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5StepstoHealthyNutrition

©2007,Dr.AnjaliAroraISBN978-81-207-3248-3

Allrightsarereserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystemortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise,withoutpriorwritten

permissionoftheauthors.

Theauthorandpublisherspecificallydisclaimanyliability,lossorrisk,whatsoever,personalorotherwise,whichisincurredasaconsequence,directlyorindirectlyof

theuseandapplicationofanyofthecontentsofthisbook.

Theauthorwishestothankallacademicians,scientistsandwriterswhohavebeenasourceofinspiration.

UnderstandingYourDiet

The joy of knowingwhat you can eat comes through a clear idea of the kinds of foods one canconsume.Andthereissuchavariety.Alothasbeensaidaboutfats,highcholesterol,carbohydratesandproteins.Butwhatarethey?Whyisitsoimportanttoknowabouteachofthem?Youshouldbefamiliarwithyourfoodsinordertodecidewhatexactlyisneededbyyourbody.Howhealthyisitfor

youatyourage tohavemoreofone typeofa foodblockand lessof theother.Giveyourself thepleasureofjugglinganddecidingastowhatyourdietshouldbe.

01.UnderstandingYourDietTheSweetTooth

Doyoueatdesserts,puddingsoricecreamsatleastthreetimesaweek.Youdonotconsumefruitwitheachmainmeal.

Richfood

Doyoueatoutatleastthreetimesaweek.Whileeatingoutyouenjoyfoodrichinbutter,cheese,richstuffing,etc.

Alcohol

Doyoudrinkalcohol3-4timesaweek.Doyouconsumemorethan60mlofwhisky,gin,rum(harddrink)ormorethan2glassesofwineeachday.

Snacking

Doyouliketosnackonfriedfooditemswithyourdrink.Doyouenjoysweets,packagedorfriedsnackwithtea.

Themoretimesyouansweryes,themoreisyourconsumptionofunhealthyfoodthroughouttheday.

02.FoodBlocksFoodsarethenourishersofourbody,mind,moodsandsoul.Haveyounoticedthattheyevengiveuspleasure?Alltypesofdietarebeingadvocated–Southbeachdiet,Pritkinsdiet,Atkinsdietandsoon.Someindividualsmayhavebeenhelpedthroughsomeofthese.

Whatisimportanttorealiseisthesourceofthefoodweeatdaily.Areweconsciousofitsnutritiontype?Likeproteinsprovidethebuildingblocksand

carry on the repairs of the body, carbohydrates supply youwith energy and keep you happy. Fatsstoredinyourbodyareimportantforthebody’swarmth.Vitaminsandmineralshavetheprivilegeofenergisingyourmetaboliccycleinordertohelpyourbodyandmindfunctionnormally.

Whatever one consumes as food should be in harmony with nature. Keep the variety of seasonalfoodsinmind.Thosefoodsmaybeeasilyperishable,buttheyhavebeenproducedbynatureforthatparticulargeographicalareaand thatclimaticcondition.Tryand tune inwith theseasonsandyourbodywillbestronger,flexibleandhealthy.

Fats

Fats aremade up of blocks of fatty acids.We eat all kinds of fatty acidswithout realisingwhat isrequiredandwhatisinexcess.Therearethreetypesoffattyacidsasmentioned.

FattyAcidsandTheirSources

FattyAcids Composition SourceSaturated fattyacids(SFA)

Their molecules have no more room for anyhydrogenatoms.Theyaresaturatedwithhydrogen.

Palm oil, coconut oil, dairyproducts,meats,cocoabutter

Monounsaturatedfatty acids(MUFA)

There is only one bond or area of the fatty acidmolecule,whichisnotsaturatedwithhydrogenatoms.

Olive oil, mustard oil,rapeseedoil,fish,meat

Polyunsaturatedfatty acids(PUFA)

In this fatty acid, more bonds or areas of themoleculecantakeinhydrogenatoms.

Sunfloweroil,soyabeanoil,linseedoil,fish

FattyAcidCompositionofCommonlyUsedCookingOils

Oils Saturated(SFA%) Monoun-saturated(MUFA%) Polyun-saturated(PUFA%)Olive 10 82 8Canola 6 60 34Mustard 8 70 22Soyabean 14 28 58Sunflower 12 19 69Groundnut 19 51 30Coconut 89 7 4Corn 13 27 60

TryandblendyourMUFAandPUFAoils.

SaturatedFats

Allsaturatedfatsdonotcomefromanimalsources.

Vegetableoilscontainingalargeamountofsaturatedfattyacidsarecoconutandpalmoil.Consuminglessofsaturatedfatcanloweryourbloodcholesterol.Atherosclerosisandthrombosisarethebasisofheartattackandstrokes.Ahighlysaturatedfatdietincreasesboth.

