“TAKE 5” GAME-PLAN FOR LIFE/SPORTS-LESSON #4–ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS vs NUTRIENT DENSE

Before venturing into a new lesson, one should always review what one thinks is best for them. During my time in the Education Business, I always told my students that they would take with them what is important to them.

One should always remember how valuable one is.If this is your first time to the website, welcome. If you are returning, welcome back. For those of you who are interested in ‘PLAYIN YOUR DREAMS’, read on.

If you are new, I would encourage you to review the posts, found in the “TAKE 5” Game-Plan for Life/ Sports section, Titled ‘Game-Plan’, and Lessons #1, #2, and #3 before proceeding.

For you others let us continue to explore Lesson #4. If you did not partake in the assignments for Lesson #1, I would advise you to stop. The reason being is that you have not fully ‘Committed’ to the core principles of this or any personal Wellness Program.

Those two principles are explained in the previous Lessons. In Lesson #3 the question was asked: “DOES NUTRITION AFFECT THE RHYTHM OF HOMEOSTASIS?

Regardless of your current wellness status and age, you are extremely valuable. However, the closer you are to your personal state of ‘Homeostasis’ the healthier the results.

One should heed the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson:

When you experience an ‘epiphany’ that “You are the most important person in the world”, will be the moment that you will take control. You will then be held accountable when you give permission to be influenced by your Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions.That will include all the nutrition that you choose. As pointed out before, one is not expected to be a saint when it comes to nutrition. However, at the end of the day, how will the scales tip? Did you get better? Or, did you get worse? Nothing remains the same.

Question, “How can one get better when it comes to nutrition”? Simple, each time you are about to ingest something, think “TAKE 5”. Ask yourself two quick questions, “What’s in it for me”? “What consequences can there be”?

Think short and long term.

THINK ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS and CALORIES.

Most of us know about the effects of too many or not enough calories on personal Homeostasis. (A topic to be examined in a future post.)

As today’s topic continues to be explored, you as a reader will be able to draw your own conclusion. Question, “What are Essential Nutrients”? (A refresher course may be needed. Taken from http://www.foodpyramid.com)

What is a Nutrient?A nutrient is a chemical substance that comes from the food you eat. The energy you need for the metabolic processes in your body and for maintaining a constant internal environment comes from these nutrients.

So if you think about all the basic reactions going on in your body to keep you breathing, your heart beating, your brain working and allowing you to move about, they all derive their energy from nutrients.

What are Essential Nutrients?Essential nutrients refers to classes of nutrients found in food. Essential nutrients are simply those that are vital for the normal growth, maintenance and development of the body.

There might be a slight confusion about essential nutrients that must be addressed. The term ‘essential’ when applied to amino acids and certain fatty acids, applies to those that need to be taken in the diet as they are not synthesized by the body.

Essential amino acids include Methionine, Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, Threonine and Lysine. Essential fatty acids are Linolenic acid, Linoleic acid and Arachidonic acid, to name a few

The 6 Essential Nutrients you can’t live without

Again the term ‘essential’ implies that these six essential nutrients are necessary in order to maintain and develop a healthy body.These are the 6 Essential Nutrients your body needs daily:

1. Proteins – they make up most of the cell structure including the cell membrane. Genetic information in the cell is stored as Protein in the form of DNA. All the enzymes, that catalyze metabolic reactions in the human body, are protein in nature.

2. Fats – are used in making steroids and hormones. Cholesterol also makes up the cell membrane and provides a degree of rigidity to it. Fats also serve as solvents for hormones and fat-soluble vitamins.

3. Carbohydrates – form the major part of stored food in the body for later use of energy. Glucose, which is a monosaccharide, is the body’s primary source of energy. When in excess, it is stored in the liver as Glycogen. Carbohydrates are also important for fat oxidation and can also be converted into protein.

4. Vitamins – are mostly co-enzymes which are required for the normal functioning of enzymes. Vitamin C and E are antioxidants, while Vitamin K is required for blood clotting. They cannot be synthesized in the body, so must be taken in the diet.

5. Minerals – are needed in small amounts to make co-factors. These are inorganic ions needed by the enzymes for activation. Other minerals are systemic electrolytes and essential in co-regulation of ATP.

6. Water – serves as a carrier, distributing nutrients to cells and removing wastes through urine. It is also a compulsory agent in the regulation of body temperature and ionic balance of the blood. Water is completely essential for the body’s metabolism and is also required for lubricant and shock absorber.

Of the six essential nutrients you just read about, 3 of them are called Macronutrients, while the other 2 are Micronutrients.

Macronutrients

Macronutrients include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. They are called macronutrients, as they are required in large amounts to fuel the body. Energy is measured in calories and they are essential for the body to grow, repair and develop new tissues, conduct nerve impulses and regulate life process.

