People need certain forms of nutrition to maintain life and health. Everything needed to survive and flourish can be found in fresh, whole, organically-grown food. However, much of the food found in stores today has little nutritional value, while environmental pollution and modern-day stress makes a proper diet more important than ever. "What nutrients does my body need?" is most easily answered with foods and supplements like vitamins and minerals.
Researchers have reported that American mass-produced food has less than fifty percent of the nutrition that the same items provided two generations ago. Mono-cropping and the over-use of chemicals in farming have robbed the soil of vital minerals. Fruits and vegetables picked before the peak of ripeness and transported in cold storage trucks loses vitamins along with freshness.
Basic needs for the human body are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, with a plentiful supply of water to give the body the fluids needed for proper digestion and utilization of these elements. Unfortunately, not all foods provide adequate nutrition, even if the gross amount of calories ingested is sufficient.
Fats, for instance, easily turn rancid and are harmed by heat. In fact, high heat can turn good fats into toxic substances. Manufacturers of packaged foods often remove healthful fats to extend the shelf life, replacing them with other forms of fat to mimic the desired taste and texture. This is why many people are deficient in important fatty acids, and why experts counsel supplementation for people of all ages.
Many people in even affluent societies suffer from a lack of quality protein. People may limit meat, dairy, and eggs for weight-control purposes or because they have allergies. These important protein sources should be replaced by fish or high-protein vegetables like whole grains and greens. However, many lack the knowledge to plan a balanced diet and in consequence suffer from fatigue, a loss of mental acuity, brittle nails and hair, and other results of dietary insufficiency.
Carbohydrates tend to make up too much of the diet for many. Baked goods, sweets, sugary drinks, and fruit juices are often replacements for whole foods, fresh vegetables, and pure water. Especially when carbohydrates are refined, as in white flour and sugar, the resulting food products are hard to digest and provide little but empty calories. This can cause obesity, diabetes and hypoglycemia, and the fatigue that plagues so many of us today.
The need for high-quality fat is often ignored by both health professionals and the general populace. Fish oil contains a kind of fat important for proper brain development and function, but most of the population of America is deficient in this nutrient. Good fats are found in wild, cold water fish, in extra-virgin olive oil, and in fresh nuts and seeds. Processing and testing to make sure fats are not tainted with environmental pollutants is important.
Whole foods grown by sustainable agricultural methods provide good fats and the vitamins and minerals needed for health and vitality. If the diet is poor because of lack of time, knowledge, or access to quality food, supplementation with dietary aids from reputable manufacturers may be the answer.
Researchers have reported that American mass-produced food has less than fifty percent of the nutrition that the same items provided two generations ago. Mono-cropping and the over-use of chemicals in farming have robbed the soil of vital minerals. Fruits and vegetables picked before the peak of ripeness and transported in cold storage trucks loses vitamins along with freshness.
Basic needs for the human body are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, with a plentiful supply of water to give the body the fluids needed for proper digestion and utilization of these elements. Unfortunately, not all foods provide adequate nutrition, even if the gross amount of calories ingested is sufficient.
Fats, for instance, easily turn rancid and are harmed by heat. In fact, high heat can turn good fats into toxic substances. Manufacturers of packaged foods often remove healthful fats to extend the shelf life, replacing them with other forms of fat to mimic the desired taste and texture. This is why many people are deficient in important fatty acids, and why experts counsel supplementation for people of all ages.
Many people in even affluent societies suffer from a lack of quality protein. People may limit meat, dairy, and eggs for weight-control purposes or because they have allergies. These important protein sources should be replaced by fish or high-protein vegetables like whole grains and greens. However, many lack the knowledge to plan a balanced diet and in consequence suffer from fatigue, a loss of mental acuity, brittle nails and hair, and other results of dietary insufficiency.
Carbohydrates tend to make up too much of the diet for many. Baked goods, sweets, sugary drinks, and fruit juices are often replacements for whole foods, fresh vegetables, and pure water. Especially when carbohydrates are refined, as in white flour and sugar, the resulting food products are hard to digest and provide little but empty calories. This can cause obesity, diabetes and hypoglycemia, and the fatigue that plagues so many of us today.
The need for high-quality fat is often ignored by both health professionals and the general populace. Fish oil contains a kind of fat important for proper brain development and function, but most of the population of America is deficient in this nutrient. Good fats are found in wild, cold water fish, in extra-virgin olive oil, and in fresh nuts and seeds. Processing and testing to make sure fats are not tainted with environmental pollutants is important.
Whole foods grown by sustainable agricultural methods provide good fats and the vitamins and minerals needed for health and vitality. If the diet is poor because of lack of time, knowledge, or access to quality food, supplementation with dietary aids from reputable manufacturers may be the answer.
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