Are you getting your fair share of vitamins and minerals? It’s a question we probably ask ourselves quite often because so much is written and talked about these invisible, potent and seemingly magical elements in our food. However, a good deal of this is myth, hearsay and exaggeration, so it’s as well to examine the [...]
Archive for the ‘Nutrients’ Category
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June 5th, 2011
Fibre
Fibre, or roughage, absorbs many times its own weight in water and thus provides bulk in the bowel which exercises the muscles of the large intestine, making bowel action more regular and easier. The importance of fibre in our diet has been increasingly confirmed by doctors in recent years, and lack of it is now [...]
June 5th, 2011
Fat
Made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, fats provide a concentrated source of energy for the body since their energy value is twice that of proteins and carbohydrates. This makes them high-calorie food. In addition to providing energy, fats also assist the transport of fat-soluble vitamins around the body. They prevent the onset of hunger [...]
June 5th, 2011
Carbohydrates
Much cheaper to obtain than protein, carbohydrates provide much of the world’s population with about 70 per cent of its energy, although this figure is much lower (about 40 per cent) in Western countries. Obtained from Sugar and starches, they arc chemical compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Starch forms the larger proportion of the carbohydrates [...]
June 5th, 2011
Protein
Besides water, protein is the most abundant substance in the body cells. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen and occasionally sulphur and phosphorus. It helps to build and repair the body and accounts for the tough, fibrous nature of hair, nails, ligaments and muscles. It forms part of the hemoglobin (red blood [...]
June 5th, 2011
Eating for Health
The food you eat provides materials for three main purposes. For growth and repair of body tissues, meals must include protein, minerals and vitamins. For protection and maintenance of good health, meals must include vitamins, minerals and water. For energy and warmth, meals must include carbohydrates and fats. Sometimes, the body uses protein as a [...]