Foundations of Nutrition

By no means will this information make you a nutritionist, but knowing this information does improve our ability to improve the quality of the foods that we consume. Nutrition in a nutshell is simply the energy sources and building blocks necessary for the body to function properly. Not all foods are created equal, and there are certainly delicious empty calories, but there is without a doubt the ability for the cook to prepare meals that are both nutritious and delicious.

There is much debate and argument from people who promote one way or another of how we get our nutrition. Personally, I think it is important to come to an understanding of what works best for ourselves, our situation, and our fitness goals. Some folks promote veganism, others carnivore, and then there are others that fit somewhere between the extremes of herbivore vs carnivore. Personally, I tend to eat a broad range of foods, but I try to limit junk foods and consume nutrient dense foods as much as practical. Everyone's situation is different but I think whatever your situation it is better to consume the best quality foods available to you and within your household budget.

Carbohydrates

Primarily an energy source...sugar, starch, and fiber. Glucose is the primary molecule carbs are converted to and glucose has a significant impact on the body. Glucose triggers all kinds of responses and too much glucose in the blood can cause significant health and lifestyle problems. Generally, complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and metabolize and are generally better sources of energy than simple carbs such as sugar that we add to foods. The human body does benefit from some carbohydrates, but too much of a good thing isn't such a good thing. Most people who are trying to stay lean or become leaner tend to limit the amount of sugar and other simple carbohydrates (and complex carbohydrates to some extent) that they consume in their diet.

Proteins

Amino acids composed in chains create proteins. Proteins are important in the diet because they are the source of amino acids our bodies need. There are two kinds of proteins, complete proteins and incomplete proteins. The body can synthesize some amino acids it needs, but not all of them, and the ones the human body can't synthesize must be obtained from the diet. The proteins that have those amino acids are known as complete proteins. To be clear, complete proteins don't always have to come from meat but can be obtained from rice and beans when eaten together. Meat, fish, and poultry/fowl are good sources of complete proteins. Generally plant sources don't have all of the needed amino acids in the right ratios eaten as individual foods, but when eaten together do contain all of the amino acids the human body needs.

Fats

When I was a kid a low fat diet was all the rage because it was thought that lower fat intake meant lower body fat on the consumer. But, we have learned that thinking wasn't correct. Too much fat, like too much sugar, can be bad for us but butter and eggs are not the enemy to longevity they once were thought to be. More importantly is the effect excess calories have on body composition. In fact, eating more fat than the USDA recommends by offsetting equal number of calories from carbohydrates can be beneficial.

Vitamins and Minerals

These are non caloric but essential for proper function of the human body. The best thing to promote getting enough of what is needed of these things is to eat a well rounded diet composed of many different food sources. For example, eating many different colors of vegetables is a good strategy.