemon or lime juice in it.
• Infuse it with fruit so the flavors of the fruit add a little taste to the water. There are special pitchers for this that you can get for about $10.
• Other fluids count toward your daily intake goals. Remember, coffee, tea, juices, and sports drinks also contain water! However, be aware of the sugar content of other drinks because the sugar amounts could offset the benefits of the fluid.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates supply the body with the energy it needs to function. Food sources are of carbohydrates include:

• plants
• beans
• potatoes
• vegetables
• rice
• grains
• fruit
• milk (the only animal source of carbohydrates!)

What Do Carbs Do?

Carbohydrates have four main functions.

1. Provide energy for your body and brain
2. Provide stored energy for later
3. Preserve muscle
4. Promote digestive health and lower risks of heart disease and diabetes

Protein

Proteins are essential for growth and development. Protein provides the body with the elements it needs to manufacture hormones, antibodies, enzymes, and tissues. Protein is used to build muscle.

There are both plant and animal-based sources of protein, such as

• beans
• eggs
• dairy
• meat
• grains
• seeds and nuts

What Does Protein Do?

Protein has many functions, including:

• Build and repair tissues including muscle, hair, nails
• Makes enzymes and hormones to aid chemical reactions in the cells
• Transports and stores nutrients throughout the body
• Balances fluids
• Supplies energy if needed

Fat

Fat is an important nutrient. It is required for normal brain development during infancy and childhood. Every cell in the body requires fat, and it is the most concentrated form of energy in the body.

Sources of dietary fats include:

• Meats
• Vegetable oils (sunflower, corn, olive, coconut, soybean, canola)
• Fish
• Nuts
• Eggs
• Avocados

What Does Fat Do?

Many people try to avoid fat in their diet but is a necessary part of your nutrient needs! Dietary fat is important to:

• Give your body energy
• Support cell growth and function
• Protect internal organs
• Regulate body temperature
• Absorb nutrients
• Manufacture hormones

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are often grouped together, but really they are separate classes of nutrients.

Sometimes you will hear vitamins and minerals called micronutrients. This is because they are needed in relatively small amounts compared to other nutrients. Because vitamins and minerals perform such vital roles in our bodies, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed requirements for these nutrients, known as the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). The RDAs are not viewed as an amount to achieve maximum health, but the amount needed to prevent disease.

In most cases, there is little risk of getting too much of a vitamin or mineral. The problem can come into play when your diet is lacking in certain vitamins and minerals; over time, you can start to show evidence of disease. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies A deficiency is a lack or shortage do happen in our society – not just in developing countries – and sometimes the symptoms are subtle.

So once again, getting a variety of foods is the best advice, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

When taking vitamins, you should be aware of how much caffeine you're consuming; caffeine can diminish the amount of absorbed vitamins in a given food.

You can learn more about the functions and sources of vitamins and minerals on Vitamins and Minerals from TeensHealth and The Best Foods for Vitamins and Minerals from Harvard Health Publishing.

Preserving Nutrients in Food

Knowing what to eat to enhance wellness is only the first step. Knowing what to look for when buying, storing, and preparing food in order to preserve the most nutritional value is very important. Here are some tips to help you get the most nutrition for your grocery dollar:

Buying Fruits/Vegetable

Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. Once fruits and vegetables are picked; the available nutrients begin to decline.

Try not to buy more than you can eat in a week.

• You never know how long ago it was picked.
• Produce can often go bad or lose nutrients sitting in the refrigerator.
• A good plan is to go ahead and cook it the day you buy it and warm it up later in the week

Organic fruits and vegetables are free of pesticides 'Pesticide' is a broad term for any chemical substance used to destroy pests like insects, plants, fungi, or other organisms that could harm cultivated plants or farm animals. that your body needs to eliminate. They cost a little more but sometimes it is worth it in flavor and health benefits.

Avoid fruits and vegetables that are squishy or bruised. This might indicate they are old or have not been handled in a safe manner.

