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Nutrients are certain chemical compounds that are present in foods and that fulfill one or more of the following functions:

• Supply energy for body functions.
• Build and replace cells that make up body tissues.
• Regulate body processes.

There are six categories of nutrients:

• Carbohydrates
• Fats
• Proteins
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Water

CALORIES

The calorie is a unit of measurement of energy. It is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C. Remember that one of the functions of nutrients is to supply energy to the body.

The calorie is used to measure how much energy certain foods supply for these functions. In our overfed society, calories have come to be viewed as something to be avoided. Nevertheless, without sufficient food energy, we could not live.

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats can be used by the body to supply energy.

1 gram of carbohydrate supplies 4 calories

1 gram of protein supplies 4 calories

1 gram of fat supplies 9 calories

There is a direct connection between calorie intake, physical activity, and weight gain. Simply put, if you consume more calories than you burn, you gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight. All the diet schemes and fashions in the world-at least the ones that are medically sound-can be reduced to this.

In other words, losing weight is possible only by eating fewer calories, by burning more calories through exercise, or, preferably, by both.

In order to lose weight while maintaining good nutrition and health, one should avoid empty calories as much as possible and eat primarily foods of high nutrient density.Empty calorie foods are those that provide few nutrients per calorie. Refined sugars and starches are examples of empty calories. Foods of high nutrient density are those that have relatively many nutrients per calorie. Fruits,vegetables,and whole grains are examples of foods with high nutrient density.

KINDS OF NUTRIENTS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE

Each of the nutrients listed has certain characteristics and functions in the body.These are discussed below in general terms.. Many fad diets emphasize either the good or the bad qualities of one particular nutrient.

For example,a particular weight loss diet may advise eating mostly protein foods and eliminating carbohydrates as much as possible. However, because all nutrients are essential, such diets can lead to nutritional imbalances. Thus, it is necessary to understand the function and importance of all nutrients.

The amount of each nutrient needed daily varies from person to person, depending on such factors as age, sex, general  health, and level of activity.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms bound together in chains of varying lengths.

Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Simple sugars, such as glucose, are small compounds containing 6 carbon atoms.Table sugar, or sucrose, is a larger sugar molecule with 12 carbon atoms. Sugars are found in sweets and, to a lesser extent, in fruits and vegetables.

Starches are complex carbohydrates consisting of long chains of simple sugars bound together.They are found in such foods as grains, bread,peas and beans, and many vegetables and fruits. Carbohydrates are the body’s most important source of food energy. Fats and proteins can also be burned for energy, but the body uses carbohydrates first. If no carbohydrates are available,the body then burns fat.

However, if fats are burned with no carbohydrates present, toxic compounds called ketone bodies are produced. If too many ketone bodies accumulate, a condition called ketosis develops, and the blood becomes unable to carry oxygen properly.The result can be fatal. Thus, one of the important functions of carbohydrates is to help the body burn fat properly. About 50 to 100 grams of carbohydrates are needed every day to prevent ketosis.

Most authorities believe that complex carbohydrates, especially those from whole grains and unrefined foods, are better for you than simple carbohydrates.This is partly because starchy foods also have many other nutrients,while sweets have few other nutrients.

Also, there is some evidence that a lot of sugar in the diet may contribute to heart and circulatory diseases. Simple sugars and refined starches are primary sources of empty calories.

Another reason that carbohydrates from whole grains and unrefined foods are preferable to those from refined sugars and starches is that these unrefined foods are sources of fiber. The term fiber refers to a group of carbohydrates that cannot be absorbed and used by the body. Therefore,fiber supplies no food energy. However,it is important for the proper functioning of the intestinal tract and the elimination of body waste.

In addition, there is evidence that sufficient dietary fiber helps prevent some kinds of cancers and helps decrease cholesterol in the blood. Fruits and vegetables, especially raw,and whole grains supply dietary fiber.

Fiber can be classified as either soluble or insoluble.Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a kind of gel. It is found inside and between plant cells.Insoluble fiber also absorbs water, but less, and forms bulk in the intestines. It is found in cell walls and other structural parts of plants.

Fats

Fats supply energy to the body in highly concentrated form. Also, some fatty acids are necessary for regulating certain body functions.Third, fats act as carriers of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A,D, E, and K). Because of these important functions, it is necessary to have some fats in the diet.

