The Choice of Base in Food

It may be advantageous to better understand some of the elements and processes involved in nutrition to make more informed choices. Thus, we first divide the food into three broad categories: Basic

The nutrients . These are all nutrients that the body absorbs and uses for its normal operation. Food nutrients become under the action of digestive juices, they are generally classified into two groups: micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats and alcohols). The primary role of protein is to be the base material that makes up the physical structure of the body, while carbohydrates and lipids (fats) are most likely energy: fuel. For more details, see The nutrient chemistry .

The empty calories . These are many foods that contain little or no micronutrients because they were lost during refining (sweet and savory treats, white rice), or have a high content of saturated fats or refined sugars (food empty, cakes).

Antinutrients . Known as any substance that may impair the absorption of nutrients or to be processed by the body requires more nutrients it provides. Here are a few: food additives (colorings, sulfites, nitrates, etc..), Hydrogenated oils, pesticides, toxic molecules generated by frying or barbecuing, drinking (beyond a certain amount), coffee and tea (when taken with meals). Drugs, cigarette smoke, fumes of carbon dioxide, etc.. also act as antinutrients.

Clearly it is better to focus on nutrients ... But compose menus for each nutrient required in the desired proportions and can become a very laborious business. Fortunately, it is possible to simplify life, among others by following a few basic principles.

The basic principles
The vast majority of experts in diet , whether or not environmental official, agreed on a number of principles that can guide us. For most people with no health problems, make some adjustments to his eating habits - to better reflect these principles - may already lead to a significant improvement.

Balanced meals . The idea is to choose their food in different food groups: fruits and vegetables (half the plate), cereal products (a quarter of the plate), meat and alternatives (one quarter ), to which we add a contribution of calcium , consuming dairy products, for example. Thus, your meal will contain:

- a healthy dose of carbohydrates : whole grains and various flours and whole stone ground are preferable
- enough protein: protein from legumes (soybeans, lentils, beans, peas chickpeas, etc..) and fish should be preferred;
- low in fat (fat) it is particularly important to choose the RIGHT fats, like those found in seeds and nuts , and the oils plant, ideally pressed cold ( olive and canola , for example).
An example of a relatively simple fix to achieve a better balance: the Western diet is generally deficient in vegetables and fruits, you can get into the habit of systematic double portion of vegetables served at lunch and dinner to eat a fruit or 1 hour before the evening meal.

A varied diet . To achieve the necessary range of nutrients, not only must eat every day foods from each food group, but many foods in each group. Most people could, for example, make better use of the group "cereal products" which, in addition to bread wheat , the rice and pasta, crackers also includes rye flour, kamut, the pies millet or to barley , cornmeal, oatmeal for oatmeal , cereal quinoa and more. Just the act of placing rice white rice (or half and half) is an improvement.

Fresh food and good quality . This means first of all to avoid foods "denatured" such as sweets and savory, baked goods and many industrial frozen prepared meals. It may also, to the extent possible, choose organic and freshly picked vegetables (frozen vegetables are better than those who have stayed too long in the fridge), and organic meats.

Reasonable amount. Excess weight is statistically and undeniably linked to a host of diseases and reduced life expectancy. In addition, preliminary research on animals show that slightly under-calorie diet (without nutrient deficiency) maintained in the long term may help prevent certain cancers 2 and increase longevity 3 . An example of adjustment: reduce systematically quarter or third portions of foods high in calories (pasta and rice, for example) and replace them with a nutritious and low in calories, like a vegetable.

Tasty food. This is the flavor that first determines our food choices 4 and testimonies are unanimous: if so many people give up the diet program which is ideal however, is that it gives them no pleasure. However, the high content of salt, sugar and fat in processed foods seems to be increasingly popular and is, in youth, becoming the norm. To counteract the attraction of these dishes "over-savorisés" must afford the healthy foods that you particularly like and prepare them so tasty - using, for example, several herbs are a good source of nutrients ...

To go further

These basic principles are pretty much close to those of most food guides official Western countries. One can of course adapt to each particular case or favor one approach or a specific diet.

Thus, in the sheet Special Diet: Cancer , we propose a food program originally designed for people with cancer, but could be very beneficial for the general population. It is as follows:

- Limit consumption of red meats.
- Adopt a diet semi-vegetarian.
- Limit excess salt and smoked foods.
- Avoid excess fat.
- Please see the form for more details.

And supplements?
In principle, the medical community does not endorse supplements and affirms that " balanced diet "should provide all the nutrients needed to maintain health. In practice, this is much less obvious.

Agree that it is often difficult to get all the nutrients required: because certain food groups are not part of our eating habits, for family reasons or because of cultural bias or supply problems. In addition, we may have a higher need for certain nutrients, because of our lifestyle, our intensity physical activity a health problem or factors "antinutrionnels" as stress - and would be unthinkable, for example, consume 8 grapefruits or 20 cloves of garlic per day.

In many cases, it can be convenient to use dietary supplements to complement what we can not get the food or nutrient get a dose greater than the dose normally required. The vast majority of nutrients are available in concentrated form.