Carbohydrates – are required for energy. Glucose, which is a monosaccharide, is the most essential source of energy in the body. The brain works entirely on glucose alone. When an immediate source of energy is required, glucose is converted into glycogen which is stored in the liver. When energy is needed it is converted into glucose again and used to release energy. Carbohydrates provide 17 kilojoules of energy per gram.

Fats – have the highest caloric content. This means they provide the largest amount of energy when burnt. When measured by a calorimeter, fats provide about 37 kilojoules per gram, making them twice as energy-rich than protein and carbohydrates. Extra fat is stored in adipose tissue and is burnt when the body has run out of carbohydrates. Fat is also needed to take up fat-soluble vitamins.

Proteins– are the third and last source of energy. They are the last to be used of all macronutrients. In cases of extreme starvation, the muscles in the body, that are made up of proteins, are used to provide energy. This is called muscle wasting. Proteins also provide 17 kilojoules per gram.

Is Water a Macronutrient?You probably wonder if water should be included in this category. Water might not always be considered a macronutrient, but it sure is an essential nutrient needed for all body functions in large amounts.

For example the USDA lists water as part of Macronutrients. Then again, you have UNICEF not including water as not part of macronutrients.

Water is found in the body’s cells and transports nutrients to cells and removes toxins from our body. Water regulates the body temperature by our sweat. We get about 50% of the water we need from our food. Remember that water contains no calories.

MicronutrientsThese nutrients include minerals and vitamins. Unlike macronutrients, these are required in very minute amounts. Together, they are extremely important for the normal functioning of the body.

Their main function is to enable the many chemical reactions to occur in the body. Nevertheless, micronutrients do not function for the provision of energy.

Vitamins – are essential for normal metabolism, growth and development, and regulation of cell function. They work together with enzymes and other substances that are necessary for a healthy life. Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble.

Fat-soluble Vitamins can be stored in the fatty tissues in the body when in excess, and so are not excreted easily. This means that you do not need to eat them as often as Water-soluble vitamins. The latter are excreted in urine when in excess and so need to be taken daily.

Water soluble vitamins include Vitamin B and C. Green leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamin B, whereas Vitamin C is found abundantly in citrus fruits.

Fat soluble vitamins are Vitamin A, D, E and K. Green leafy vegetables, milk and dairy products and plant oils provide these vitamins.

Minerals – are found in ionized form in the body. They are further classified into macrominerals and microminerals (or trace minerals).Macrominerals present in the body include Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Sodium and Magnesium to name a few. Iron is a constituent of Hemoglobin which is present in blood. Hence, macrominerals constitute a larger percent of the body and are needed in more amounts, as compared to micro minerals.

Microminerals include Copper, Zinc, Cobalt, Chromium and Fluoride. They are mostly co-factors, and are necessary for the function of enzymes in the body, but are needed only in minor quantities. Approximately 4% of the body’s mass consists of minerals.”

QUESTION-HOW MUCH DO I NEED?

With the overwhelming data to choose from, I have decided to use the Mifflin – St Jeor equation, based on the following two quotes: freedieting.com writes, “Why This Formula? The ADA (American Dietetic Association) published a comparison of various equations. The Mifflin-St Jeor was found to be the most accurate.”

Dailyburn.com writes, “To most accurately calculate BMR, an expert takes measurements of carbon dioxide and oxygen analysis after a subject has fasted for 12 hours and has had eight hours of sleep.

However, a rough estimation of this data is possible using the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, a formula introduced in 1990. Since it’s proven to be more accurate than previous BMR formulas, the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation is now considered the standard when it comes to calculating BMR.The human body requires a significant amount of energy (i.e. calories) just to function regularly. Each day, your body must breathe, blink, circulate blood, control body temperature, grow new cells, support brain and nerve activity and contract muscles.

Staying alive is hard work, people! The amount of energy (in the form of calories) that the body needs to function while resting for 24 hours is known as the basal metabolic rate, or BMR.

This number of calories reflects how much energy your body requires to support vital body functions if, hypothetically, you were resting in bed for an entire day. In fact, your BMR is the single largest component (upwards of 60 percent) of your total energy burned each day.”

To analyze your BMR, I recommend the following website: http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html

Calculator.net writes the following: “Nearly all of us seek to lose weight, and often the best way to do this is to consume a lower amount of calories each day than we usually do. But how many calories do we need to be healthy?

Much depends, of course, on the amount of physical activity you engage in each day. And it’s different for us all; there are a lot of different factors involved.

Factors include age, size, height, sex, lifestyle, and overall general health.A physically active, 25 –year-old six foot male requires considerably more calories than a 5 foot 70-year-old woman who is not especially active.