Blendedoil ismuchbetter thana singlevariety.This isbecause takingoil containing toomuchofpolyunsaturatedfatscanreducebothLDL-cholesterol(bad)andHDL-cholesterol(goodcholesterol).Blending oils like olive, mustard (moreMUFA) with (more PUFA) oils like sunflower will bothdecrease your LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and increase your HDL-cholesterol (goodcholesterol). Also, by cutting down on saturated oils in your diet and substituting with moremonounsaturatedoilsyouwillfindanincreaseinyourHDLcholesterol.

CISandTransFattyAcids

Thenaturalformofthefatmoleculeisknowntobein“cis”form.Whenthismoleculestructureistwistedintoadifferenttexture,itissaidtobein“trans”formandresultsintheformationofatransfatty acid. Studies have shown that an increase in LDLcholesterol (bad cholesterol) increaseswithincreasedconsumptionoftransfattyacids.

Nowwhyistheresomuchstressontransandcisfattyacids?It isimportanttoknowthatchanginganyoil from liquid intoa solid spread (margarineor fat, including theadvertised reduced typeoffattyacid)involvestheaddingofhydrogenatomstothefattyacidmolecule.

This is known as “Hydrogenation”. Hydrogenated vegetable oils are produced by subjectingvegetableoils to intenseheatandpressure in thepresenceofhydrogenandnickel.Thisprocessofhydrogenationresultsintheformationoftransfattyacids.Onemustbeconsciousofthepresenceofsometransfattyacidsinfoodswithlabels–“hydrogenatedvegetableoil.”Also,thehydrovegetableoilissimilartosaturatedfat,sotryandkeepitsquantityminimuminyourdiet.

Itisthetotalamountoffatalongwiththetypeoffatconsumedeverydaywhichhastobeconsideredinyourdiet(saturated,monounsaturatedandpolyunsaturated).

SaturatedFattyAcids(SFA)

Saturated fatty acids are to be kept minimal in the diet. These fatty acids increase yourLDLcholesterol.ExcessiveconsumptionoffoodscontainingSFAcanleadtootherdiseasesbesidesheartdisease.Saturatedfattyacidsarefoundinmeats,poultry,wholemilkdairyproducts(e.g.milk,cheese,icecream),etc.Oilswhichcontainahighpercentageofsaturatedfatsarecoconutandpalm.

MonounsaturatedFattyAcids(MUFA)

Monounsaturatedfattyacidsareinhighpercentageinolive,mustard,canolaandgroundnutoil.Theseoilsalsocontainagoodpercentageofpolyunsaturatedfattyacids(PUFA).MUFAhelpsinloweringLDL-cholesterol(badcholesterol)andincreasingtheHDL-cholesterol(goodcholesterol).

PolyunsaturatedFattyAcids(PUFA)

Polyunsaturatedfattyacidsarefoundinagoodpercentageincanola,mustard,soyabean,sunflowerandcornoil.Theyarefoundmainlyinvegetableoils.Theimportanceofpolyunsaturatedfattyacidsisthatithelpsskintexture,maintenanceandgrowth.

Eatingtoomuchoffatevenifitisnotofthesaturatedvarietyisharmfulandcanincreaseyourriskforthrombosis(clottingofbloodinthearteries).

Avoid reheating and reusing of cooking oils. Reheating can oxidise polyunsaturated fat in yourcookingfat,resultingindamagetoyourbloodvessels.

Nuts are high in fat, the exception being of chestnuts. Nuts having monounsaturated and less ofsaturated fatty acids are hazelnuts, macadamia nuts and almonds. The next good category of nuts(containingpolyunsaturatedfattyacids)arewalnutsandpeanuts.Rememberthateatingofnutsmustbelimited(notmorethanonethirdcupperdayorapproximately30gmsperday).

EssentialFattyAcids(EFA)

Fattyacidswhichcannotbesynthesisedbythebody,buthavetobesuppliedthroughdietareknownasessentialfattyacids.VegetableoilsareagoodsourceofEFA.

Essential fatty acids are the precursors of a group of clinically related compounds known asprostaglandins.Prostaglandinsplayakeyroleinthebody’sphysiologicalprocesseslikecontrollingbloodpressure,preventingbloodclottinginthearteries,thusavoidingvasculardamagetotheheartandbrain.Italsoaffectswomenduringtheirmenstrualcyclesandhelpsuterinecontractionsduringchildbirth.

Prostaglandin↓

CausesdilationofbloodvesselsInhibitsplateletaggregationHelpsininducinglabourIncreasessensitivitytopainCausesfeveroninfection

OmegaFattyAcids(Omega3andOmega6)

TodayOmegafattyacidsarethemostspokenof,butveryfewpeopleknowwhattheyareallabout.Omega3fattyacidsbelongtotheunsaturatedfattyacidsgroup.

