Hello all,
Before jumping directly into
HFLC diet, it’s better to understand some basics and terminology. Let’s begin with ………..Nutrients.
The word nutrition comes from
the Latin word “nutrire” meaning “to nourish”.
Nutrition is nothing but, the substances required by the body that must
be obtained from the diet.
Nutrients required for the
survival of all living being and can be divided into two categories. They are macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients.
In this post, we will see only
about Macro-nutrients.
Macronutrients are the chemical
substances required for growth and other human body functions. Our body needs
in large amounts (of macronutrients) to provide energy (calories).
The major macro-nutrients are carbohydrate, protein and fat which contribute the major portion of our food as energy-giving caloric constituents.
Simple carbohydrates (are
easily broken down) and complex carbohydrates (like starch, takes longer time
to break down) are break down in our body to single units of sugar, called
glucose.
Foods with high glycemic
index are known as simple carb (raises the blood sugar rapidly) and the
foods with low glycemic index are known as complex carb. (raises the
blood sugar tardily)
Complex carbohydrates are found (as starch form) in cereals, grains, legumes, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Simple carbohydrates found in natural foods like grains, cereals, vegetables ect.
Complex carbohydrates are found (as starch form) in cereals, grains, legumes, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Simple carbohydrates found in natural foods like grains, cereals, vegetables ect.
Also, there are man-made (“manufactured”)
carb’s (sugars) are available in the processed food (by many hidden
names) are known refined carbohydrate sources. (fast food, candy, cola,
juice, ice cream, refined white sugar, brown sugar and wheat and corn based
sugar products)
Apart from complex, simple and
refined carb’s listed above, the non digestible carbohydrates like
cellulose are found in grains, cereals, fruits and vegetable is known as dietary
fiber. Since, it’s not digestible,
doesn’t contribute any calories (energy) to the body.
In general, carbohydrates can
provide 4 calories per gram. (In Physics
calorie is defined as “A calorie is the amount of energy it takes
to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree”).
Good
about Carb : Easily digestible, provides
(quick) energy, triggers insulin (by raising blood sugar) which enable the storage
of glycogen and fat. (used during starvation) {will
discuss later, in detail on the metabolism post}
Bad
about Carb (if exceeds more than
50g/day) : reason for blood sugar
roller-coaster, causes insulin resistivity, triggers the appetite
cravings and contributes to obesity, diabetic, hypertension, high triglycerides, small and sense LDL and coronary artery /cardiovascular
diseases.
The bottom line is, whatever
the carb, the digestive system changes carbohydrates into glucose, (glucose is
the most simple sugar compound) which raises the blood sugar. (cells uses as an
energy) The excess sugar in the blood stored in the liver and muscles as
glycogen and the rest converted into fat and stored in the fat cells.
Fat (s):
The most misunderstood
macro-nutrient (Thanks to the flawed research) Most of the people believe (or
told) that eating fat
will makes you fat, which is NOT true.
Fat is one of the three
important and most calorie-dense macro-nutrients. Fat has about 9 calories
per gram which is more than double of carb and protein. Extra fat is stored
in adipose tissue and around the organ as subcutaneous
as reserve, to burn when the body run out of fuel or need more
fuel. (We will discuss later, in detail on the metabolism post)
Fat
is an essential to human life and we cannot live without it. The basic units of fats are
fatty acids and glycerol. (Glycerol is a water-soluble compound
that can bind up to three fatty acids)
Fatty acids can be divided into three groups namely, Saturated, Unsaturated fatty and Trans fatty acids, based on their chemical structure. We will discuss about this in detail in another post.
Fatty acids can be divided into three groups namely, Saturated, Unsaturated fatty and Trans fatty acids, based on their chemical structure. We will discuss about this in detail in another post.
Fat is
the calorie-dense nutrient and not only essential for growth and development,
also acting as the backbone to important hormones, insulation for nerves, skin
and hair health, and absorb nutrients and vitamins from foods we eat.
Saturated fat : mostly tend to be solid at
room temperature as it contain more saturated fatty acids. Foods that are rich
in saturated fats are animal products like, red meat, lard, tallow, poultry , Dairy
products, such as fresh /heavy cream, butter, cheese, whole milk, from plant,
coconut oil.
Saturated fats
are totally healthy, only on low carb diet. They are harmful when combined with refined carb
and high carb.
Unsaturated fat : mostly tend to be liquid at room temperature as it contain more unsaturated fatty acids. It further classified into Monounsaturated fatty acids & Polyunsaturated fatty acids (depends on the kind of chemical bond)
Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) also known as omega-9 fatty acids.
Good sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, avocados, and most
of the nuts. Our body is capable to convert the saturated fat into monounsaturated
if required.
Monounsaturated
fats are totally healthy
only
on low carb diet. They are harmful
when combined with refined carb and high carb.
Polyunsatured fats (PUFA) provide
essential fatty acids, including omega-6 (linoleic acid) and omega-3
(linolenic acid) fats. (Body can’t make omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids of its
own. Food is the only source)
Fatty
fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil,
and hydrogenated soybean oil are few examples, for Good sources of omega-3
fatty acids.