The average male adult requires about 2,700 calories to maintain his weight, while the average female needs only 2,200 calories, according to the U.S Department of Health.

Just to stay alive, we obviously need far less calories, but our bodies will function poorly if we consume too few. The basal metabolic rate, used in our calculator, is the amount of energy you require when you are just resting.

Different Kinds of Calories

Did you know that how you eat can make a difference in terms of how many calories you consume? The longer you chew your food, the greater the amount of calories you absorb, a recent study has shown.

Foods that take more effort to chew—like fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains—make your body burn more calories. More calories are required to digest them, and, to top it off, they’ll keep you feeling satisfied longer.

Some other foods also increase calorie burn: Coffee and tea, for example, not only for the caffeine in them, but also for other ingredients they have. Certain spices like chilies, cinnamon, and ginger do also help to burn calories.

Scientists have recently discovered that there is a difference in terms of gaining or losing weight in the quality of the calories you consume, not just the quantity. There is an actual difference in consuming 500 calories of carrots from 500 calories of popcorn – although technically you should be consuming the same amount of energy, the popcorn makes you fatter just the same.

It turns out that a healthy diet, irrespective of quantities, will keep you thinner. The best thing is to eat at least five different fruits and vegetables with each meal. The process of converting these hard-to-chew foods into energy will have a healthy effect.”

Now that calories and essential nutrients have been explored, what is the role of ‘Nutrient Dense Foods’?

Peertrainer.com writes: “Nutrient density is a concept pioneered by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and is simply the measurement of the concentration of micronutrients in food. Some foods, like green vegetables have very high nutrient density measurements.

Processed foods have very low nutrient density measurements. Foods that are nutrient dense are associated with greater health, increased energy and weight loss.

According to Dr. Fuhrman, if you can’t stick to a diet, you cannot achieve permanent weight loss and health. If a diet does not provide the nutrients you need, then your body will want more food and it will be nearly impossible to maintain a proper weight. From his perspective and research in this area, this is the key to permanent weight loss- and it can be made part of any diet strategy.”

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=81 writes: ”Like anything involving “density,” “nutrient density” means how much you get of one thing, given the presence of something else. In the case of nutrient density, the “things” you receive, the nutrients, are analyzed in relationship to how much they “cost” you, in terms of calories.

Simply stated, nutrient density means how many nutrients you get from a food, given the number of calories it contains. Nutrient density is a simple way to connect nutrients with calories.Nutrient dense foods give you the most nutrients for the fewest amount of calories. In other words, nutrient dense foods give you the “biggest bang for the buck.” You get lots of nutrients, and it doesn’t cost you much in terms of calories.

Eating nutrient dense foods like the World’s Healthiest Foods is one of the healthiest ways that anyone can eat. No principle is more likely to support healthy eating than the principle of nutrient density.

Why is nutrient density so helpful? Because it gives you concentrated amount of valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids and phytonutrients, to name a few.”

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/emptycalorie-foods-vs-nutrientdense-foods-1350.html by Sukhsatej Batra, Demand Media; “While all foods contain nutrients, nutrient-dense foods are more beneficial for maintaining optimal health, as they provide more nutrients than calories.

Unlike nutrient-dense foods, empty-calorie foods or energy-dense foods are nutritionally poor food choices, as they contain more calories than nutrients.

A high intake of empty-calorie foods may cause weight gain, especially if your intake of calories exceeds their utilization. In contrast, consumption of nutrient-dense foods helps to maintain a healthy weight in addition to supplying nutrients that protect against disease.

Empty Calorie Foods

Most empty-calorie foods are highly processed foods that contain added fat and sugar. Examples include baked products such as cakes, cookies, pies and pastries as well as puddings, doughnuts, fries, jams, syrups, jelly, sweetened fruit drinks, breaded fried burgers and ice cream.

Empty-calorie foods also make up most of the long shelf life foods and beverages sold in vending machines such as chips, salted snacks, candy, soda, energy and sports drinks.

Although empty-calorie foods are cheaper and more readily available than nutrient-dense foods, habitual consumption of these foods can have a negative effect on health.

Health and Empty Calorie Foods

The major disadvantage of frequently consuming empty-calorie foods is that energy intake can easily exceed energy requirements. If not used for physical activity, the extra calories are stored in the body as fat, and over time, result in weight gain and obesity.

Furthermore, energy-dense food intake may also increase risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a 2008 study published in “Diabetes Care.” In contrast, the high fiber content in nutrient-dense foods provides satiety and may decrease blood cholesterol and sugar levels.”

The next excerpt is from The Radiant Life Blog, written by Kayla Grossmann, RN turned researcher, @ http://blog.radiantlifecatalog.com/truth-about-nutrient-dense-foods.