Omega3

Omega 3 helps in protecting against heart diseases, thrombosis and high blood pressure. It issupposed to lower triglycerides. It is also beneficial in certain inflammatory and autoimmunedisorders,e.g.arthritis.

FoodSourcesofOmega3

Vegetarian Non-vegetarian

Flaxseed(oilandseed)WalnutsOils – Canola (rapeseed ) oil Soya bean, Mustard oil Green leafyvegetablesCereals–Wheatgrain,BajraPulses&Legumes–Rajmah,Lobia,Uraddal

EggsFattyFish–Hilsa,Surmai,BlackPomfret,Salmon

Note:Flaxseedoiliseasilyperishable.Itshouldnotbeusedforcooking.Flaxseedwhenused,shouldbegroundfresh.

Omega6

Omega6fattyacidsbelongtothepolyunsaturatedfattyacidgroup.MoreofOmega6isconsumedinthedietascomparedtoOmega3.Infact,oneshouldhavemoreofOmega3.

FoodSourcesofOmega6

Cereals,eggs,bakedgoodies,wholewheatbreadandsomevegetableoils.

Totalamountoffatstobeconsumedshouldbelessthan30%ofourdailycalories.

TargettheFat-gramBudget

Theaveragedailydietaryfat requirementofamoderatelyactiveadultwomanis30 to40gmsandthatofamoderatelyactiveadultmanis40to60gms.

Anexampleof40gramsoffatperday

Breakfast :Maximum5gramsoffatMid-morningsnack :Maximum3gramsoffatLunch :Maximum10gramsoffatEveningsnack :Maximum2gramsoffatDinner :Maximum20gramsoffat

Figuresaregivenasestimatesonly.

Thesimplestwaytosavegramsoffatisbysteadilyreducingthequantityofhigh-fatfoodsyoueatandatthesametimeincreasingyourportionsoflowerfatornon-fattyfoods.

ReducingGramsofFatinDiet

Carbohydrates

Theproportionofcarbohydratesconsumedthroughouttheworldvariesacrosstheglobe.Carbohydratesareanimportantsourceofenergyforthebody.

SimpleCarbohydrates

Sugarsaresimplecarbohydrates.Theycanbedividedintotwotypes:

Naturalsugars:whicharefoundinnaturalfoodse.g.,sugarinvegetables,fruits,etc.Addonsugars:whichhavebeenseparatedfromthenaturalstructure,e.g.tablesugarorsugarsaddedinfruitjuices,cannedproducts,etc.

CommonTypesofSugars

Type Name SourceFruitsugar Fructose FruitsMilksugar Lactose MilkTablesugar Sucrose Preparedproduct

Addon sugarswhich are present, but hidden in breakfast cereals, soft drinks andprocessed foodsshouldbecutdown inyourdiet.Keep inmind that,honey,brownsugarorwhitesugarallcontainsugarandcalories.

Tips

Drinkmorewater and avoid aerated drinks.Dried fruits can be used to sweeten cakes and otherbakedproducts.Theyarealsohighinfibre.Tinnedfruitsor juicesshouldbenaturalandnotwithaddedsweeteners.

ComplexCarbohydrates

Starchesarethecomplexcarbohydrates.Mostofour“eatingstarches”areconsumedintheformofcerealgrains,potatoes,beans,peasandothervegetables.

Fibre

Thecomplexcarbohydratesgroupalsoconsistsofroughagecalled“fibre”.

Insolublefibres

Theyareimportantfornormalbowelfunctioning.Theyhelpinrelievingconstipationandalsolowercholesterol.

Sources

Cerealhusk,Esabgol(Psylliumhusk),vegetableswithskinlikepotatoes,wholegraincereals,wholewheatbread,brownrice,etc.

SolubleFibres

They also help in lowering cholesterol.The theory is that soluble fibres probably bind to the bileacids in the intestine, thushelping inpreventing their reabsorption in thebody.Soluble fibres alsoenhancetheexcretionofcholesterolproducedbytheliver.

Sources

Oats,fruits(citrusfruits,apple,pear),vegetablesandpulses(lentils,beans,chickpeaandpeas).

Amediumcarbohydratedietshouldbeapartofyourmealplan.Ahighcarbohydratediet,inwhichthecaloriesareabove60% isnot recommended.This isbecause triglyceride levelsare raisedandHDLlevelsarereduced.

Protein

Proteinismadeupofblockscalledaminoacids.Yourbodyneedsdifferenttypesofaminoacidsto

keep healthy. There are eight known essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are thosewhichhavetobeconsumedthroughyourdiet.Someoftheproteins(e.g.meats)thatyouconsumecontainallaminoacids.Vegetariansourceslikevegetables,fruits,grainsandnutsareincompleteproteinsastheylackoneormoreaminoacidsrequiredbythebody.Theseaminoacidscannotbemanufacturedbythebody.Vegetariansshouldbeconsciousofthefactthattokeepthemselveshealthytheyneedanassortmentofproteincontainingfoodseachday.Therequirementofproteinbythebodyisabout15-20%ofthetotalcalories.Therecommendedamountofproteinforahealthyindividual is0.6–0.8gm/kgbodyweight.

