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So your looking to eat healthy? Well one of the best ways to get started is to get the balance of carbs,(carbohydrates), proteins and fats right first. The reason is, these are the essential foundations of any diet plan and everything from there is just a question of balance and adjusting to suit your likes and dislikes. Foods such as eggs those foods made from milk such as yoghurt, cheeses and of course just milk it's self are high in one of those essential building block protein which is why nutritionist recommend we eat plenty of protein in a balanced diet. Carbohydrates also have around 4 calories per gram although this is of course rather a less scientific measurement as by their chemical nature carbohydrates are wide and variable and are available as both naturally occuring carbohydrates and also man made carbohydrates. Examples of natural carbohydrates include obvious ones such as potato's (in their various forms),bread,rice and oatmeal.Then we have processed foods or man made carbohydrates such as cakes, cookies,bagels and candies etc. I am guessing you have probably worked out by now that I was saving the best (or worst in this case until last) .That's right a single gram of fat creates a massive 225% more energy at 9 calories (that's more than twice the amount of protein and carbohydrate). Is it that simple? There are 4 main types of fat which makes things a little more complicated these are Mono unsaturated fat, poly unsaturated fat, saturated fats (mainly derived from animals) and the man made trans fat's or trans fatty acids. To maintain a healthy body you need to get a balance of all 3 of these in equal proportion but avoid large amounts or unsaturated fats and avoid when at all possible all tran fats. If you choose to have a diet which has a high level of fat or indeed a high level of carbohydrate (especially man made carbs) you increase your chances dramatically of having problems with your weight. If you continue this way overtime you may end up extremely obese or as doctors use the term morbidly obese. As we have seen there are significantly more calories found in a gram of fat than a gram of protein or carbohydrate so to keep a good diet it requires a good balance of protein and carbs with some fat. Lets look at each type of fat in turn. Mono unsaturated fats (mono unsaturated fatty acids):- These are found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and some plant foods. They are liquid at room temperature. Some times referred to as MUFA's. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (Poly Unsaturated Fats):- These are are most commonly found in vegetable oils, fish and seafood. They are liquid or soft at room temperature. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are types of poly unsaturated fats and are considered essential fatty acids because our bodies need them but don't make them, thus they must be obtained through the diet. Some times referred to as PUFA's. Saturated fats (Saturated fatty acids) are usually solid at room temperature and are found mainly in foods from animal sources like meat, dairy products and butter. Some vegetable oils such as coconut, palm kernel and palm oil are also full of saturated fatty acids. Trans fatty acids:- They are sometimes known as trans fats or hydrogenated fats or partially hydrogenated fats. This means that they have been chemically altered by the addition of hydrogen to make them solid at room temperature. Trans fats are found in foods such as some margarines, used extensively in the fast food industry and in processed snacks. Think of it this way fat from animals such as butter, shortening, pastry and the like are saturated fats. Where as fats from sunflower oils, some nuts and olive oil are unsaturated fats. Some margarines and spreads are also unsaturated fat but read the label first.Don't forget any fat will make you fat if eaten to excess but unsaturated fats are better for you. All fat will make you put on weight, so always keep it in check and maintain a healthy balance.
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