Food For Nutrition – Part 1

Food For Nutrition – Part 1

To meet one’s daily nutritional needs, the consumption of food is a necessity. With the variety available in the market today, it can be quite confusing which food is good for us. Generally, food is any material consumed with the intention of providing nutrition to an organism for future growth. Food is generally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and comprises various nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or even minerals.

There are various food groups according to their basic ingredients like carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins. These three categories all have specific functions that make them superior over others for human consumption. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy and therefore used in most metabolic processes in the human body. Proteins, on the other hand, are the building blocks of muscles and are the major source of amino acids that are essential in the synthesis of proteins. Vitamins, on the other hand, are required by the body in large quantities to maintain normal skin, hair, and nail growth. The deficiency of vitamins in the body leads to various disorders like birth defects, weak immunity, weak nervous system, and even cancer.

In order to achieve complete nutrition, food should be nutritious, in terms of nutritional content. However, protein is considered to be the most important nutrient for building and repairing muscles. Therefore, food sources rich in protein include lean meats like chicken and fish, eggs, and beans. Rice and other grains are also good sources of protein, as they provide B-vitamins, iron, riboflavin and folic acid. However, it should be noted that not all food items are beneficial for building muscle, because certain food types are more recommended, especially food sources rich in calories.

Fatty acids present in meat and dairy products are considered to be the best food sources for obtaining these nutrients. Saturated fatty acids, on the other hand, are considered to be bad dietary sources, since they increase cholesterol levels in the blood. Nevertheless, saturated fats found in dairy products are important nutrients for maintaining the health of the heart. Similarly, unsaturated fatty acids found in fats from seeds and nuts are equally important nutrients for building muscle, since they reduce cholesterol levels in the blood stream.

Based on the research findings, the above mentioned food sources are more helpful in building muscles than other food groups. In fact, all the food groups are equally useful in providing necessary nutrition to the body. According to the study session 2 nutrients, protein, fat, carbohydrates are the most important nutrients for nutrition, whereas a combination of vitamins and minerals are helpful in providing optimal nutrition.

Unprocessed plant foods including vegetables and fruits form an essential part of our diet. It is true that vegetables and fruits contain almost 70% of total calories required for human body growth and development, and also contain important nutrients like protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iodine, sodium, zinc, iron, biotin, and vitamin C. However, the benefits of eating vegetables and fruits are more evident during dieting, because they provide soluble fiber, which reduces cholesterol and prevents the formation of plaque in the arteries. Processed or frozen food, on the other hand, contains only some of these essential nutrients. So it is suggested that apart from the best food for dieting, it is important to avoid processed or frozen food, especially if you have high blood pressure or diabetes.