Are you really what you eat? Food Lover’s Market explains about nutrition

In line with our Fitness Friday theme, Food Lover’s Market has volunteered to send in regular information, tips and ideas on how to improve nutritional intake. Food Lover’s are very conscious of the positive effects a healthy, nutritious diet can have on your general wellness therefore this first article will talk about just that — nutrition!

We’ve often heard the saying “You are what you eat” and while this isn’t exactly true, what you eat does have a major effect on your general wellness, as the foods you consume will determine the nutrients your body gets.

What are nutrients you ask?The nutrients in our diet give us energy and are necessary for our growth and development. Every nutrient has one or more functions, but we need all the nutrients together for our bodies to work properly.

Food and the energy it provides are necessary for life. There are six classes of nutrients that we need in order to stay alive and well. These nutrients are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals. We’re sure you hear the word ‘calories’ all the time. We don’t actually eat calories, but we eat food that provides energy measured in calories. A healthy diet gives us the right amount of calories for healthy weight, a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, plenty of water, and adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals.

How am I supposed to meet my nutritional needs?Most people can get all of the nutrients they need from food without having to take supplements. But this requires that you eat wisely, choose less processed foods and eat more fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet provides all the right amounts of energy, carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Eating healthy means that you eat a variety of foods from all the food groups.

Another important part of a healthy diet is how nutrient dense your food choices are. When we talk about nutrient density, we mean the amount of nutrients in the food per calorie. By choosing nutrient dense foods you can achieve your nutrient needs without overloading on calories. For example, a baked potato has more nutrients per calorie than potato chips and therefore it is a more nutrient dense food choice.

In the coming months Food Lover’s Market will help you achieve your nutritional goals by partnering with nutritionists to provide you with top class information and advice on your diet. Be sure to keep following the Fitness Friday series.

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