LIFESTYLE – Adela Alexa, Nutritionist, Dietitian. Important nutrients in the diet

A healthy diet supplies the body with the right amount of all the essential nutrients it needs from different food sources.

Protein

Protein is a vital nutrient. They are broken down into their basic components (amino acids) and used to make new proteins and other complex molecules that the body needs. While they can be a source of energy, their primary function is to create, grow, and repair tissue. Due to the importance of consuming proteins that provide us with all the amino acids we need, dietary proteins are considered to be part of two different groups, depending on the amino acids they provide. Complete proteins, which make up the first group, contain all nine essential amino acids. These proteins are found in meat, eggs, dairy products. Incomplete proteins, which represent the second group, contain only some of the essential amino acids. These proteins are found in legumes (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas), mushrooms, hemp seeds, oleaginous fruits.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy and the easiest to obtain. They are found almost exclusively in foods of plant origin, such as fruit, vegetables, cereals, legumes. Milk and dairy products are the only foods that come from animals and contain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are divided into two categories: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates include fructose, sucrose and lactose and foods rich in complex carbohydrates include vegetables, whole grains, legumes. While these types of macros are the bane of diets, we need them for a balanced diet. Yes, they can make you fat if consumed in excess, but high-fiber, complex carbohydrates are essential to a healthy diet. The important thing is knowing how to choose them, in what quantity and how to distribute them throughout the day. Healthy carbohydrates contain natural sugars that the body can metabolize easily and slowly for balanced brain function, good emotional state and optimal energy levels.

FATS

In addition to their use as energy stores, fats have other essential roles. They help us absorb and use certain vitamins and are involved in building and repairing nerve tissue. They keep skin and nails healthy and are used in hormones that control blood pressure, the immune system, growth and blood clotting. They also form the basis of all membranes in the body, surrounding every cell and the structures within it. Fats are very high in calories and can be fattening, but compared to sweet foods they make you feel fuller for longer, so a little fat can prevent you from snacking later. The human body cannot produce fatty acids, so they must be taken from the food we eat. Flax, sunflower, hemp, pumpkin, avocado, oleaginous fruits (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts), fish (ocean, not farmed) contain fats that we need and shouldn’t ban They help in the weight loss process, reduce cholesterol , increase immunity and nourish the reproductive organs, skin, hair.

A healthy diet supplies the body with the right amount of all essential nutrients