Fats, Proteins, and Carbohydrates

There are both good fats and bad fats that we should consume. According to the Harvard School of Public Health (2012), “"Good" fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—lower disease risk. "Bad" fats—saturated and, especially, trans fats—increase disease risk. Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish. Foods high in bad fats include red meat, butter, cheese, and ice cream, as well as processed foods made with trans fat from partially hydrogenated oil.”  The best way to maintain a healthy diet is to always select foods that have more good fats than bad fats. We always are seeing products in the grocery store which are “low-fat” or “fat-free” and these are not necessarily healthy choices either. When they take something out such as fat, then manufacturers like to replace the fat with other things such as refined carbohydratess and starches. Our bodies digest these refined carbs and starches, which cause us to have insulin spikes. When we have these types of spikes, we can become tired quickly, which the spikes can also cause things like hunger, overeating, and even weight gain.

According to MayoClinic (2012) "The two main types of potentially harmful dietary fat:
Saturated fat -This is a type of fat that comes mainly from animal sources of food. Saturated fat raises total blood cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Saturated fat may also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Trans fat - This is a type of fat that occurs naturally in some foods, especially foods from animals. But most trans fats are made during food processing through partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fats. This process creates fats that are easier to cook with and less likely to spoil than are naturally occurring oils. These trans fats are called industrial or synthetic trans fats. Research studies show that synthetic trans fat can increase unhealthy LDL cholesterol and lower healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease."  Trans-fats can clog your arteries with plaque and lead to high blood pressure, as well as, heart problems and risk for strokes. 

Protein is important to any healthy diet.  The digestion process of protein starts in your stomach.  Protein is responsible for feeding our muscles and is essential for children’s growth as it produces hormones that help them grow. For adults who workout regularly, it is important to feed our muscles, particularly after a hard workout. Our muscles need protein in order to rebuild. “If you are looking for a potential rule of thumb, the 30 g rule might work. It says that at any given meal, you can absorb about 30 g of protein. This calculation could come from the daily protein intake recommendations, which are about 0.4 g of protein per pound of your body weight. If you weighed 150 lbs., this would be about 60 g of protein per day” (Livestrong.com, 2012). Essential amino acids are the building blocks of protein.  When we can’t get enough lean meats, we can supplement with things like protein shakes which just so happen to be a tasty alternative.  You have to be careful though; if you don't read the food label correctly, you could wind up adding too many calories to your diet which is not good!

Carbohydrates are important to our bodies, even though many people try to avoid them.  When we consume carbs they give us energy and are broken down immediately starting the digestion process.  The digestive enzymes break down into complex carbs, like starch.  The food then continues to the stomach and breaks down any carbs that are left.  Next the food goes into our small intestines where enzymes finally complete the carb digestion process. 

Fiber is essential in our diet because it is mainly responsible for keeping things moving...no one likes to be constipated!  Fiber is mainly found in fruits, whole grains, and legumes and also has special benefits which can lower your risk of heart diesease and diabetes!
Reference:

Harvard Health Publications, & Skerrett, P. J. (2011, September 14). Harvard to USDA: Check out the Healthy Eating Plate [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/harvard-to-usda-check-out-the-healthy-eating-plate-201109143344

Livestrong, & Moon, U. (2011, June 14). Vegetables High In Iron & Vitamin C. Retrieved August 13, 2012, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/253048-vegetables-high-in-iron-vitamin-c/

Mayo Clinic (2012). Nutrition and Healthy Eating.