Food and Nutrition

Sweets & Fats: What are girls made of? "Sugar and spice and all things nice...." No wonder we all have a sweet tooth! Men are not too far behind in their love for chocolate though! Remember the food pyramid does not suggest servings/day.Sweets and fats are at the top of the pyramid. They contribute calories to our diet. Sugar gives 4 calories/ gram and fat 9 calories/ gram. They both increase palatability, and fat in addition makes food melt in our mouths. Now you know why ritz crackers melt in your mouth and saltine stick to your mouth. Foods that are very low in fat, can be high in sugar! So watch out for those products that say no fat or low fat, as you are probably getting empty calories from sugar!! An example is jello. Always read your food labels!! Remember that sweets cause sugar "highs"!! We all have a sweet tooth, so we need to watch how much we eat!

Breads and Cereals

Pastries, cup cakes cookies are all made of refined wheat flour which does not have the protective properties of fiber naturally present in whole wheat flour!! High intake of these types of foods create sugar highs(not good in the long run )which increase production of insulin!(a hormone needed to mop up sugar into the cell). Insulin in turn helps to store fat in the body! And of course you gain weight!! To get 6-11 servings of breads, cereals choose foods like rice, pasta, and the fiber rich ready to eat breakfast cereal like oatmeal. It is rich in fiber and is known to lower cholesterol. All carbohydrates help in the production of serotonin. A mood elevator, and a relaxant. That is why you feel happy when you eat a high carbohydrate meal!! Complex carbohydrates like whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, popcorn, bagels, whole wheat tortillas not only produce serotonin but prevent the sugar highs. The glucose from these are released slowly, hence insulin levels don't skyrocket and so fat deposition does not occur.(high insulin levels facilitate fat deposition). However remember that the total calories eaten should not be more than what your body needs for work and maintenance and repair in adults!If intake of total calories exceed your output(work) you will gain weight!!

Milk & Milk Products:The next food group is milk and milk products They contain high proten and each gram of protein gives 4 calories. They also contains saturated fat. Children uder the age of two should not be given fat free milk as the saturated fat is important for brain development. All of us do need some amount of saturated fat. While eating foods from these groups it is important to keep the serving sizes in mind. High intakes of saturated fat can cause heart disease.

Milk and milk products are good sources of calcium.Calcium is needed to build and maintian healthy bones and of course the teeth!. The calcium found in milk, is highly absorbed.The recommended servings are 3-4 cups of milk/ day. Cheese is a good source of calcium but contains high amount of sodium too!If you need to watch on your sodium intake, eat fresh cottage cheese without the sodium added to it. Calcium absorption can be reduced with tannins present in tea, and phytates present in green vegetables and bran present in grains!( keep your fiber intake to 35 grams / day. This would be a problem if you have very high intakes of tea with milk- the now famous "chai". Tanins have a protective effect on your heart too!. Solution: Don't drink all your milk with tea!! Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis.The hormone estrogen helps in calcium absorption, so post menopausal women need to ensure adequate levels of calcium through milk and milk products.Soy milk is excellent for women as it contains plant estogens, that are heart healthy and (phytoestrogens) can prevent hot flashes! Since men and women are living longer bone health for the elderly is of great importance to reduce fractures. Milk and Milk products are also high in saturated fat.Choose low fat milk, and low fat cheeses if you have liberal servings of this group and the meat group!!

Meat & Meat Products:,These are excellent sources of protein and iron. Red meat especially contains high amount of iron called haeme iron that is readily available to the body. They are also excellent sources of all the essential amino acids that are the building blocks for protein in our body. In adults consumption of lean cuts, fat free milk are healthy choices, that can stay with us. Vary the foods you eat from each of these groups example, from the meat group, eat fish on one day, chicken on another, beans, eggs and meat on other days. All animal protein contains saturated fat. Varying your meat and following the recommended serving sizes, would help to keep saturated fat levels low. Fish has DHEA and w3 fatty acids that are heart healthy. Beans have a high fiber content. Fiber has a protective effect on some forms of cancer.You now have eggs that are low in cholesterol, and yes genetically modified eggs to include w3 fatty acids and DHEA. The meat group gives us protein that helps to repair and maintain our body. Saturated fats comes from meats, fish chicken.Western countries like America have a higher intake of animal protein. High intakes of red meat has been associated with colonic cancer.Meats also contain a high amount of sodium.It is nutritionally preferable to get protein from both plant and animal sources. Lentils are a good sources of protein for vegetarians other than milk! Have you tried lentils? There are so many varieties of lentils or pulses and they make wonderful soups with vegetables!!Want to know more on lentils?

Vegetables & Fruits:

These are low in calories and also low in fat. If you eat your vegetables for your salad dressing watch out! The salad dressing contains a high amount of fat and calories!. So order your dressing on the side. You will know how much you have used.Vegetables are good sources of B complex vitamins. The also contain carotenoids present in yellow, green and red vegetables and fruits. Carotenoids protect from heart disease and cancer. The skin of the tomato contains lycopene which is one of the best known carotenoid. Yellow green and red and orange vegetables also give you Vitamin A.They are a rich source of fiber. Some fibers like the one in pears, gauva help to lower cholesterol.So eat a variety of them.

Whole grain, multigrain breads and cereals are tasty, sweeter and have a wonderful texture. They are higher in fiber, and are better than breads that are made from refined or white flour. Oatmeal is known to lower cholesterol. Include it daily in your breakfast. Try to eat foods that are as close to what nature made as possible. If you eat a lot of pasta (refined whte flour) then add a lot of vegetables to it.Brown rice is better than white.