GoodDietarySourcesofProteinsMeats: beefandporksteakPoultry: chickenbreast,turkeybreastFish: salmon,tuna,crab,lobster,haddockDairyproducts: cheese,milk,yoghurt,tofu,eggsLentils: kidneybeansSoyabean: tofu,soyamilk,soyagranules

SomeFactsaboutProtein

Proteinisthemainbuildingblockofourbody.Protein,nexttowateristhesubstancewhichisfoundmostinourbody.Itmakesupourmuscles,ligaments,tendons,nailsandhair.Proteinhelpsyoupreserveleanmuscletissues,whileyouareonadiettolosefat.Protein obtained from animal products (fish, poultry, meat) contain all amino acids. This iscalledacompleteprotein.

Protein also helps slowing down the absorption of glucose in the blood stream. This in turnreducesinsulinlevelinyourbody,makingiteasierforthebodytoburnofffat.

Duringproteindigestion,certainacidsreleasedbythebodyareusuallyneutralisedwithcalciumandotherbuffersintheblood.Ifonecontinuesconsuminghighlevelsofprotein,calciummaybe depleted from your bones. This may result in osteoporosis (a condition in which bonesbecomeweakandareeasilybroken).Inastudy,itwasseenthatwomenconsumingmorethan95gmsofproteinadayhad20%morebrokenwriststhanthoseconsuminglessthan68gmsperday.

Vegetables

Vegetables are low on the food chain and they support the healthy mid-range pH of the bodychemistry.VegetablesarethekeysourcesoftheantioxidantvitaminsA,CandE.Theyalsocontainthe supportive co-factors of zinc and the B-complex group of vitamins. The cabbage familyvegetables (often called cruciferous) contain amino acids, cysteine and methionine which areantioxidants.

Beans

Thebeanfamilycontainsproteaseinhibitorswhichprovideprotectionagainstcertaintoxins.BeansarealsoagoodsourceoftheantioxidantvitaminsA,C,E,theBcomplexandzincco-factor.Therearedifferentkindsofbeanse.g.lentils,kidneybeans,chickpeas,soyabeans,limabeans,splitbeans,pintoandadzukibeans.

VitaminsandMinerals

Seaweeds

Sea vegetables are full of mineral and trace elements. The calcium content of sea vegetables isespeciallyhigh.Seavegetablesalsocontainmagnesium,potassiumandzinc,whichareimportantforfightingagainstfreeradicals.

Miso

MisoisavegetariansourceofvitaminB12andisafermentedsoyaproduct.Miso’sprotectivepowerisduetotheenzymesitcontains.

TraditionalandProtectiveFoods

Grains

Grainsareimportantbecausetheyprovideimportantnutrientstothebody.Grainshelptomaintainthebody’smid-rangepH.Thebulkofgrainshelpslessenintestinaltransittime,thushelpingin the elimination of toxins. Vitamins found in grains have an antioxidant property that helps toeliminatefreeradicals.Themineralsinthegrains,actasantioxidantco-factors.

NutrientsFoundinGrains

Mineralslikecalcium,magnesiumandvitaminE,etc.arealsoimportantnutrientsfoundingrains.

NutsandSeeds

Nuts and seeds are sources of compact food. They supply protein, B complex vitamins, theantioxidantvitaminEandzinc.Nutsandseedsalsocontainpectinandphytates,whichhelpeliminatetoxins,andinturnreducefreeradicalformationinthebody.

Nuts

Walnuts,brazilnuts,pistachionuts,pecans,almonds,cashewnuts.

Seeds

Sesameseeds,pumpkinseeds,sunflowerseeds.

Sprouts

ThepotentialoftheBvitaminscanincreaseover500percentintheprocessofgrowingfromseedtosprout.Someofthevegetablesthatwecansproutregularlyandhavewithourmealsare:

LeafyGreenSprouts

Alfalfa,buckwheat,sunflower

SproutedBeans

Lentils,moong,soya,greenpeas,garbanzo

SproutedGrains

Wheat,rye,barley

SpicesandCondiments

Spices and condiments are commonly used in households for indigestion, flatulence, abdominalcrampsandconstipation.People in theeasterncountriesusefenugreekseedsforgoutanddiabetes,chillies to gain vitaminC, bishop’sweed for spasmodic and respiratory disorders. Fennel is oftenused to relieve flatulence in infants and cloves are used for toothaches. Today turmeric is beingconsideredgoodforthepreventionofcancer.Untitled-6344/14/2009,3:51PM

CommonlyUsedSpicesandCondiments

EnglishName IndianNameBishop’sweedCardamom(small)CinnamonCorianderChilliesPepperBasilAsafoetidaFennelseedAniseedSaffronFenugreekCuminseedCloveNutmegMaceBayleafMustardTurmericGarlicGinger

AjwainChotiillaichiDalchiniDhaniaLalmirchiKaalimirchiKalitulsiHingSaunfAngrezisaunfKesarMethiJeeraLaungJaiphalJavitriTejpattaSarsonHaldiLehsanAdrak

Onion Pyaaz

All the above have somemedicinal value, besides being used for flavouring in different kinds offood.

