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What is it?
- a caloric nutrient containing about 4 calories per gram
- after water, it's the most plentiful substance in the body
- made up of structural units or chains of amino acids
- essential amino acids: cannot be made by the body, we need to get them from food sources
- nonessential amino acids: can be made by the body
What does it do?
- if not enough carbs, protein gets used as an energy source
- it is the primary component for building and repairing muscle, blood, skin, hair, and organs
- used to make hormones, enzymes, and antibodies
- helps with water balance in the body
- necessary for growth, maintenance, and repair of body tissue
Some sources of it:
- complete proteins (contain all 8 of the essential amino acids): animal products like beef, chicken, fish, milk, cheese, eggs; plant products like quinoa, buckwheat, hemp seed, and soybeans
- incomplete proteins (missing some of the 8 essential amino acids): grains, beans, seeds, cereals, and some starchy vegetables
- complementary proteins: combinations of proteins to provide all 8 essential amino acids when eaten at the same meal: nuts combined with grains, beans combined with rice, corn combined with wheat, etc.
Carbohydrates
What is it?
- a caloric nutrient containing about 4 calories per gram
- two types
- simple: has 1 or 2 sugar molecules that are quickly and easily absorbed into the body
- complex: has larger chains of sugars (starches) that must be broken down before being absorbed into the body
What does it do?
- carbohydrates (carbs) get converted to glucose (blood sugar) which is the body's primary source of energy - remember we use energy just living and breathing with your brain responsible for about 20% of your daily caloric expenditure!!
- glucose is used to help burn fat as fuel
- some complex carbs provide fiber which helps regulate water, shortens transit time through the intestinal tract, and may reduce the risks of some cancers
Some sources of it:
- simple: table sugar, honey, sweetened soft drinks, candy, cake, etc.
- complex: potatoes, pasta, bread, popcorn, cereal, grains, fruits, vegetables, etc.
Fat
What is it?
- a caloric nutrient containing about 9 calories per gram
- the types of fat are structurally different but have the same caloric value
- unsaturated fat: usually found in plant sources and liquid at room temperature
- poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats: help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and help raise good cholesterol (HDL) - good fat
- saturated fat: usually found in animal sources (exceptions-coconut and palm oil), solid at room temperature, and a source of cholesterol - bad fat
- transfat or hydrogenated fat: have been chemically engineered to change liquid oils into solid fats, raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good cholesterol (HDL), manufacturers are required to list transfat on labels - ugly fat
What does it do?
- provides energy for sustained movement - walking, jogging, zumba
- helps membrane cell structure and function
- transports fat soluble vitamins in the body
- involved in cellular and nerve signals
- needed for the production of hormones
- helps us feel full
Some sources of it:
- unsaturated : corn oil, margarine, mayonnaise
- mono: olives, olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados (good)
- poly: safflower, sunflower, and soybean oils, nut butters (good)
- saturated (bad): found in beef, chicken with the skin, ribs, dairy foods, butter, most fast foods
- transfat (ugly): processed and packaged foods like cookies, cakes, crackers, fries, and donuts