Fats may be classified as saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated. These terms reflect chemical differences in the composition of fats. Cooks do not need to know the chemical structure of fats, but they should understand their nutritional characteristics and the foods in which they are found. Many foods contain a combination of these three types,with one type predominating.

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. Animal products-meats, poultry, fish,  eggs, dairy products-and solid shortenings are the major source of saturated fats.Tropical oils such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil are also rich in saturated fats.

Health experts believe these fats contribute significantly to heart disease and other health problems.Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.

Although too much of any kind of fat is unhealthy,these fats are considered more healthful than saturated fats.Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils such as corn oil, safflower oil,sunflower oil,and cottonseed oil.High levels of monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil and canola oil.

Both kinds of unsaturated fats are also found in other plant products as well,including whole grains,nuts,and some fruits and vegetables.

One group of saturated fats of special concern is trans fats.These fats occur naturally in small amounts only. Most of the trans fats in our diets are from manufactured fats subjected to a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenated fats are fats that are changed from liquid to solid by adding hydrogen atoms to the fat molecules.

This is the process used to make products such as solid shortening and margarine.Trans fats are of concern because they limit the body’s ability to rid itself of cholesterol that builds up on the walls of arteries

Fats are members of a group of compounds called lipids. Another lipid found in the body is cholesterol, a fatty substance that has been closely linked with heart disease because it collects on the walls of arteries and blocks the flow of blood to the heart and other vital organs.

It is found only in animal products and is especially high in egg yolks, butterfat, and organ meats such as liver and brains. In addition, the human body can manufacture its own cholesterol, so not all the cholesterol in the blood is necessarily from foods.

Although some cholesterol is necessary for body functions,it is not considered a nutrient because the body is able to manufacture all the cholesterol it needs. Experts generally agree it is best to keep the cholesterol in the diet as low as possible.

Recent research has suggested that monounsaturated fat may actually lower the levels of the most harmful kinds of cholesterol in the body.This may explain the relatively low incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean regions, where olive oil is the most widely used fat.This research has helped popularize the use of olive oil in other parts of the world, especially in North America.

Remember,however, that too much fat of any kind is bad for the health. Do not make the mistake of thinking that monounsaturated fats are good for you and can be used in excess.

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Please note that our organism doesn’t work as a balloon that we can inflate or deflate as we please. Losing weight, especially through very restrictive and short term diets, cannot lead to something else but to a very high organism disequilibrium, and, to make matters worse, pounds lost do not necessarily refer to the excess fat from your body.

Our body disposes of 125 000 calories stocked as: 80-85% in our fat reserves and the rest is in blood, liver, muscles etc. All of this reserve can be used by our body and can assure a 40 days survival without any alimentary additions (we would only need water).

Just by drinking water, for 3 weeks, let’s say, can only lead to a 18-24 pounds, from which only 4-10 pounds are fat! Why? Because our organism loses water first, then muscular mass and than fat.

This is why losing weight from through extreme measures is not a correct method, realised most of the time by dehydration and simply muscles melting, whereas our goal is to lose FAT. This can only be obtained by maintaining a hypo caloric diet for a long period of time (at least a 3 months).

Every lost kilogram of fat means a 7000 kcal economy, and the daily restriction cannot be more than 500-800kcal, so, the correct manner of losing 1 kg would be in 7 to 10 days.

And the above cannot be repeated every time, as the danger of the yo-yo effects

There are so many types of vegetables, right? Let’s try and separate them into two categories:

-         vegetables containing starch : potatoes, peas, beans, soy beans which contain a high amount of calories, almost like cereals

-         vegetables without starch, which you can consume raw: green salad, cabbage, pepper, squash, tomatoes etc, which you can consume FORGETTING THE QUANTITIES!!!

Advantages:

-100 g boiled beetroot contains ½ of the daily recommended doses of folic acid

-3 raw carrots per day improve your digestion due to their fibre content

- 100 g red beans offer you 15% of the an adult’s protein daily necessary and 33 % of the daily recommended fibre doses

-120 g soy beans assures 15% of the daily recommended Calcium doses

-5 mushrooms daily offer 50% of Copper ratio

-100g broccoli contain 2 mg Iron, which means 25 % of the daily recommended doses and Calcium as in a glass of milk

-100g of spinach or endives assure half of the daily recommended vitamin B doses

-1 green pepper contains 3 times more vitamin C than an adult needs daily

-1 glass (200 ml) of tomato juice contains 16 ml lycopen, which means exactly the recommended daily doses

-Brussels sprout contain 2 times more vitamin B that cauliflower or cabbage

Due to their high calorie content, these cannot be consumed by themselves, but only along with other products, in small quantities, to take advantage of their qualities only. Fats need carbohydrates in order to be metabolised- metabolising only fats doesn’t lead to glucose, the only energy producing chemical of the organism.