Onion,gingerandgarlicarethemostcommonlygrowncondimentsinmanygeographicalareasofthe world. Ginger is known to be valuable against dyspepsia, flatulence, colic and respiratorydiseases.Onions are consideredgood for bloodpressure, cough and cold.Garlic has a variety oftherapeuticuses.Therangeiswide.Itextendsfromhelpingpreventcardiovasculardiseasestocancertobeingantibacterialinnature.Garlicissaidtolowerbadcholesterolinthebodyandhelpsreduceclottingintheblood.

Herbs

Through theages,herbsandmedicinalplantshavebeenusedbyman forhealingpurposes.As theactiveprinciplesfoundinthecommonlyusedherbsareeffectiveinhelpingpreventcertaindiseases,theyshouldbeusedfreelyineveryhome.

CommonlyUsedHerbs

EnglishName IndianNameDill SowaCelery AjmundMint Pudina

Herbs help in counteracting free radicals as they have antioxidant properties. They also help indetoxifying and strengthening your immune system. Some of the commonly used herbs are - dill

(sowa),celery(ajmund),mint(pudina),etc.

HighNutrientSeaVegetables

Algaehavemultiplenutrientsandfreeradicalfightingantioxidantsandantioxidantenzymes.

Algae contain vitamin B, Beta-carotene, and minerals including iron and magnesium. They alsocontain proteins which are available as neuropeptides which help fortify the neuro transmission.Chlorophyllpresentinthealgaefightsfreeradicals.

Vitamins,MineralsandMedication

Vitamins help in the normal functioning of the body. They are also essential for scavenging freeradicals from the body and are important for fighting diseases. Commonly usedmedication oftendepletesthebodyofvitaminsandminerals.

DepletedVitaminsandMineralsduetoCertainMedications

Medication DepletedVitaminsandMineralsAlcohol Magnesium,VitaminBcomplex,VitaminC,D,EandKAntibiotics VitaminBandKAnti-Inflammatories VitaminC,FolicAcid,IronAntihistamines VitaminCAntihypertensives Calcium,Potassium,Magnesium,VitaminB,FolicacidAspirin VitaminAandB,Calcium,Folicacid,Iron,potassiumCaffeine Potassium,VitaminB,ZincDiuretics Calcium,Iodine,Magnesium,Potassium,VitaminC,ZincEstrogen VitaminB,FolicacidLaxatives VitaminA,D&K,Potassium,otherminerals

03.KeepYourPalateUnderKeepYourPalateUnderControl

Alltastyfoodmaynotbehelpfulforyourwell-being.Beconsciousofwhatyoueat.Onceinawhile,letting the senses rule the mind is fine. At the same time remember, its you who has to keep thebalance!

Salt

Itisestimatedthat1gmofsaltcontains2.4gmsofsodium.Iftheaveragedailysaltintakeisreducedtoaboutone-thirdbypeople,itwouldhelppreventbloodpressureandstrokes.Thecommonlyusedsaltproductsweconsumewithoutbeingconsciousare:

ButterCornflakesAllbreadsPicklesProcessedfoodsSoupsandsaucesMeatslikebaconCannedandprocessedfoodSnacks(pakoras,samosas,wafers,chips)

Most foodseatencontainmuchmoresalt than is requiredbyourbody.Tryandpickupprocessed(cannedandpacked)foodwithlesssodiumandsweetcontent.Doreadthelabelsonthefoodthatyoupickfromyourstores.

PointstoRemember

Avoidaddingextrasaltwhencookingoreating.Ifhypertensive,orotherwisetryusinglesssalt.Seasonmorewithspicesandherbs.Toaddflavourandnotmisssalt,youcanalsousevinegar,lemonandwinesforcooking.

Broil, grill, bake or steam food without adding salt or fat. Use nonstick pans or cookware.Microwaveifessential.

Sugar

Itappearsthatthecaloriessimplygetreplacedbyotherfoods.Ithasalsobeenfoundthatsweets(evenartificialones)stimulateanappetiteforfatsinsomepeople.

Refinedwhitesugar–sucrose–topsthelistof“emptycalories”,alongwithitscounterparts–cornsyrup, brown sugar, dextrose, fructose, maltose and cane syrup. It makes sense tomoderate yourconsumption of sweeteners and of highly sweetened foods – especially when they are eaten withhighlyfattyfoods.

