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Thursday 7 May 2020
Essential Health

By: Carlos M Viana, Clinical contain all the amino acids er, and only the remaining as the protective cover sur-
Nutritionist your body needs to func- 25% comes from the foods rounding nerves. Fat is es-
tion effectively are called we eat. Many animal and sential for blood clotting,
ORANJESTAD — Something essential. Essential amino vegetable fats and oils are muscle movement, reduc-
that is necessary is con- acids cannot be made by called Fatty acids. ing inflammation and mak-
sidered ‘essential’. Breath- the body, they must come ing hormones like estrogen,
ing, the ability to drink from your food. Essential fatty acids, neces- testosterone and adrena-
water, eat, digest and ab- sary for the body are poly- lin. Cholesterol is essential
sorb your food is metaboli- Plant-based foods rich in unsaturated (healthy). That for your body to produce
cally essential. Metabolic protein include lentils, nuts, are synthesized by plants, vitamin D, necessary for stream. Although your
or metabolism means, the beans, peas, certain fruit, not your body and there- absorption of calcium from brain is mostly fat, it runs
breakdown and changing such as avocados, grains fore are dietary require- your food. Dark green, on glucose, so your brain
of food into energy to fuel like; hemp, quinoa, millet ments. Foods and oils with leafy vegetables are the needs sugar or glucose.
the body. and amaranth. Many veg- high amounts of polyunsat- best available sources of Some brain disorders have
etables also contain high urated fats include olive oil, calcium. shown improvement with
When a clinical nutrition- amounts of protein. Wheth- walnuts, sunflower seeds, sugar made by the break-
ist discusses metabolism of er you are getting it from flax seeds or flax oil, oily fish, The third food group is car- down of protein and/or fat,
food, they include three animal or plant source, it is such as: salmon, mackerel, bohydrates. The two main not carbohydrates. Your
food groups, protein, fat essential to good health to herring, albacore tuna, forms of carbohydrates are body breaks down fats into
and carbohydrates. Pro- eat protein. The worse med- and trout. Not only are they sugars (such as fructose, glycerol and fatty acids.
tein is found in animal ical advice has been to eat essential, for you, polyun- glucose, and lactose) and These fatty acids can then
muscle and organ, such “fat free” and take choles- saturated and monoun- starches, which are found be broken down directly
as meat, fish, poultry, eggs terol lowering medication. saturated fats are healthy. in foods such as starchy for energy or can be used
and dairy. Proteins exist Your brain is 60% fat, so why Older people with high vegetables (potatoes, corn to make glucose through a
throughout your body in do you want to reduce cholesterol levels will live and beans) and grains like, multi-step process. In that
everything from muscles the amount of fat you eat. longer. The fat from food is rice, breads, and cereals. process, your liver uses es-
and organs to bones, skin, Cholesterol, a fat-like sub- a major source of energy. It There are NO essential car- sential amino acids to cre-
and hair. The body does stance is naturally made by helps you absorb some of bohydrates. You will hear ate this glucose.
not store protein like it does the body. Most of the cho- your vitamins and minerals. dieticians discussing “good
other nutrients. Complete lesterol in our bloodstream Fat is needed to build cell carbohydrates and bad Get The Point! Eating the
sources of protein which 75%, is produced by the liv- membranes or walls as well carbohydrates” but you do freshest unprocessed food
not need to eat any to be possible including your es-
healthy. Generally, “Bad” sential nutrients, amino
carbohydrates are white. acids and fatty acids, vi-
White bread, sugar, po- tamins and minerals is vi-
tatoes, rice and of course tal for good health. No or
processed foods, snacks low-carb diets are not new,
and sugary drinks. “Good” they have been around
carbohydrates include a long time and shown to
whole grains, like pure oats, work under many “diets”
quinoa, brown rice, millet names. Nutritional science
and amaranth. But they shows a low-carb diet re-
are not essential, you can duces appetite, supports
live without them. There is abdominal fat loss, lowers
a small amount of carbo- triglycerides (“Bad” fats)
hydrates in vegetables, increases good fats, reduc-
fruit, beans and milk prod- es blood sugar and other
ucts, which also include health benefits. A clinical
healthier proteins and fats. nutritionist can evaluate
Your body breaks down your individual needs and
most carbohydrates into help you set up a personal
the sugar, glucose which plan addressing your best
is absorbed into the blood- health.q