Foods
rich in omega-6 fatty acids are safflower, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and corn
oils.
The
body functions well (ideal ratio) with an omega-3 and omega-6
ratio between 1:1 - 1:2.
Trans
fatty acids: When
unsaturated plant oils are treated industrially with hydrogen to make them
semi-solid, some of the molecules are converted into a form known as ‘trans’fat
and chemically similar to saturated fats.
Commonly
found in commercially produced baked goods, snack foods, fast foods and
margarine. Trans
fat should be completely avoided.
Triglycerides
(Lipids)
The body converts the excess calories (to provide energy
between meals) in the form of triglycerides in the fat cell. (Triglycerides
formed by attaching a glycerol with three fatty acids) Most fats in food and in
our bodies are in the form of triglycerides. (kind of safety mechanism build-into
withstand starvation) (We
will discuss later, in detail on the metabolism post)
High triglycerides level in the blood has
been shown to increase the risk of developing heart disease. Note that,
glycerol is the backbone of triglyceride. (formation of triglycerides directly
proportional to glycerol availability or formation of triglycerides depends on glycerol
availability) Body produces Glycerol thru Carb (rich food) metabolism or
directly from the processed Food
Cholesterol :
Sterols
are compounds that have a multiple-ring structure. Cholesterol is an example of
sterols. Both plant and animal foods contain sterols, but only animal foods
contain cholesterol.
Our body
needs cholesterol every day. (that’s why body equipped to synthesis to make its
own cholesterol) Cholesterol serves as the starting material for many important
body compounds including bile acids, sex hormones, adrenal hormones, and
vitamin D. Cholesterol is also needed to form cell membranes and the myelin
sheath around nerve fiber.
Apart from
your diet source, the liver synthesis about 800 to 1500 mg of cholesterol each
day and Our body requires around 2000 mg
of cholesterol per day (for Adult).
Cholesterol
is made in many cells, but liver cells make the majority of cholesterol. If we
eat more dietary cholesterol, the body makes less cholesterol. If we eat less
dietary cholesterol, the body makes more cholesterol. (Strain or more work to
liver)
Since, Cholesterol
doesn’t mix with blood, and need to be transported all over the body; we need
the lipoproteins (as a shuttle) to carry cholesterol from the liver through the
body. These are known as LDL.
HDL
lipoproteins are released from the liver and circulate in the blood to pick up
excess cholesterol from the body and carry it back to the liver and to be
removed from the body.
Total
blood cholesterol measurements include cholesterol in both the LDL and HDL
lipoproteins.
Small and
dense LDL increases your risk of heart disease. Large and fluffy LDL and Higher
HDL cholesterol decreases your risk of heart disease.
Measuring LDL cholesterol pattern, Ratio of HDL
cholesterol and triglyceride is a better indicator of heart disease risk. NOT
the total cholesterol.
Good about Fat : Fat
function as structural building blocks of the body, forming cell membranes for
every cell in your body, to build nerve tissues, hormones, control the
inflammation and brain function
Fat
also helps your body absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K (micronutrients)
from the food we eat.
Fat
acts as an insulator, helping us to maintain the correct body temperature. Fat
provides a cushion to help protect our vital organs (subcutaneous)
Fat is the key to manage our moods, stay on top
of your mental game, fight fatigue, and even control the body weight. Fat is a
vital for proper brain development and function. Provide foods with good taste, flavor and texture.
It is
efficient to store energy as fat instead of carbohydrate because fats are
calorie dense. Storing fat means the body has less weight to carry.
Less or no dietary fat, the
body becomes exposed to malnutrition since fats are needed to absorb crucial
nutrients.
Protein :
Like Fats, many not aware of
the importance of protein and its daily requirement. The word protein comes
from a Greek word meaning “of primary importance,”
Proteins are the building blocks of the body and repairs and maintain body tissues, making essential hormones and enzymes and supporting immune function and as an energy source. (providing energy is not protein’s most important function)
The proteins we consume as part of our diet are broken down in the gut into 20 different amino acids. Nine of these amino acids are described as ‘essential’, which means that the food we eat must contain proteins capable of supplying them. The other amino acids can be synthesized by the liver if not provided by the diet.
Proteins are the building blocks of the body and repairs and maintain body tissues, making essential hormones and enzymes and supporting immune function and as an energy source. (providing energy is not protein’s most important function)
The proteins we consume as part of our diet are broken down in the gut into 20 different amino acids. Nine of these amino acids are described as ‘essential’, which means that the food we eat must contain proteins capable of supplying them. The other amino acids can be synthesized by the liver if not provided by the diet.
Protein
in the diet that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential amino
acids needed, whereas plant sources of protein do not. Protein provides 4 calories per gram. (Same
as carb’s)
Other Sources of energy :
Alcohol
provides 7 calories per gram.
Alcohol, however, is not a macro-nutrient because we do not need it for
survival. (toxic to the body, irrespective of quantity)
Water
might not always be considered a macro-nutrient and not contain any calories,
but it sure is an essential nutrient needed for all body functions in large
amounts. (USDA lists water as part of Macro-nutrients but, UNICEF is not) 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.
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