If your tight schedule oftenmakes it necessary for you to eatmeals and snacks away fromhome,makehealthychoices.Addmorefreshsalads,grain/lasagna,wholewheatbread,chapati,brownrice,bakedorboiledpotatoandlotofvegetablestoyourdiet.

DairyProducts

Milkand itsproducts shouldbe consumed inmoderatequantity (approximatelynotmore than500gms/day).Lowfatorskimmedmilkshouldbepreferablyconsumed.

Cheese

Cheesehasahighfatcontent,two-thirdofwhichislikelytobesaturated.Wheneatingcottagecheeseonemustrealisethatacertainamountofsaturatedfat ispresent.Sodon’tbingetoomuchondairyproducts.

AlcoholandSnacking

Thelowestriskisforthosewhodrinkoneortwosmalldrinks/day(30ml/daily).Theriskshootsupon4drinks/day.Therecommendedsafedrinkinglimitislowerforwomenthanmen.Asawoman’sbody contains less water than a man, it takes less alcohol in a woman to reach a harmfulconcentration.

Oneunitofalcoholisobtainedas:

25mlofwhiskyorotherspirits125mlofaglassofwine50mlofMartiniorSherry(fortifiedwine)

PointstoRemember

Onepegofwhisky/rum/vodka(approx.40ml) isabout105calories.Aglassofwinecontains85-135calories.Alcohol,isasourceofemptycalories(i.e.itdoesnotcontainmineralsandvitamins).Itaddsfattothebody.Itprovideshighercaloriesthananyotherfood,e.g.carbohydratesandproteins.Alcoholisalsoagreatappetiser.

Mostpeople like tosnackwhiledrinkingalcoholicbeverages.Onemust remember thatalongwithcarbohydrates (wafers, potato fries, cheeslings, etc.) you take in alcohol calories aswell. Try andkeeptosalads(withouthighfatdressings)orsmallamountsofnuts(withouttoomuchsaltoroil),whenconsumingalcohol.

04.AHealltthyMeallPllanWater

Watercontainsnocarbohydrates,proteinsorfats.Itpossessesnocalories.Itisthemostoverlookedcomponentinnutrition.

Water:CrucialforSurvival

Waterstabilisesthebodytemperature.Ithelpstransportnutrientsthroughoutthebody.Itexcreteswasteproducts.Itisapartofbloodandotherbodyfluids.Waterisessentialforjointlubrication.

DailyRequirement

2.0–2.5litresofwaterisrequired/day.Inwarmweatherorwhileexercisingyouneedmorewater.

WaterisLostbytheBodyDaily

AsurineFromthelungsAsfaecesThroughtheskin

WaterisProvided

Morebyfoods,suchasfruitsorvegetables.Otherfoodslikepastries,cakes,butterprovidelittlewater.Foodwhenbrokendownforenergyalsoprovideswater.

DrinksthatHydrateYourBody

WaterFruitjuiceSkimmedmilkHerbalteas

DrinksthatDehydrateYourBody

CaffeinateddrinkCoffeeTeaColasCertainenergydrinksAlcohol

Drinksorfruitjuiceshighinsugarslowdownwaterabsorptionfromyourstomach.

TheBodyandEnergy

60-75%ofyourtotaldailyenergyspentisusedforkeepingyoualive.Itisalsoknownastherestingmetabolicrateandisthenumberofcaloriesyouuse,ifyourestinthebedthewholeday.Itdoesnotgiveyouridealcalorieintake.

Approximately10%ofthetotaldailyenergyspentisusedfordigestingyourfoods.

15-30%ofthetotaldailyenergyisusedforphysicalactivity.

TotalDailyEnergy(100%)

Restingmetabolicrate(60-75%energy)

HeartbeatandcirculationBreathingRepairoftissues

Eatingfood(10%energy)

EatinganddigestingfoodAbsorbingnutrients

Physicalactivity(15-30%energy)

ToCalculateYourRestingMetabolicRate(RMR)

Multiplyyourweightinlbsby10(lbsx10)(1lb=0.45kg)Ifyouweigh120lbyourRMRwillbeapproximately1200calories.

GlycaemicIndex

Glycaemicindexisarankingofcarbohydratesonascaleof0to100,basedontheirimmediateeffectonbloodsugaraftereating.

Foodswithahighglycaemicindex (70+)Foodswithamediumglycaemicindex (55to69)Foodswithalowglycaemicindex (55orless)

Low glycaemic index has been shown to help improve glucose and lipid levels in people withdiabetes(bothTypeIandTypeII).Theydonotpromotefatstorage.Foodswithlowglycaemicindexhelpcontrolexcessiveappetite,delayhungertherebyhelpinginweightcontrol.

FoodswithHighGlycaemicIndex

Whitebread,potatoes,juices,dates,cornflakesandglucose.

