Health demands certain things called 'vital nutrients'. Life cannot be sustained unless these substances are provided either in the daily diet or by supplementation. Organically-grown, fresh, whole foods provide all essential nutrients, but the full range of foods needs to be enjoyed for optimum health. This is hard to achieve in today's society, so many people use vitamin, mineral, and other nutrient-providing pills. Knowing how to answer the question 'What nutrients does my body need?'is necessary for well-being.
Researchers have proved that modern food supplies are less nutritious than those enjoyed by former generations. Mono-cropping, factory farming, and depletion of soils has lowered the nutritional value, as does long-term storage and transport of foods. The use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers has also made our food less wholesome and our health requirements higher.
The daily diet must provide protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Water is needed for body fluids that digest, transport, and metabolize these elements. Even if the gross amount of calories is adequate, malnutrition may occur if vitamins and minerals are lacking. Remember the sailors who lived on dried beef, peas, and hard tack; many died of scurvy before the need for vitamin C was discovered.
Fats, for instance, easily turn rancid and are harmed by heat. In fact, high heat can turn good fats into toxic substances. Manufacturers of packaged foods often remove healthful fats to extend the shelf life, replacing them with other forms of fat to mimic the desired taste and texture. This is why many people are deficient in important fatty acids, and why experts counsel supplementation for people of all ages.
Protein is another thing which may be deficient in the daily diet. People who limit the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy products they consume may be getting less than the forty grams that are recommended as a minimum for each day's consumption. Getting less than this amount can cause fatigue, loss of muscle strength, lack of mental alertness, weak hair and nails, and other conditions that affect health and well-being.
Carbohydrates are easy to get, since the store shelves are full of sugary foods, baked goods, candy bars, and breads. However, refined foods usually will not provide quality carbohydrates that the body can process easily and burn for sustained energy. Instead, these white flour and sugar products are hard to digest, cause undue weight gain, contribute to disorders like glucose intolerance and diabetes, and drain energy rather than producing it. Called 'empty calorie' foods, refined carbohydrates should be replaced by whole-grain products, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Long-standing dietary advice has caused general confusion about fats. Many experts have said that they are unnecessary for health and should be limited. However, some are vital to well-being, while good fats cause less weight gain than an over-indulgence of carbohydrates. There are some elements in fish oil, for instance, that cannot be found in other foods in quantities sufficient for proper development and maintenance of nervous tissue.
Organic, whole foods should be the basis of the daily diet, while supplements from reputable manufacturers can provide for gaps in nutrition caused by lack of time or access to fresh, locally-grown foods. Refined carbohydrates should be eliminated if health is to be achieved, maintained, or restored.
Researchers have proved that modern food supplies are less nutritious than those enjoyed by former generations. Mono-cropping, factory farming, and depletion of soils has lowered the nutritional value, as does long-term storage and transport of foods. The use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers has also made our food less wholesome and our health requirements higher.
The daily diet must provide protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Water is needed for body fluids that digest, transport, and metabolize these elements. Even if the gross amount of calories is adequate, malnutrition may occur if vitamins and minerals are lacking. Remember the sailors who lived on dried beef, peas, and hard tack; many died of scurvy before the need for vitamin C was discovered.
Fats, for instance, easily turn rancid and are harmed by heat. In fact, high heat can turn good fats into toxic substances. Manufacturers of packaged foods often remove healthful fats to extend the shelf life, replacing them with other forms of fat to mimic the desired taste and texture. This is why many people are deficient in important fatty acids, and why experts counsel supplementation for people of all ages.
Protein is another thing which may be deficient in the daily diet. People who limit the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy products they consume may be getting less than the forty grams that are recommended as a minimum for each day's consumption. Getting less than this amount can cause fatigue, loss of muscle strength, lack of mental alertness, weak hair and nails, and other conditions that affect health and well-being.
Carbohydrates are easy to get, since the store shelves are full of sugary foods, baked goods, candy bars, and breads. However, refined foods usually will not provide quality carbohydrates that the body can process easily and burn for sustained energy. Instead, these white flour and sugar products are hard to digest, cause undue weight gain, contribute to disorders like glucose intolerance and diabetes, and drain energy rather than producing it. Called 'empty calorie' foods, refined carbohydrates should be replaced by whole-grain products, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Long-standing dietary advice has caused general confusion about fats. Many experts have said that they are unnecessary for health and should be limited. However, some are vital to well-being, while good fats cause less weight gain than an over-indulgence of carbohydrates. There are some elements in fish oil, for instance, that cannot be found in other foods in quantities sufficient for proper development and maintenance of nervous tissue.
Organic, whole foods should be the basis of the daily diet, while supplements from reputable manufacturers can provide for gaps in nutrition caused by lack of time or access to fresh, locally-grown foods. Refined carbohydrates should be eliminated if health is to be achieved, maintained, or restored.
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