‘The Truth About Nutrient Dense Foods That Nobody Wants to Hear’

“Today, most grocery store produce departments are overflowing with displays of plump, colorful fruits and veggies. From bins of red peppers to cartons of sweet blueberries, many of us are fortunate to have a rainbow of produce at our fingertips year-round.

However, a recent string of studies has brought the quality of our plant foods into serious question. Crops have shown a shocking decline in nutritional value over past years, leaving nutritionists, food policy advocates and environmentalists scrambling for answers. It may very well be that the recommendation of “five servings of fruits and veggies a day,” is no longer enough.

Where have the nutrients gone?As early as the 1940’s, scientists began making foreboding observations about a rapid mineral dilution in the environment. Accumulating evidence from the last 70 years has strengthened these understandings, pointing to a rapid and irreparable decrease in the nutrient content of our soils.

In recent years, the widespread application of chemical fertilizers and over-farming techniques have worked to accelerate these changes at an alarming rate.

The use of cheaper, higher yield crop varieties has not helped the situation. Rather than planting region-specific heirloom crops, most large-scale commercial farmers have turned to more profitable hybrid varieties that have been intentionally bred for production convenience.

These “monster” crops have been selected for their impressive size, sweetness and picture-perfect appearances. However, these changes have come at the expense of nutrient density.“When you select for yield, crops grow bigger and faster,” explains University of Texas biochemist, Dr. Donald Davis, “but they don’t necessarily have the ability to make or uptake nutrients at the same, faster rate.”

Add to this equation the time and distance that most produce items travel to get to store shelves, and things start to get even scarier. Long-haul trans-continental and international imports bring some fruits and vegetables to the shelves a full seven weeks after they have been picked.

During this time the plants continue to respire, burning up beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols. By the time items make it to the shelves, they have almost completely lost the very disease-fighting compounds that we consume them for.

Consider the following studies:
A 2004 article published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, compared nutritional differences in 43 garden crops between the years 1950 and 1999. Information from both dates was collected from U.S. Department of Agriculture archives, and carefully analyzed.

Modern numbers slumped a shocking 6 to 38% behind historic averages. Of the 13 nutrients considered, six showed the most significant declines. These included: protein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and vitamin C.

The authors predicted that many other nutrients had likely been effected, but magnesium, zinc, vitamins B6, E and others were not sufficiently studied in 1950 to make official claims.

One study conducted in England, uncovered a drop off of anywhere between 2 to 84% in the mineral content of foods between the years 1940-2002. This analysis went beyond crops to include animal foods with equally staggering results.Conventionally raised beef for example experienced a 38% drop in iron, an 84% decrease in copper and a 4% dip in magnesium content.

A similar study published in the British Food Journal demonstrated significant differences in vegetables grown in the 1930s and 1980s. For the 20 vegetables studied, the average calcium content had plummeted 19%; iron 22 %; and potassium 14%.

According to expert Jo Robinson, wild plants contain many times more phytonutrients than modern varieties. Wild dandelions for example have seven times more nutrients than spinach.

Purple potatoes from Peru have 28 times more beneficial anthocyanins than Russet Potatoes. Select native apples, which are no bigger than the size of a cherry, have 100-fold more phytonutrients than the common Golden Delicious.

In 2006 the United Nations admitted to a new type of malnutrition, suggesting the the issue is not always food availability, but rather food quality. This new paradigm has been called “type B malnutrition” and looks at farming practices and issues with multiple micronutrient depletion in communities around the globe.

The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study warning that people can’t get enough vitamins from diet alone, and that supplementation in all adults is recommended, if not necessary.”

AS THIS POST NEARS TOWARDS ITS END, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED TODAY?

Can you use this information in your life? As mentioned previously, the World of Nutrition is vast and complex. More experts are singing the same praises of eating nutrient dense foods.

It is recommended by these experts to purchase foods from your local farmers market and/or buy certified organic foods in your grocery store. That would be after you have figured out exactly how much you and/or your family needs.

Good Luck with that I say or you can tune into the next post “TAKE 5” Game-Plan for Life/Sports and discover the concept of Superfoods as a Supplement.

Kayla Grossmann writes: “It’s not always what we want to do, but sometimes supplementing is necessary. Be sure to use only supplements that are derived from concentrated whole foods, and avoid those that contain synthetic additives.

Carefully sourced superfood supplements can go a long way in correcting dietary deficiencies and supporting health over the long term. Buy from companies you trust, who are doing their share to protect the environment and our food supply too!”

Until our paths cross again, remember to bookmark us at playinyourdreams.com and tell your friends about the ‘Insanity’ of Fox-Feather and his Friday’s Fixins. One more thing, keep PLAYIN YOUR DREAMS.

I leave you with these ‘Gems’.