FoodswithIntermediateGlycaemicIndex

Brownbread,popcorn,white rice, sweetcorn,cheesepizza,cannedpeaches, instantoatmeal, freshpineapple.

FoodswithLowGlycaemicIndex

Vegetables,fruits,oats,wholewheatbread,pasta,parboiledrice,barley,fatfreeorskimmedmilkandyogurt.

OrganicFood

Organicfoodarethosewhichareproducedwithouttheuseofartificialpesticides,herbicidesoranysyntheticproducts.Theymaybeproducedorgrowninafarm,homeorboughtfromastore.

Organic foods can be fresh or frozen. Fresh foods like vegetables and fruits are seasonal andperishable.Theyarebestconsumedduringthemonthsthattheyaregrownin.Thisisalsoinregardtotheirnutrientvalue.Thereforeorganicfoodscanbedefinedasproductsgrownwithoutextensiveuseofsyntheticchemicalsandwhicharenormallyseasonalproducts.

Processed foods can also be organic though they may or may not be seasonal. These foods areprocessedwithoutartificialmethods,e.g.nochemicalripening(withethylene)ornofoodirradiation.

Fibre

Fibrehelpsinslowingdownabsorptionofglucoseintheblood.Averagefibreintake/dayshouldbearound40gmsformenand25gmsforwomen.Fibreistheindigestiblecellulosematerialingrains,vegetablesandfruits.Chokeratta,i.e.theunrefinedatta,isimportantforthebody’smetabolism.

Also fibre in foods (if substituted for fatty foods)helps reducecholesteroland triglycerides in thebody.

AFewLineson...

Gout

Goutisadiseasewhichiscausedbylowenzymaticlevelsofpurinemetabolismorhighlevelsofuricacid product. Uric acid is the metabolic end product of proteins (i.e. purine nucleic acids). Somepurinesaremadebyourbodywhilesomeareconsumedthroughthefoodsweeat.Highlevelsofuricacidcancauseformationofcrystalsinthejointsandcartilageofthebody.

Reducingtheamountofpurinesinproteinhelpsinthereductionofuricacid.

Kidney(Oxalate)Stones

Oxalicacidinthecourseofbeingprocessedinthebodycombineswiththesaltslikecalciumtoformsaltsofcalciumoxalates.Itcanprecipitateincrystallineformasstonesinthekidney.Oxalatestonesarealsofoundinthebladder.

SourcesofFoodwithHighOxalicAcid

Lettuce,eggplant,sweetpotato,spinach,radish,parsley,cabbage,broccoli,garlic,etc.

Peoplewitharenalstoneorbladderstoneshouldavoidtheseorhavethemlessintheirdiet.

SomeFoodswithDifferentPurineLevels

Highlevelpurines Moderatelevelpurines LowlevelpurinesFish – sardine cod,trout Meat–beef,pork Grains, Milk products,

SugarPoultry–turkey Seafood–crab,lobster,oyster Greenvegetables,Eggs

Organ–liver,kidney Poultry – chicken, duck Kidney beans andlentils Bread

Other sources –alcohol Vegetables–spinach,mushrooms Coffee

Malnutrition

Itisacomplexconditionresultingfromanimbalancebetweenthebody’sneedandintakeofnutrients.It can involve deficiencies of proteins,micronutrients (vitamins andminerals). It can also lead totoxicitydependencyorobesity.

CausesofMalnutrition

Undernutrition: Results from inadequate intake of nutrients (during an illness) or an imbalanceddiet.

Overnutrition:Resultsfromovereating(mainlywrongtypesoffood),insufficientexerciseandalsooverprescription of the fad therapeutic diets. This leads to excess intake of vitamins (toxicity) anddeficiency of minerals. A person may be overweight, but due to improper nutrition can bemalnourished.

FadDiets:Yo-yodietingisnotrecommended.Lowcaloriedietscannotsustainthebodyforlongandresult invitamin,mineral andproteindeficiencies.Thesedeficiencies can thereby result in seriousmetabolicdisorders.

Drug or alcohol dependency often leads to wrong eating habits. Absorption and metabolism ofnutrientsduetoalcoholisimpaired.Alcoholconsumerswithunhealthyfoodhabitsoftengainweight.Hard liquor consumers are often known to suffer from deficiencies of thiamine, calcium,magnesium,zincandothernutrients.

SomeCommonSignsofMalnutrition

SwollenorbleedinggumsDryandscalyskinPigmentationofhairSpoonednailsPainfulbonesandjoints

MalnutritioninChildren

Inadequateintakeofprotein,(tobuildmusclesandkeepthebodyhealthy)calories(forenergy),iron(forproperfunctioningofbloodcells),vitaminsandmineralsarethemaincausesofmalnutritioninchildren.

The body’s requirements for micronutrients is essential, especially in the growing stages andgeriatricphase(oldage).MicronutrientsneededareVitaminsA,B,C,folatezinc,calcium,ironandiodine.

