Nutrition is a very personal subject. You make choices about your food and your family’s diet every day. Do you know the reasons why nutrition is important? Difference between nutrients and nutrition? What about nutritional misconception versus what science tells you? It’s time to assess longevity and overall wellness.
Statistics are bad for everyone
Nutritional trends suggest that many people are interested in nutrition and also are interested in eating right and doing some exercises. Do you really do all of these things? The American Dietetic Association suggests that 43% of Americans believe they are eating well. In the UK, The National Diet & Nutritional Survey revealed that 63% claim they eat well. 38% in the US know they should be eating well but they find obstacles in achieving their goal. 27% of people in the UK are higher weight.
How do you feel about the above statistics? You know you should be eating well but do you struggle with some barriers? If yes, you are not the only one. Most people associate struggles with below reasons:
- time
- family obligations
- work
Some associate their choices based on the following:
- emotions – eating more or less due to emotional state
- religion – e.g. Ramadan
- health believes – if you believe something is true you’ll do it regardless of the science
- medical condition – some illness dictates the type of food you eat
- socioeconomic – those dictate your choices when you do your grocery shopping
In the US, 19% of people are not interested in changing their eating habits at all.
I find this statistic quite shocking. It’s like saying I’m not interested in being healthy, I’m not interested in feeling good, I’m not interesting and looking after myself.
2 / 3 of people in the UK are higher weight with 7% eating ‘junk food’ every day, 40% convenience food once a week (YouGoV Study).
What do you mean by nutrition?
Whatever the reasons are, our daily calorie intake has increased. In the US, since 1970 by approximately 523 calories per day. In the UK the BBC revealed that ‘Britons under-report calorie intake…’ by 1000 calories mounting to 3000 calories per day.
So even if you are interested in maintaining your wellness, in any possible way, one of the things that it’s worth doing is looking at your portion intake. Those definitely have changed since your grandparents’ generation. When fast-food was invented the average calorie portion was about 750 calories. Now, if you go with extra large portions you can get even up to 2,000 calories.
I want you to think about it for a moment. If you think that you are eating well but yet you increase your calories intake per day by default, would you find there a bit of disconnect? When reviewing your ‘eating well’ consider every type of food you eat, a total calories intake, less of calories you burn. What’s the result?
If you’re in good books – then great! Well done! However, taking into account the statistics, I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, I think there is a big disconnect. People eat much bigger portions of food than they used to.
Great example is by comparing legitimate statistics and also the photo archives. Back in the 70s people body composition looked different yet they all had meals and desserts. Back then and now people ate fatty food but portions were different.
As per statistics if you are eating a larger portion of calories per day, you will notice a weight gain on an annual basis if not more frequently. It’s inevitable!
Over 50% of the additional calories intake per day doesn’t come from fruits and vegetables. Yes, if you think that by eating more fruits and vegetables you increase your calories intake, then you are right. However, fruits and vegetables don’t have as many calories as you might think and yet this falls into a very small percentage. So where do those additional calories per day come from, you might wonder? They come from added fats and sugars.
Click Here to check related blog posts NEW FACTS AND TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR BODY ENERGY LEVEL AND LIFE.
When you think about nutrition, think about the consumption process that starts from the moment you put food or drink into your mouth. Everything that involves consumption, digestion into nutrients, absorption through bloodstream to produce energy required for life. Nutrients are required for growth, development and good health.
What are 3 reasons why nutrition is important?
Eating food is nothing new. You practise it on a daily basis. Because of that many people feel they are experts in nutrition. Just because something is good or works for someone else it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you specifically.
Seeking information from reliable sources is the only way forward. Try now to live in a moment by tuning into claims made by someone who has many followers and no nutritional qualification. Same comes to getting into the charm of paid ads. Challenge what you see and hear with scientific resources or seek those behind the data you so much crave to feel good or to lose weight. Be smart in your decision making and don’t get fooled by marketing tricks, played by ‘before and after’ photos. Even celebrities admit to commission they made for promoting products they would never use.
Nutrition is quite a new type of science. Hippocrates, the Greek founder of western medicine who died 375 BC, said ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’. This is absolutely a fantastic statement to nutrition in management and prevention of chronic illnesses.
The discovery of essential nutrients raised the bar of nutritional science during the first 50 years of the 20th century in the US and abroad.
Examples:
- Casmir Funk in 1912 – discovered that milling of brown rice makes removal of the bran hence decreases its nutritional value
- William Cumming Rose in 1930 – developed knowledge of protein metabolism and protein requirements inc recommended dose
- 1970 – focus on diseases of nutritional excess in light of prevention or management of heart disease and prevention of diabetes
There are many reasons why nutrition is important for you, and as a matter of fact, for everyone. The top 3 would be to provide energy, contribute to body structure and regulate body chemical processes.
The nutrition building blocks include:
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Fibre (also called dietary fibre or functional fibre)
- Water
Nutritional choices you make help to combat disorders. These include cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, higher weight, digestive disorders, cancer and food safety.
Nutritional tips
When you consider nutrition in your own life, know that a lot of good things can be bad. However, try not to be afraid of having a great meal. Have in mind your basic body needs to live well. Good nutrition is all about essential nutrients in the right amount plus the food you love because you are you.
My tips for you:
- look at food labels ( green background is a good indicator)
- question herbs and herbal therapies safety
- think of functional foods
- organic versus conventional foods
- Bioavailability – is all about how much nutrients your body will absorb upon its needs and not about information on a label paper you see.
- Eat for balance and colour
- Watch out for shiny foods
- Have in mind your portion size
- Eat like a child
- Try straight exercise – properly done once a week will give you same results if not better than spending week in a gym
Let’s look at nutritional misconception versus what science tells you
I want to arm you with some information that will help you to recognise ill sold trends. When you will look at the latest great diets that are out there, the latest amazing pills that make you lose weight, the latest herb discovery that makes you feel healthy, you will stop and be able to question. You will be able to say ‘that’s not what science tells me’ or ‘it’s a claim without scientific evidence’.
All nutritional and health claims made by manufacturers must be authorised by regulatory bodies. Many continue to breach them by manipulating wording on front packaging to make you believe that you’re making the right choice and eventually closing the deal with you making the purchase.
