Health, Diet and Weight Loss – The 4 Basic Groups of Foods Essential For Life
by Diane Hoffmann, Certified Nutritional Consultant
Our foods for life consist of water, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins and fibre. These raw materials essential for basic healthy nutrition incorporate into our body's cells and fluids and become part of these life-sustaining elements.
North Americans have guidelines provided by their national health departments, the RDA or the Recommended Daily Allowance guidelines. These guidelines do not seem to be adequate since most people already eat these foods and, apparently, are not getting enough vitamins and minerals to keep the immune system strong and safe from rampant diseases, illnesses and ailments. As our environment increasingly strips our foods of nutrients, we need increasingly more supplements to compensate.
The four groups of products given to us seem to be simple enough to follow and understand what family of foods each given product group belongs to, however don't seem to be adequate enough as mentioned above. Here they are:
1.milk and milk products.
2. breads and cereals.
3. fruits and vegetables.
4. meats and alternatives.
When changing diet pattern, one must learn to use the proper combination of these four groups and watch for allergic reactions in order to adjust to the new way of eating. For example, some people may be allergic to milk. Switching to soya milk may eliminate the problem. It may also show another reaction to it. In order to reduce fats in their diets, many people have gone to using skim milk or 1-2%. But by taking out the fat, the content of the milk increases in lactose. It may be that if they drank the whole milk, they would not have the same symptoms.
A similar thing happens with eggs. A lot of people thing eggs are bad for you because of the perceived high cholesterol in the yolk. However it has bee shown that the egg is a healthy protein food with the yolk naturally being balanced with the white.
As you can see there can be many varieties and combination of causes to every symptom. One must pay attention to the body's response and reaction -- with the help of a health or nutrition consultant try different products for one or two weeks at a time and make notes. This way one gets to know his/her own body for ultimate individual health maintenance.
In Canada, the Food Guide recommends the number of servings for each age group and gives the nutrients in each of these groups. If you live in a different country, call your local Health Department branch to obtain a current copy of the suggested guidelines and use it as your basic source.
As an example, here is a partial list for adults:
For milk & milk products: recommended: 1 serving = Equivalent to about 300 mg of calcium. It can be 1 cup (250 ml) of: skim milk; buttermilk; reconstituted dry skim milk; partially skimmed milk; whole milk; reconstituted evaporated milk; cocoa made with milk; flavored milk; yogurt; 1-1/2 oz (45g) firm cheese.
For bread & cereals: Recommended: 3 to 5 servings. Some of these are: 1 slice enriched or whole grain bread; 1/2 to 1 cup; (125-250 ml) cooked or ready to eat cereal; 1 roll, tea biscuits or bran muffin; 1/2 to 3/4 (125-250 ml) cooked rice, macaroni, spaghetti, noodles; 1/2 hamburger bun. Number and size of serving is a matter of individual choice according to energy needs and personal preference.
Fruits & vegetables: Recommended: 4-5 servings to include at least 2 vegetables, such as 1/2 cup (125 mil) cooked vegetable, fruit or their juices; medium size potato, carrot, green pepper, tomato; medium size peach, apple, orange, banana. Vegetables particularly dark green, yellow and orange are a major source of carotene which converts into Vitamin A in the body.
Meats and alternatives: Recommended: 1 serving = 17 to 22 grams of protein -- 2 servings per day such as 2 to 3 oz (60-90 grams) after cooking of meat, poultry, liver, fish. This is not including skin, bone or fats; 4 tbs peanut butter (60 ml); 1 cup (250 ml) baked beans, cooked dried peas, lentils; 2 oz (60 g) cheese; 2 eggs; 1/4 cup (80 ml) canned tuna or salmon; 1/4 to 1 cup (80-250 ml) nutmeats or seeds; 4 tb (60 ml) vegetable protein pieces.
The recommended grams of protein above may be over the recommendation limits from health experts on proteins from meats. Also for protein sources other than vegetables, fish should be the first and foremost choice, then poultry, then meat, in that order. And vegetables should be lightly cooked or raw.
If you are interested in optimum health, nutrition and easy dieting, getting familiar with these 4 groups of foods and expanding on the varieties and combinations within them will go a long way to reach your desired and permanent well-being./dmh
If you have any questions, please write them in the comments below and I will respond with an article on the subject.
To your health,
Diane
Articles copyright(c)2010 Diane M. Hoffmann. You may reprint this article without any changes, making sure to include the following bio:
Diane M. Hoffmann is a certified nutritional consultant and an entrepreneur of offline and online businesses. Diane offers this web site on health and stress management for business people who need to keep healthy and strong in order to run their businesses.
.
As you can see there can be many varieties and combination of causes to every symptom. One must pay attention to the body's response and reaction -- with the help of a health or nutrition consultant try different products for one or two weeks at a time and make notes. This way one gets to know his/her own body for ultimate individual health maintenance.
In Canada, the Food Guide recommends the number of servings for each age group and gives the nutrients in each of these groups. If you live in a different country, call your local Health Department branch to obtain a current copy of the suggested guidelines and use it as your basic source.
As an example, here is a partial list for adults:
For milk & milk products: recommended: 1 serving = Equivalent to about 300 mg of calcium. It can be 1 cup (250 ml) of: skim milk; buttermilk; reconstituted dry skim milk; partially skimmed milk; whole milk; reconstituted evaporated milk; cocoa made with milk; flavored milk; yogurt; 1-1/2 oz (45g) firm cheese.
For bread & cereals: Recommended: 3 to 5 servings. Some of these are: 1 slice enriched or whole grain bread; 1/2 to 1 cup; (125-250 ml) cooked or ready to eat cereal; 1 roll, tea biscuits or bran muffin; 1/2 to 3/4 (125-250 ml) cooked rice, macaroni, spaghetti, noodles; 1/2 hamburger bun. Number and size of serving is a matter of individual choice according to energy needs and personal preference.
Fruits & vegetables: Recommended: 4-5 servings to include at least 2 vegetables, such as 1/2 cup (125 mil) cooked vegetable, fruit or their juices; medium size potato, carrot, green pepper, tomato; medium size peach, apple, orange, banana. Vegetables particularly dark green, yellow and orange are a major source of carotene which converts into Vitamin A in the body.
Meats and alternatives: Recommended: 1 serving = 17 to 22 grams of protein -- 2 servings per day such as 2 to 3 oz (60-90 grams) after cooking of meat, poultry, liver, fish. This is not including skin, bone or fats; 4 tbs peanut butter (60 ml); 1 cup (250 ml) baked beans, cooked dried peas, lentils; 2 oz (60 g) cheese; 2 eggs; 1/4 cup (80 ml) canned tuna or salmon; 1/4 to 1 cup (80-250 ml) nutmeats or seeds; 4 tb (60 ml) vegetable protein pieces.
The recommended grams of protein above may be over the recommendation limits from health experts on proteins from meats. Also for protein sources other than vegetables, fish should be the first and foremost choice, then poultry, then meat, in that order. And vegetables should be lightly cooked or raw.
If you are interested in optimum health, nutrition and easy dieting, getting familiar with these 4 groups of foods and expanding on the varieties and combinations within them will go a long way to reach your desired and permanent well-being./dmh
If you have any questions, please write them in the comments below and I will respond with an article on the subject.
To your health,
Diane
Articles copyright(c)2010 Diane M. Hoffmann. You may reprint this article without any changes, making sure to include the following bio:
Diane M. Hoffmann is a certified nutritional consultant and an entrepreneur of offline and online businesses. Diane offers this web site on health and stress management for business people who need to keep healthy and strong in order to run their businesses.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment