Getting the balance right -A guide to healthy eating
Graham Foster
When trying to create a balanced diet you need to look at the building blocks of a healthy diet one that contains all the essential elements the body needs. Even if you are happy with your current weight you will likely maintain it easier with a good balance of carbohydrates (often know as carbs),fat and proteins.
With around 4 calories being produced by one gram of protein it is not suprising that we are encouraged to eat plenty of protein rich foods such as eggs and dairy products (which of course also contain fats), red meats fish and steaks.
Moving on to carbohydrates the story is pretty much the same in terms of calories at around 4 calories per gram. But unlike protein which occurs only naturally (unless added as a supplement) carbs can be found both naturally and also in food that is processed or if you prefer man made.
Examples of natural carbohydrates include obvious ones such as potato's (in their various forms),bread,rice and oatmeal.Then we have processed foods or man made carbohydrates such as cakes, cookies,bagels and candies etc.
However Fat derives 9 calories from each gram, a full 225% more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates.Maybe that suprises you but it shouldn't really but few people understand the significance and even then it's not that simple.
Nothing is ever quite as it seems as there are a number of different types of fat there are bad fats trans fatty acids and saturated fats which are generally derived from animals or manufactured by man. Where as good fats are generally from plants.
But your body needs a balanced diet, so you have to ensure your are getting adequate amounts of all 3 food groups to live a healthy life. If you maintain this balance correctly you will not become fat or have any problems with obesity.
It is only when people get their diet out of balance and favor more of the fat containing foods they start to experience problems with their weight. Also getting a little more scientific carbohydrates is broken down by the body in to sugars so these should be only eaten as stated as part of an overall balanced diet.
Fat is much more calorific than either proteins or carbohydrates so when planning a meal try to keep a good balance of both carbs and protein and a smaller amount of fat.
There are 4 different types of fat lets look at each in turn.
Mono unsaturated fatty acids (Mono unsaturated fats). Examples of which are seeds,nuts and vegetable oils. They are found in liquid form at room temperature.
Polyunsaturated fats (Poly unsaturated fatty acids):- These are are found mainly in vegetable oils, fish and seafood. They are liquid or soft at room temperature. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are types of poly unsaturated fats and are considered essential fatty acids because our bodies cannot make them themselves, thus they must be obtained through the diet. Some times referred to as PUFA's.
Saturated fatty acids (SUFA's) are usually solid at room temperature and are found mainly in foods from animal sources like meats, dairy products such as milk and butter. SUFA's are also found in coconut, palm kernel and palm oil.
Trans fatty acids:- They are sometimes known as trans fats or hydrogenated fats or partially hydrogenated fats. This means that they have been chemically altered by the addition of hydrogen to make them solid at room temperature. Trans fats are found in foods such as some margarines, used extensively in the fast food industry and in processed snacks.
A guide is if it comes from a plant it is usually better for you than if it came from animal. Animal fats are found in butter, pastry and shortening as saturated fat. But fats from plants such as olive oil, sun flower oil and some margarines (read the labels) are unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fat is better for you but will still make you put on weight in excess.
Just remember when it comes to eating healthy it's all about keeping the balance right.
About the Author:
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