Macro & Micronutrients Explained!
[b][color=blue][size=+4]NUTRIENTS [/size][size=+2]& WHERE TO FIND 'EM[/size][/b][/color]
This thread is meant as a quick reference guide to explain briefly what nutrients are and the main sources of them. It isnt an in depth discussion about nutrients or any aspects of them, simply a quick reference guide, handy for n00bs or for anyone wanting to ensure they have a balanced diet.
The thread is divided into sections. The first covers the macronutrients plus water and fibre. From there the thread moves to vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients to alcohols and artificial food components which are briefly mentioned due to the frequency they appear in modern foods. This is followed up by a links section which also doubles as the references for this thread.
After a nutrient is listed and basically described, at least 5 examples of whole foods high in that particular nutrient are listed. What you will notice is the foods which come up again and again. Lean meats, dairy, grains, fruits, vegetables, etc. These foods should be forming the basis and majority of your diet. This thread is also handy if you wanted to choose a food to enable you to up your intake of a certain nutrient such as a particular mineral.
I hope it is of help to people, please feel free to add anything Ive missed, ask any questions or make any comments. If you do find something Ive missed, add it up, not necessarily in a table format, any way is fine, the more complete this list is, the better :)
This is something the Nutrition forum is lacking! :)
Phytonutrienst and other essentials!
[b][color=blue][size=+2]Flavonoids[/color][/size]
Flavonoids, an array of over 6,000 different substances found in virtually all plants and are responsible for many of the yellow, orange, and red plant colors. Most flavonoids function in the human body as antioxidants. In this capacity, they help neutralize overly reactive oxygen-containing molecules and prevent these overly reactive molecules from damaging parts of cells. Flavonoids have also been shown to play a role in fighting excessive inflammation and have also shown antiviral activity. Flavonoids are comprised of groups such as flavonols, dihydroflavonols, flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, anthocyanins, and anthocyanidins. Examples of flavonoids are quercetin, hesperidin and the soy isoflavones.
[color=red]
- Coloured Fruits
- Berries
- Cabbage, Onions and Parsley
- Soybeans and Soy products
- Tomatoes[/color]
[color=blue][size=+2]Carotenoids[/color][/size]
Carotenoids represent one of the most widespread groups of naturally occurring pigments. Like Flavonoids, these compounds are largely responsible for the red, yellow, and orange color of fruits and vegetables, and are also found in many dark green vegetables. Many of the carotenoids are Vitamin A precursors, so help with Vitamin A deficiency. They also have strong antioxidant and immune enhancing activity and have been shown to play a role in enhancing cell communication. Carotenoids include molecules such as lutein, lycopene and beta cryptoxanthin.
[color=red]
- Carrots
- Tomatoes and Coloured Vegetables
- Sweet Potatoes
- Spinach
- Collard Greens[/color]
[color=blue][size=+2]Lecithin[/color][/size]
Lecithin is a fatlike substance called a phospholipid. It is produced daily by the liver if the diet is adequate. It is needed by every cell in the body and is a key building block of cell membranes. Lecithin protects cells from oxidation and largely comprises the protective sheaths surrounding the brain. It is composed mostly of B vitamins, phosphoric acid, choline, linoleic acid and inositol. Although it is a fatty substance, it is also a fat emulsifier. Hence, it supports the circulatory system. Its choline is used in the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
[color=red]- Eggs
- Soyabeans
- Peanuts
- Organ Meats
- Supplements[/color]
[color=blue][size=+2]Co-Enzyme Q10[/color][/size]
Coenzyme Q lies at the heart of our cells? energy producing process. Special organelles (tiny organs) inside our cells, called mitochondria, take fat and other substances and convert them into usable energy. This process always requires coenzyme Q. In some cells, like heart cells, this energy conversion process can be the difference between life and death ? and so can the activity of coenzyme Q. Coenzyme Q is a well-established antioxidant used by the body to protect cells from oxygen damage. It is also referred to as ubiquinone.
