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Nutrition
Aging
Well with Nutrition
By:
Kathleen Dedon
I have been
interested in nutrition for almost forty years, and I think this has
definitely been instrumental in enabling me to maintain good health over the
years.
It all began in the spring of 1969. I was a college student concerned
primarily about maintaining my figure, not about maintaining my health. I
enjoyed snacking on roasted soy nuts and wanted to know how many calories
they contained. Unable to find any information on the nutritional value of
soy nuts (this was long before nutritional labeling was required), I bought
a book by health food guru, Adelle Davis, entitled Let's Eat Right to Keep
Fit. It had a "Tables of Food Composition" that included soybeans.
I actually read the book and got a crash course in nutrition. I had no idea
that nutrients could make such a difference in a person's life. That book
started my avocation in the field of nutrition.
I have come to believe that nutritional supplements are vital for
maintaining good health in the 21st Century. Studies have shown that the
foods we eat today do not contain the same level of nutrients as the foods
consumed 50 years ago. We need to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables
today to get the same amount of nutrients that were in our produce grown 50
years ago.
Doctors used to say that if you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet you will
get all of the vitamins and minerals you need. The problem with our modern
food supply is that it can no longer provide all of the nutrients we need.
In 2002 the Journal of the American Medical Association recommended that it
is prudent for all adults to take nutritional supplements.
There are many reasons why supplementation has become necessary. Crops today
are harvested when they are still "green" (not fully ripened) so they can be
shipped to the marketplace without spoiling. The fruits and vegetables in
your grocery store may look fresh, but it's likely that they are at least a
few days old. (Some out-of-season fruits and vegetables may even be months
old if they have been held in cold storage.) Studies have shown that fruits
and vegetables begin to lose many if their nutrients when they are picked;
the longer it has been since harvest, the more nutrients are lost.
Another reason is that the soil has become depleted of nutrients. Chemical
fertilizers put back just enough to make the plants grow and to produce
crops. The soils are not replenished with all of the nutrients that are
lost.
Organic produce is definitely a better choice nutritionally. Studies have
shown that organic produce does contain more nutrients than conventionally
grown produce. That is probably because organic farmers understand the
importance of healthy soil. They use methods besides chemical fertilizers to
ensure the health of their soil and their crops. So you will receive more
nutrients in organic produce.
What may be missing in any produce you buy, even organic, are the
phytochemicals. These phytochemicals, or phytonutrients as they are also
known, are not considered essential, but studies have shown that they are
extremely beneficial. Many of the antioxidants that you may have been
reading about are actually phytochemicals. What the magazine and newspaper
articles don't tell you is that phytochemicals do not develop in the plants
unless the fruit or vegetable has been vine-ripened. They develop in the
final stages of the ripening process. So unless you grow your own
vine-ripened produce or get it from the farmer who picked it ripe today, you
are not getting the benefits of phytochemicals from your food.
As for me, I'll continue to search for the best quality, natural foods for
myself and my family, but I will also make sure we have high-quality
supplements to fill in the nutritional gaps. I believe these choices will
help insure that I will continue to enjoy good health and the best quality
of life as I age.
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Nutrition Facts and
Basics
By:
Juliet Cohen
Nutrition labels have revolutionized
the way we buy food -- especially for people on special diets. Nutrition can
affect more than just your weight. People who practice good nutrition,
hygiene and exercise patterns develop a lifetime of habits that will keep
them healthy for many years. Peanuts and peanut butter are whole foods that
pack a lot of nutrition into just one serving. Peanuts and peanut butter are
whole foods that contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, ample protein
and beneficial unsaturated fats. Since they are a plant food, they naturally
contain no cholesterol. Peanuts and peanut butter contain high quality plant
protein. Protein is estimated based upon the amount of bound nitrogen in the
sample. Total fat is estimated from the weight of all individual fatty acids
plus the imputed weight of one unit of glycerol for each three fatty acids.
When comparing peanuts to similar foods, peanuts have more protein than any
other legume or nut. This is especially important for children, vegetarians
and people eating more meatless meals. Carbohydrates in food help our bodies
produce serotonin -- a sleep-inducing hormone. This meal plan incorporates
plenty of healthy carbohydrate-rich foods like fruit, pasta, potatoes,
oatmeal and brown rice. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that
promotes sleep. This diet includes skim milk with meals and as a before-bed
snack.
Carbohydrates are easy to digest and quickly absorbed. They can be found in
sugar and sweets, honey, fruits and fruit juices. Daily values footnote is a
reference tool, giving you basic guidelines on how much of each nutritional
item you should eat daily. Grains based foods (pasta, bread, cereals) are
very versatile and highly regarded by nutrition professionals because they
are rich in nutrients. Whole grains are high in fibre and may help to lower
blood cholesterol and maintain bowel regularity. They contain vitamin E and
important trace materials like copper and zinc. For years, these foods were
considered the ugly ducklings of nutrition. Thought to be fattening with
little nutritional value, they were avoided in misguided attempts to control
weight. Now scientific agreement among qualified nutrition experts points to
increasing our consumption of grains based foods and reaping significant
health benefits. Calories may be calculated using any one of several
methods. The old-fashioned bomb calorimeter, one of the acceptable methods,
is a poor model for the human body. Ideally, calories represent
physiological energy -- the energy value remaining after digestive and
metabolic losses are deducted from the gross energy. This type of
calculation is called the At water system for determining energy values.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant. It is commonly found in fresh
vegetables and fruit (peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits). Severe lack of
vitamin C can lead to scurvy. It helps to heal wounds, prevent cell damage,
promote healthy gums and teeth, and strengthen the immune system. It also
helps the body absorb iron. Women and men should consume at least 60
milligrams of vitamin C each day. Vitamin C deficiency causes a disease
called scurvy, which is uncommon in the United States. Taking more than
2,000 milligrams a day may cause a flushed face, headache, increased
urination, mild diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. People who smoke need to
consume more vitamin C because smoking interferes with the body's ability to
use vitamins. Women who smoke should consume 110 milligrams per day of
vitamin C, and men who smoke should consume 125 milligrams per day of
vitamin C. Phytochemicals are natural substances in plants which may provide
a wide range of health benefits such as reducing the risk of coronary heart
disease. Peanuts contain resveratrol which is one of the many phytochemicals
found in plant foods.
Good nutrition is more important than ever. Regulations requiring nutrition
panels on food labels were implemented as part of a campaign to get people
to eat less fat. Dietary fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer,
heart disease and mitigate the blood sugar fluctuations of diabetes.
Nutrients are divided into two groups. "Good" nutrients consisted of:
"vitamin, mineral, protein, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, other
carbohydrate, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat, or potassium" and must
be present in at least 80% of the label value in every unit tested.
Conversely, "bad" nutrients: calories, sugars, total fat, saturated fat,
cholesterol, or sodium must be present in no more than 120% of the label
value but may be less than the label value by a "reasonable" amount.
Nutrition label legislation is to help consumers cut fat out of their diets,
carbs are considered a valuable nutrient. Labels have serving sizes as
required by law and indicate the number of servings contained in the
package. However, selling underweight packages violates the oldest consumer
protection laws. Many manufacturers deliberately overfill their packages to
avoid the risk that their filling equipment may not be precise or that the
product might dry out or otherwise not measure up. As a result, packages
often contain more food than the nutrition label indicates.
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