Preface

Live to eat. Eat to eat.

The country where I came from produces one of the best foods in the world. So I can fully understand that it is fairly difficult to keep temptations at bay. But do you know exactly what you put in your mouth and what your body does with them?

Nutrition is nothing new to everyone. It is simply a process of taking in and using food, involving four steps: ingestion, digestion, absorption and metabolism. To function, the body needs a continuous supply of energy, which it gets from the metabolism from food. Energy is measured in units called kilocalories, more commonly known as calories (which we will discuss about them more in later pages).

There are six general types of nutrients. Carbohydrate, protein and fat supply energy while minerals, vitamins and water regulates body processes.

Carbohydrates

• Food containing carbohydrates form basis of many diets through out the world because they are aplenty and inexpensive. They are mainly found in bread, cereal, fruit, vegetables and table sugar. Carbohydrates are the source of body’s most basic type of fuel, glucose. It is carried in blood and and rapidly absorbed by every cell in the body. Simply put, glucose is main food for cells, else they starve. Simple carbohydrates pass quickly from digestive tract into blood steams while complex carbohydrates (starches) must be broken into simple sugar before body can use them. Extra carbohydrates that are not used immediately as fuel are either stored in liver or converted to fat and stored elsewhere in the body. Each gram of carbohydrate provides the body with 4 calories.

Protein

• It is found in foods such as milk and cheese, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, dried peas and beans. Proteins contain amino acid, small molecules which are the building blocks of all body’s cells. Therefore, protein helps the body to grow new tissue after illness or injury. As mentioned, it is a source of fuel and it provides 4 calories per gram.

Fats (Lipids)

• fats are found in butter, cooking oils, whole milk, cheese, meat, egg yolks, nuts, shortening and lard. Fats make food taste better and satisfy appetite longer because they take a longer time to digest. Although a low-fat diet is recommended for most people to maintain health, not all fats are bad. In fact, the body requires a certain amount of dietary fat to function properly. For example, some vitamins will dissolve only in fat and therefore, must be present in body to use the vitamins. Fat also protects our organs and help us to stay warm. Fat is the most concentrated source of energy providing 9 calories per gram. 

Vitamins

• Vitamins are classified as water soluble and fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins dissolve in water. These include vitamins C and B complex which are absorbed directly from the digestive tract into blood steam. The body cannot store water soluble vitamins and these extra are passed from the body in the urine, This means water soluble vitamins must be replenished daily for the use of the body.
• Fat soluble vitamins (Vitamin A, D, E and K) are absorbed and stored in the body’s fat, where they can be used as needed. unlike water soluble vitamins, fat soluble vitamins are not easily passed from body. For this reason, consuming too much of insoluble vitamin can be harmful.

Minerals

• They help provide structure within the body. For example, flouride strengthens teeth and calcium strengthens bones. Minerals also regulate body processes such iron in red blood cells are needed to carry oxygen to all cells.

Water

• This is provided in the diet in form of beverages such as juice, soda, milk, coffee, tea  and water! Water is found in many foods such as fruits and vegetables. Water provided no calories or nutrition, but it is more essential than food. Every cell in our body contains water which accounts for 50-60% of your body weight. Functions of water include: dissolving nutrients and circulating them in body, transports waste products out of body by urine and feces, keeping us cool when it evaporates off skin in form of sweat, keeps mucous membranes moist and forms the basis of fluid in joints for smooth movements.