Look for firm (but not hard) produce fruits and vegetables that have been produced on a farm with a bright color.

Smell it! The fruit or vegetable should smell fresh. Any odors that smell 'off' or bad should be avoided.

Buying Meats

When buying meats, always check the date on the label! It tells you when it was packaged and when it needs to be sold by. It is usually safe to use within 7 days of the "Sell By" date.

Fresh meats should be firm and brightly colored.

Learn what the different cuts are and how to cook them. Some inexpensive cuts of meat can be delicious if you know how to cook them.

Buying Dairy

Again, check the label! Milk has an expiration date.

• Milk usually starts to sour on or right after the expiration day. It's not a good use of your money if you have pour it down the drain after a day or two!
• In the store, pull milk from the back of the rack, as the freshest stock is often in the back!
• Once it's in your fridge, do a smell test to check for freshness as you approach the expiration date.

Look for low-fat versions of yogurt, cheese, ice cream, milk, and sour cream. Buying the fat-free version of these products is not necessary, but lower fat is a way to keep overall body fat lower while still providing essential fat for cell functions.

Buying Packaged Foods

You've heard this before -- check the label! Some packaged foods have expiration or "Use By" dates. Food in discount stores are often close to or past the expiration date.

Avoid canned goods that are dented or bulging.

• The dents may have damaged the inner protective covering and exposed the foods to bare metal.
• The bulges may be a sign of food spoilage and bacteria growth.

Storing Food

Canned goods can go in the cabinet or pantry. Do not store in a garage without temperature control heating and cooling for long periods of time.

Fresh meats should be refrigerated quickly to prevent spoilage and bacteria growth. If they will not be used within a day or two:

• Remove grocery wrapping and rewrap in freezer paper and/or reusable, re-sealable zipper storage bags and freeze.
• Press all excess air out of freezer bags to keep food fresh and to save space.

Fruits and vegetables should be refrigerated quickly. Some vegetables can sit on the counter or in the pantry until needed.

• Remember where in the store the item was when you bought it – was it in a bin in an open area or was it in a cooler?
• If it was in a cold bin, it needs the fridge.
• For example, think about produce like bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or tomatoes. Where are they located in grocery stores? They aren't in cold storage, so you do not need to refrigerate them at home!

Eggs are refrigerated in the United States. Other parts of the world don't refrigerate their eggs and think that is weird! To control foodborne illness, refrigeration is recommended.

Leftovers should be wrapped tightly or placed in a clean container and refrigerated as soon as possible. The recommendation is to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; 1 hour if it is hot outside.

Cooking

Many nutrients are destroyed by high heat or overcooking. For example, Vitamin C, B vitamins, and folate are destroyed by high heat.

Baking, steaming, waterless cooking, pressure-cooking, microwaving, and poaching are the preferred methods of cooking to preserve nutrients.

Frying and boiling involve high heats that can destroy water-soluble nutrients like Vitamin C. Frying also adds unnecessary fat.

To preserve nutrition content, remember the 3 Rs:

• Reduce the amount of water used in cooking,
• Reduce the cooking time, and
• Reduce the surface area of the food exposed.

In the south, vegetables are commonly overcooked – and often even cooked until they're mushy! This destroys the vitamin and mineral contents of the food and diminishes the amount of available fiber. You'll get more nutrients by learning to cook and enjoy eating vegetables that are crisp-tender.

Eat fruits and vegetables raw when possible.

Avoid overcooking meats. Use a meat thermometer in the oven, the fry pan, even the grill.

If possible, use non-reactive glass pans or stainless steel pots and pans to cook. These substances will not add anything unsafe or unhealthy into the foods you cook. Cast iron does add trace tiny amounts of elemental iron to your food. Aluminum may too.

Do not reheat foods in restaurant take-out boxes! The Styrofoam containers begin to melt at low temperatures in the microwave and leach dissolve and leak chemicals into the food! Move the food to a plate and cover it before reheating.