[color=red]
- Organ Meats
- Fish
- Whole Grain Germ
- Poultry
- Supplements[/color]
[color=blue][size=+2]Cholesterol[/color][/size]
Cholesterol is a component of cell membranes and a precursor for synthesis of steroid hormones and vitamin D. The compound is synthesized in the liver under feedback control by dietary cholesterol. Because sufficient amounts of cholesterol can be synthesized endogenously to meet physiological demands, dietary cholesterol is not considered an essential nutrient for adults and children over the age of 2 years. Cholesterol is lipid sterol compound found exclusively in foods of animal origin such as dairy products, eggs, beef, pork, lamb, poultry and fish. The most concentrated sources of dietary cholesterol are liver and other organ meats, egg yolk, and shellfish. Plants contain sterol analogues of cholesterol called phytosterols. Cholesterol is mentioned here more for reference purposes, as dietary cholesterol is not essential in humans over 2.
[color=red]
- Organ Meats
- Egg Yolks
- Shellfish
- Meat and Poultry
- Whole Milk[/color]
[color=blue][size=+2]Phytonutrients[/color][/size]
Other than the carotenoids and flavonoids, there are many other phytonutrients (nutrients from plants) that are consumed regularly and have a proven beneficial effect on health. These benefits include, antioxidant properties, antitumour, cardioprotective and neuroprotective properties. Some major examples are:
[color=green]- Indoles: [/color]Cruciferous vegetables
[color=green]- Sulphurophane: [/color]Cruciferous vegetables
[color=green]- Alicin: [/color]Garlic, Onions.
[color=green]- Genistein: [/color]Soy products (e.g., tofu)
[color=green]- Polyphenols: [/color]Green Tea
[color=green]- Anthocyanins: [/color]Wild blueberries, bilberries, black berries
[color=green]- Limonoids: [/color]Citrus Fruits
[color=green]- Capsaicin: [/color]Chilli and Peppers
[color=green]- Sterols: [/color]Cruciferous vegetables, cucumbers, squash, sweet potatoes, soy foods, eggplant, whole grains, tomatoes
[color=green]- Elegiac acid: [/color]Strawberries
[color=green]- Lignans: [/color]Nuts and seeds
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Alcohol & artificial sweetners!
[b][size=+2]Alcohol: [/size]
Alcohol (ethanol) is the product of the fermentation of sugars in the absence of air. These sugars can be in free form or come from starches or grains. Ethanol is toxic to the body at moderate to high doses, but in low infrequent doses can have a beneficial effect on artery health. Alcoholic beverages are also full of the by-products of the fermentation proces and additives to flavour the drinks. Some of these can be beneficial, such as the tannins in red wine. Alcohol generally is counterproductive to a healthy lifestyle, but can be enjoyed sensibly and in moderation without fear of long term ill effects. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. For an indepth look at how alcohol is toxic to the body, see here: [url]http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=356705[/url]
[color=blue]
- Beer, Cider, Mead
- Wines
- Spirits & Liquers
- Medicines, mouthwash and some herbal extracts
- Ingredient in some foods, eg: cakes, etc.[/color]
[size=+2]Artificial Sweetners:[/size]
[color=red]
Artificial sweetners are used as a no or low calorie substitute for sugar. There is much controversy surrounding some of them and links to diseases have been claimed. Some are completely artificial whilst others are extracted from natural sources. In general consumption of these should be limited. They are almost always found in processed foods, although they may be added to more wholesome foods to provide sweetness without sugar.[/color]
[color=blue][size=+2]Sugar Alcohols: Polyols[/size][/color]
Sugar alcohols, also called polyols - are a class of carbohydrate that are neither sugars nor alcohols. This group includes maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol, and hydrolysed starch hydrolysates (HSH). These popular sugar substitutes provide the bulk and sweetness of sugar and corn syrup, but are incompletely absorbed in the intestine. Thus they provide fewer calories and carbs than sugar, and result in a much slower, and smaller rise in blood sugar and insulin. They are generally recognised as safe for diabetics to consume for this reason, and products sweetened with these products may legally be labelled "sugar-free" in both Canada and the US. Polyols contain approximately 2 calories per gram.
