The 3 Main Nutrients For Good Health
When it comes to healthy eating a lot of people over complicate it. They believe they have to measure every single nutrient and calorie in the foods they eat. They then find this takes up too much of their time and decide that they can’t fit healthy eating into their lifestyle.
However, the truth is healthy eating doesn’t have to be that complicated. In fact, if you have a basic understanding of the three main nutrients that the human body requires, you can build a healthy eating plan fairly quickly. In this article I provide you with a brief overview of these three main nutrients, discuss how they boost your health and tell you which ones to eat and which ones to avoid.
1) Carbohydrates For Energy, Nutrients & Bowel Health
Carbohydrates have three main roles in the body. Their primary role is to give your body energy. However, if you choose the right carbohydrates they also supply your body with essential nutrients and keep your bowels healthy.
Go For Fruits & Vegetables:
Fruits and vegetables are the best source of carbohydrates. They provide you with a steady supply of energy and also contain high levels of vitamins, minerals and fiber (which supports good bowel health).
Avoid Highly Processed, Sugary Carbohydrates:
Highly processed, sugary carbohydrates such as candy, cakes and soda are the worst type of carbohydrate. Not only do they contain very little if any vitamins, minerals or fiber but they are also highly concentrated and digest very rapidly. This means that instead of getting a steady supply of energy like you do when you eat fruits or vegetables, you get a rapid surge in energy levels followed by an equally rapid crash.
2) Protein For Building, Repairing & Maintaining
Protein’s main role in the body is to give your body the material it needs to build, maintain and repair cells. Your blood, your skin and your vital organs are all built using protein.
Go For Eggs, Fresh Fish & Fresh Meat:
Eggs, fresh fish and fresh meat provide your body with the high quality protein it needs. As an added bonus, these protein sources also contain a number of important vitamins and minerals.
Avoid Highly Processed Meats:
Highly processed meats are a low quality protein that should be avoided where possible. They contain much less protein per gram than the high quality proteins listed above and often contain dangerous man made ingredients such as trans fats which have been linked with cancer, heart disease and more.
3) Fats For Good Health
Fats are the pantomime villain of the health industry. They are the nutrient everyone loves to hate. However, the truth is that fats are actually an essential nutrient and do a lot of good for your body. They keep your vital organs healthy, they boost your immune system and much more.
Go For Natural Fats:
This may go against what against a lot of things that you have been taught in the past but natural fats are by far the best type of fat for your body. That means butter, eggs, naturally fatty fish (such as salmon), naturally fatty meat (such as beef), nuts, olives and olive oil are all excellent choices. These types of fats give your body the support and protection it requires and contain no artificial ingredients.
Avoid Man Made Fats:
You may think vegetable oil is actually healthy and natural because it is made using vegetables. However, the production process is highly concentrated and the finished product is far from natural or healthy.
Man made fats are generally found in highly processed, packaged foods such as cakes, crisps, fast foods, margarine, microwave meals, pizzas and salad dressings.
Summary
Man made fats are low quality and dangerous. They can cause chronic disease, damage your brain and more. There are two main types of man made fat you need to avoid; vegetable oil and trans fats.
As you can see, healthy eating doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming once you understand the basics. Picking up a piece of fruit instead of a bar of chocolate will cut the calories and increase the nutritional content of your carbohydrates. Cooking a chicken breast instead of a chicken burger will increase the quality of your protein and reduce the amount of artificial ingredients you are consuming. Using olive oil instead of vegetable oil will increase the quality of your fat and help you avoid dangerous man made fats.
None of these healthy choices take any more time to prepare than the unhealthy choice. However, they make a massive difference when it comes to your health. So the next time you are in a rush and you grab something to eat ask yourself; ”Is It Natural?”. If this answer is no put it down and quickly grab something that is.
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