So please do consume:

-         Dried seeds and fruits with cereals and milk

-         Oil of any kind added to fresh or cooked vegetables, in salads or pasta and rice.

Small secrets worth knowing:

-Every kind of vegetable oil is a mix of saturated and poli non saturated fats in diverse proportions. The more saturated an oil is, the more solid it is.

-If you put olive oil in the fridge, you can notice that at the bottom of the bottle this becomes dens due to the mono non saturated fats. Sun flower oil, being poli non saturated, remains liquid in every condition.

- Corn oil is excellent for cooking

-Remember: NONE OF THE VEGETABLE OILS CONTAIN CHOLESTEROL

- All vegetable oils contain the same amount of calories, no matter if they are made of olives, sun flower, nuts, corn, Soybeans

-extra virgin olive oil is the best quality of olive oil you can get.

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I continue my post by telling you more about the disadvantages for consuming sugars:

-first of all, refined sugar contains sugars that get rapidly absorbed by the organism, leading to hyperglycemia and increasing insulin production.  Fructose, fruits and honey’s sugar doesn’t have the same effect on insulin production, so it is recommended for diabetes, even though it contains calories.

- honey still raises your glicemia!

- sweets and chocolate represent very high on sugar products (obviously), and also high on calories (aprox. 400-500 cal/100g)

-honey shouldn’t be consumed by infants smaller than 1 year of age, because it can lead to botulism

-refined sugar and fructose lead to increased blood pressure and cholesterol

-regulate sugar consumption ALWAYS leads to OBESITY, but doesn’t necessarily lead to diabetes, if there’s no genetic condition for this

- 1 tbsp honey= 65 cal;

1 tbsp sugar= 15 cal;

- after digestion, sugar and honey become identical in chemical composition

- glucose has 100 glycemic index, maximum for comparing with other aliments

Like I was discussing yesterday, meat has its ups and downs… Take into consideration also the following:

Here are some secrets to achieve your goal: a healthy tasty meal:
-Cut off all white fatty parts from raw meat before cooking it
-Cook the chicken with the skin, but remove it before consuming the meat.
-For healthier cooking, don`t add oil to the meat; add water or beer, wine, tomato   juice, spices and herbs… It gives a better taste and with a lower health cost
-The meat is fresher when the color is lighter, so chose pink pieces of meat if you want them tender.
-Boil the meat in already boiling water, in order to keep the nutrients sealed in the meat. If making soups, use cold water
-Don’t buy already minced meat. It has a high fat content. Prepare it yourself from low fat meat. It takes longer but it’s healthier.

Here are the calories table for 100 g of raw meat:

CALORIES FOR 100 G OF RAW MEAT
CHICKEN, TURKEY 100 CAL
BEEF 120 CAL
PORK 120 CAL
LIVER 150 CAL
LAMB 160 CAL

Also, keep in mind that:

- the meat from the chicken legs contains 3 times more iron than the chicken breast
- chicken leg contains more fat than chicken breast
- chicken and turkey skin is made 100% form fat
- goose and duck are richer in iron than chicken and turkey
- 150 g of roast beef contain 20% of the daily needed quantity of iron for women and 25% for men.

‘Light’ olive oil refers to the light color and milder flavor - it is not lower in fat.  ‘Light’ olive oils also have a higher ’smoke point,’ so they may be used for high heat sauteing or frying.

Light olive oils have the same calories as other olive oils, about 120 calories per tablespoon. There is no official definition for ‘light’ olive oils.

Virgin Olive Oils are best used in uncooked foods, such as marinades and salad dressings. Pure olive oils may be used for sauteing and frying at medium heat.

Store olive oil in a cool dark place for up to 6 months, or refrigerated for up to one year.  Refrigerated olive oil will become thick and cloudy, but will return to normal at room temperature.