[color=blue][size=+2]Acesulfame K[/size][/color]
Acesulfame Potassium (K) was approved for use by the FDA as a safe artificial sweetener in July, l988. It is a derivative of acetoacetic acid. Unfortunately, several potential problems associated with the use of acesulfame have been raised. They are based largely on animal studies since testing on humans remains limited. Acesulfame K stimulates insulin secretion in a dose dependent fashion thereby possibly aggravating reactive hypoglycemia ("low blood sugar attacks").
[color=blue][size=+2]Aspartame [/size][/color]
Aspartame, a dipeptide of aspartic acid and a methyl ester of phenylalanine, is approved for use in pharmaceutical products and is being used increasingly in chewable tablet and sugar-free formulations. Labels for both prescription and nonprescription products must include the phenylalanine content. The major consideration in the use of aspartame in children is in patients with auto****l recessive phenylketonuria.
Headache is the most common adverse side effect attributed to aspartame but is seldom confirmed by single-dose double-blind challenge.
In anecdotal reports, aspartame has been linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders, including panic attacks, mood changes, visual hallucinations, manic episodes, and isolated dizziness. None of these conditions has been rigorously proven to be caused by aspartame, but carefully conducted double-blind challenges may be indicated in patients with histories that suggest aspartame as a cause. Patients with underlying mitral valve prolapse or affective disorders may be at increased risk for neuropsychiatric effects; several studies have shown that individuals without psychiatric or seizure disorders do not demonstrate these effects.
[color=blue][size=+2]Saccharin[/size][/color]
Foods containing saccharin no longer carry a label stating that the "use of this product may be hazardous to your health ...contains saccharin which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals." This warning was lifted in 2001 by the American FDA as saccharin no longer has been connected to cancer in human beings.
Saccharin may be present in drugs in substantial amounts. Ingestion of the recommended daily dosage of chewable aspirin or acetaminophen tablets in a school-age child would provide approximately the same amount of saccharin contained in one can of a diet soft drink. Saccharin is an O-toluene sulfonamide derivative and causes similar dermatologic reactions. Cross-sensitivity with sulfonamides has been demonstrated; therefore, children with "sulfa" allergy should also avoid saccharin. Other reactions include wheezing, nausea, diarrhea, tongue blisters, tachycardia, fixed eruptions, headache, diuresis, and sensory neuropathy. The American Medical Association has recommended limiting the intake of saccharin in young children and pregnant women.
[size=+2][color=blue]Sucralose[/color][/size]
Splenda, also known as sucralose, is an artificial sweetener, which is a chlorinated sucrose derivative. Despite the manufacturer's mis-statements, sucralose does break down into small amounts of 1,6-dichlorofructose, a chemical which has not been adequtely tested in humans. More importantly, sucralose must break down in the digestive system. If it didn't break down and react at all, it would not chemically-react on the tongue to provide a sweet taste. The truth is that sucralose does break down to some extent in the digestive system.
[color=blue][size=+2]Stevia[/size][/color]
Another sweetener, stevioside, is championed by natural-foods advocates in the United States and is used in several countries, most notably Japan. Stevioside comes from the leaves of the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni), a perennial shrub of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family native to Brazil and Paraguay. Stevia contains sweet-tasting glycosides, mainly stevioside; but also rebaudiosides A, B, C, D, and E; dulcoside A; and steviolbioside. Stevioside has a slight bitter aftertaste and provides 250 to 300 times the sweetness of sugar.
[color=blue][size=+2]High Fructose Corn Syrup [/size][/color] [color=green]There are many forms of "syrups" , HCFS is the most common.[/color]
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is produced by processing corn starch to yield glucose, and then processing the glucose to produce a high percentage of fructose. HFCS has the exact same sweetness and taste as an equal amount of sucrose from cane or beet sugar but it is much more complicated to make, involving vats of fermenting liquid, fungus and chemical tweaking. HCFS consumption is linked to reduced insulin sensitivity, obesity and diabetes. It should be mostly avoided by those seeking to eat healthily.
There are hundreds of additives used in food preparation and preservation, far too many to list here. Here is a link to a site with a food additive database.
[url]http://www.foodag.com/en/home.htm[/url]
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