SomeCommonDeficiencyDiseases

Goitre(Enlargedthyroidgland):Duetoiodinedeficiency.

VitaminAdeficiency:Leadingcauseof(preventable)blindnessinchildren.

Anaemia:Itleadstolowredbloodcellscount.Anaemiacausestiredness,canaffectbrainfunctioningandcausecardiacdeathinseverecases.

Treatmentofthesediseasesisthroughfortifiedfoodsandsupplements.Iftheamountoffoodisnotenoughthebodydoesnotreceiveenergy.Inchildrenthereisweightlossduetolackofmusclemass.Malnourishedchildrenhavedisproportionatelylargeabdomen,littlemuscleandinadequatefatstores.Theyalsohaveahighincidenceofdiseasesasthebodyisnotwellequippedtofightinfection..

05.FoodLabelsAndGoodNutritionHowtoReadFoodLabels

Theinformationgiventoyouonthebackofyourfoodpacketortingivesthenutritionalqualityoftheproductyouarebuying.

Calories:Calories are showneither as “Kcalories”, “kilojoules”or “energy”.They are listedperservingorper100gm.Foodcanbeoflowcalorie,butstillhaverefinedsugarorfat.

Protein:Proteinpresentisofteninsmallamounts.Checkforanimalorvegetablesources.

Carbohydrates:Carbohydratesaresometimesubdividedintosugarsorstarches.Sotheyarereadas“refined”and“complex”carbohydrates.Complexcarbohydratesshouldbepreferred.Rememberthatsugarprovidesenergy,buthaslittlenutritionalvalue.

Fat:Allfatisfattening.

Youshouldbecarefulaboutthetotalamountofthefatconsumed.Avoidfatwhichissaturated.Unsaturatedfatisequallyfatteningbutisahealthierchoice.

Note:Reducedfatfoodscanoftencontainupto40%offat.

StrikeaBalanceForGoodNutrition

Donotkeepcountingcalories.Drinkalotofwater.Strikeabalanceinselectingdifferenttypesoffoodforyourplate.Seethattheyarerightinproportion.Getyourcalories

MorefromcomplexcarbohydratesFewerfromfat

Eatinmoderation

BeTotallyFit:ExerciseandEatRight

TheBComplexGroup

Nutrients Vegetables OtherNaturalSources ActionofVegetables

FolicAcid Spinach,asparagus,vegetables Fortifiedfoods

Protects against birth defects, helpsprevent cardiovascular and otherdiseases.

Riboflavin(B2)

Green leafyvegetables,spinach, broccoli,mushrooms.

Milk, yogurt, cheese,bread,cereals,liver

Helps in growth and reproduction,antioxidant, alleviates fatigue, importantfornervefunctionandmetabolism.

Niacin(B3)

Green leafyvegetables,spinach, broccoli,mushrooms

Milk, cheese, poultry,wheat germ, brown rice,enriched bread, cereals,dates,figs,prunes,etc.

Important for preventingheart diseases,promotes healthy body metabolism.Helps in increasing good cholesterol,aidsinpreventinganxiety.

Pyridoxin(B6) Vegetables Fruits, fortified cereals,

meat,poultry,fish

Maintainshealthyimmunesystem,helpsmaintain normal blood sugar, normalnerve conduction, and preventsneuropathy.

Cobalamin(B12)

Green leafyvegetables,spinach, broccoli,mushrooms

Lamb, fish, (trout,sardine), eggs, milk, andmilk products, organmeats.

Helps prevent anaemia, helps inmaintainingimmunity.

MythsAndFactFileMyth

Ghee,butterandlotofcreaminmilkishealthy.

Fact

Allsaturatedfatlikeghee,butterandcreamaredetrimentaltohealth.Saturatedfatbothinvegetarianandnonvegetarianform,shouldbelessthan7%ofourdiet(of30%totalfatconsumedaspartofthecaloriesinaday).

Myth

Crashdietingisagoodwaytoloseweightquickly.

Fact

Crashdieting is not good forgeneral health.Onemust loseweight slowly (notmore than½kg aweek).Otherwise,nutrition imbalancecanoccur.On reaching the idealweight,maintain it throughpropernutritionaldietand

regularexercise.Yo-yodietingmakesyouputonmoreweight.

Myth

Drinkinglotofteaorjuicesinthedaywillhelpmefulfiltherequirementsoffluids.

Fact

Teaandjuicesaretobetakeninmeasuredquantities.Watertheelixirofhealthisrequiredinlargequantitiestocleanyourbodyofwastesandtoxins.

Myth

Picklesareharmless.Icanhavethemregularlywithallmymeals.

Fact

Beconsciousofthefactthatpicklesarepreservedinlotofoilandsalt,bothofwhichshouldbetakeninlessamount.Freshpicklemadeinlemonjuicewithlesssalt,canbeconsumedregularly.