Essential Nutrients needed for Essential Health
There are two basic food types that are needed for health - Essential Amino Acids & Essential Fatty Acids. They are called "essential" because the body cannot manufacture them.
Essential Amino Acids Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Out of the 20 amino acids, nine cannot be produced by the body and, therefore, must be eaten. With every cell in the body made from protein, along with the makeup of our bones, organs and tissue, all hormones and antibodies, chemical reactions in the body and the transport of nutrients, you can see how important proteins are to our daily diet. Our intake of protein keeps this framework going by repairing and replacing these parts as needed. And, as a last resort, proteins can be broken down for energy, the third source behind carbohydrates and fats.
Complete proteins contain all nine of these essential amino acids. It's good to know that all animal proteins are complete sources (meats, fish, eggs and dairy), as well as a handful of plant-based sources (buckwheat, quinoa, soy, blue-green algae, hemp seeds and chia seeds). As a general rule, eating a variety of protein sources is beneficial. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, a variety of incomplete proteins are necessary each day to ensure all nine essentials are consumed. These will include a combination of beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
Although getting enough protein is critical for overall health, it should be noted that too much protein isn't ideal. Endurance athletes, body builders, and pregnant and lactating mothers will need more than the recommended .8-1.6 g/kg body weight. If you eat more protein than is needed, your body will convert the extra to fat. Which brings us to the next essential food type.
Essential Fatty Acids The same as with essential amino acids, essential fatty acids cannot be created by the body so must be consumed, where nonessential fatty acids can be created from proteins within the body. Fats have been blamed for adverse health conditions for many years, but research shows that healthy fats are helpful to level out blood sugars, decrease risk of heart disease, type II diabetes and inflammation, as well as improve brain function.
The two types of essential fatty acids are omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Without getting too technical, these fats are polyunsaturated fats that are long chains of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms with placement of the first carbon double bond from the tail - either 6th or 3rd bond from the end. These fatty acids make compounds called eicosanoids, which are powerful hormones that control the immune system, along with other hormones and body functions in the central nervous system. These essential fats are also involved in the process of destroying old worn out cardiac cells and creating new ones.. To be more specific, omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation, blood pressure and immune response (inflammatory in nature), while omega-3's contribute to heart health, decreased risk of cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease (anti-inflammatory in nature) and are incremental in brain function during fetal development.
Throughout history these two fatty acids were typically consumed at a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, however, with the creation and overuse of highly processed seed oils (canola, vegetable, soy, corn, etc), which are devoid of omega-3 fatty acids, that ratio has increased to 20:1. Since they are opposite in nature, a balanced intake is advised for optimal health. Food sources for both omega fats include fish, nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables, and oils, such as olive, avocado and coconut. Fats are calorie laden (over double with 9 kcal/g, versus 4 kcal/g for both proteins and carbohydrates) which was essential to life in our ancestor's time when foods were not readily available. Now, in modern times where food is plentiful, mindful consumption is needed.
Essential Vitamins and Minerals Not to be forgotten are the essential vitamins and minerals that are also needed for optimal health. These nutrients must also be consumed in order for our bodies to contain and use them. Vitamins include B, C, D and K, but there is a whole array of the alphabet we need, with even subgroups of the B vitamins (B1, 2, 3, 6, 12, etc.). There are both fat soluble and water soluble vitamins, which describes how they are absorbed by the body. Fat soluble vitamins (A and D) can be stored, whereas water soluble (vitamin C) are not stored and excreted from the body. The discovery of vitamins has prevented many diseases due vitamin deficiency, such as beri-beri (vitamin B1), scurvy (vitamin C) and rickets (vitamin D). Not only do they prevent disease, but they are integral in blood clotting and allow use of energy in foods.
Minerals are elements found in soil and water, absorbed by plants or consumed by animals, which we then consume for use within our bodies. Much like vitamins, there is whole list of minerals that we must consume, including calcium, iron, potassium, and zinc, just to name a few. Minerals are found in every living cell of the body. They carry oxygen and carbon dioxide, are components of DNA and RNA, and assist in metabolism. Both vitamins and minerals also play a role in anti-oxidation and preventing cancer and inflammation.
Until the 1930s, vitamins and minerals were only available by eating foods. At that time, the US government began fortifying foods to prevent conditions associated with deficiencies. Then, in the 1950s, supplements became available in the form of vitamins or multivitamins to prevent deficiency. Although the pill form is helpful, eating foods should be the main source of vitamin and mineral consumption. The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) defines the proper intake levels of over 40 nutrient substances. These guidelines look at both deficiencies and toxicities of these nutrients.
Summary You may have noticed that there are no "essential carbohydrates", which doesn't mean that they are not an important part of a healthy diet, since grains, fruits and vegetables are all sources of carbohydrates, along with the many essential vitamins and minerals. Overall, eating a variety of whole foods, i.e. proteins, fats, whole grains, vegetables and fruits, will ensure you get an adequate amount of nutrients needed each day for better health.
InCourage Health LLC www.incourage-health.com
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