Alcohol & Your Nutrition Plan

Every single gram of dietary alcohol has 7 calories, but alcohol is not considered a macronutrient. If you recall, a macronutrient is a type of food that is required in large amounts in the diet, of which there are just three: protein, carbohydrates and fat. Alcohol is not required at all. Still, alcohol is regularly consumed in most societies as we drink it to relax, socialize and celebrate. As it is non-essential, we do not set a target for it when setting up a nutrition plan. This doesn’t mean we can ignore it all together. There are a few things we need to know and consider when trying to reach our nutrition goals.  Read more “Alcohol & Your Nutrition Plan” →

Fat (Lipids) – You ARE What You Eat

Every single gram of fat has 9 calories, which is more than double the energy of protein or carbohydrates. Fats (or fatty acids, also known as lipids) play a number of essential roles in our ability to thrive and survive. Dietary fats facilitate the transportation and absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K as well as a number of other nutrients. You may be surprised to learn that many medications prescribed as to be taken with food is done so for this very reason, and not because they may otherwise upset your stomach; it’s so that you’re able to absorb as much of the medication as possible as facilitated by the fat that’s eaten with your food. Dietary fats also slow down the digestion of foods, which helps keep you feeling satiated Read more “Fat (Lipids) – You ARE What You Eat” →

Counting Macros and Not Calories

There’s often confusion around why we count macronutrients but not calories. This is especially true because macronutrients essentially are calories: Read more “Counting Macros and Not Calories” →

Carbohydrates – You ARE What You Eat

Every single gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories, equating its energy value to that of protein. While carbohydrates are non-essential (because given the right circumstances, your body can create glucose), when it comes to fueling your body, they are king. Carbohydrates are your body’s first choice of fuel for every activity you do. As discussed in the section on metabolism and energy systems, recall that almost all carbohydrates are broken down into simple glucose (or sugar) molecules. For the 1^st 20 or so minutes of all exercise, glucagon stored in the muscle (short term glucose storage) is broken down into glucose and is metabolized as our main source of fuel. The glucagon in muscle is then replenished by glucose in the blood stream. When blood sugar levels drop, the glucagon stored in your liver (long term glucose storage) will be broken down and released into the blood stream to replenish it. Read more “Carbohydrates – You ARE What You Eat” →

Protein – You ARE What You Eat

Each single gram of protein = 4 calories. Approximately 20% of our body weight is protein. Protein is the main component of structural elements like our muscles, hair, nails, skin, eyes, and internal organs such as the heart and brain. Protein is also what makes up the building blocks of our DNA. Each protein molecule is complex, made up of various arrangements and combinations of 22 different naturally occurring amino acids. Some amino acids are considered essential; we must obtain them from our diet because our body cannot produce them, while other amino acids are considered non-essential; our body can produce them if all the systems within the body are functioning properly. Protein synthesis is the term for creation of protein from amino acids. Read more “Protein – You ARE What You Eat” →

Is it a Real Food?

Those who are looking for the best nutrition advice have often heard that the healthiest way to food shop while at the supermarket is by purchasing foods mainly from the perimeter of the store, while skipping the shelves that line the aisles because the perimeter is where (most of) the real food resides. We could even take this further by saying that the best way to grocery shop is at your local farm, skipping the supermarket all together!

But what is meant by real food anyway? Read more “Is it a Real Food?” →