Nutrients

Nutrients Food is eaten and digested in the body to allow the absorption of energy and nutrients. There are two different types of nutrients: macronutrients; micronutrients. There are three macronutrients that are essential for health. These are: carbohydrate; protein; fat.

Carbohydrates Provides energy, protein sparing, regulates sugar in blood, provides nutrients for bacteria in intestinal tract Found in bread, beans, milk, vegetable and fruits, Too much can lead to weight gain that can lead to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes Too little and the body can break down protein tissue (muscle)

Structure of carbohydrate Monosaccharides: simple sugars (fructose, glucose and galactose) Disaccharides: two simple sugars linked together (sucrose, maltose, lactose) Polysaccharides: complex chains of sugars (starch, gylcogen and fibre)

Simple and Complex Carbohydrates Monosaccharides and disaccharides= simple Polysachharides = complex complex carbs are best for our body as glucose is released into your bloodstream more slowly and evenly Simple carbohydrates give you a quick energy rush which only lasts a short period of time and can cause a deep dive in energy levels

Fibre Helps you maintain healthy body weight and lowers the risk of heart disease and some cancers Found in beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables Too little can lead to constipation, hemorrhoids, increase risk of colon cancer Too much can lead to indigestion, diarrhea, excessive gas

Insoluble fibre Absorbs water in your digestive tract and helps you feel full Keeps your bowel movements regular Found in fruits and vegetables and bran of whole grains

Soluble Fibre Ferments in the intestinal tract regulating absorption, lowers cholesterol and controls blood glucose Found in apples, oranges, carrots, okra, oats, beans, nuts, lentils

Wheat Kernel Nutrient Endosperm Germ Bran Carbohydrate 79 52 63 Protein 7 23 16 Fat 10 3 Fibre 4 14 43

Fibre intake of most Canadians Most Canadians only consume half of their daily fibre requirement

GI Foods High GI foods can lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar levels followed by a rapid decline. This can result in Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity Examples include white potatoes, refined grains, watermelon, white bread Low GI foods are complex carbohydrates, protein and foods with large amounts of fibre that are digested more slowly and lead to more consistent blood sugar levels. Examples include legumes, sweet potatoes, apples, milk Fibre is made up of carbohydrates that can’t be digested which accounts for their low GI

Lipids Provide a concentrated source of energy, help with ingestion, healthy skin, transmitting nerve signals, protecting organs, helping body fight off bacteria, and forming parts of hormones Found in olive oil, fish, nuts and avocado Too little can lead to a deficiency in vitamins A, D, E, K, and linoleic acid

Cholesterol Cholesterol in your body makes vitamin D, bile, estrogen, and testerone Cholesterol from your food is used for energy and energy storage Found in shrimp and eggs

LDL Cholesterol LDL cholesterol that is not used becomes plaque Found in meat, poultry, whole milk dairy, and tropical oils It settles in your arteries, hardens and becomes plaque that restricts blood flow and makes arteries less flexible The “bad” cholesterol

HDL Cholesterol Gathers up excess cholesterol and transports to liver to be broken down, cleans blood vessels Found in soybeans, walnuts, flax oil, salmon Too little can lead to heart disease The “good” cholesterol

Saturated Fats Raise LDL cholesterol significantly and HDL cholesterol slightly Found in meat, poultry, whole milk dairy, and tropical oils Too much leads to increased risk of heart disease

Monosaturated fats Lowers LDL blood cholesterol, maintains HDL levels Found in olives, olive oil, avocados, peanuts, peanut oil, canola oil

Polyunsaturated Fats Raise HDL blood cholesterol, lowers LDL blood cholesterol Found in soybeans, walnuts, flax oil, and salmon

Hydrogenated or Trans Fat Raises LDL cholesterol, reduces HDL cholesterol Found in margarines, other vegetable oils Too much increases risk of heart disease

Protein Repairs, replaces and makes new cells Manufactures Enzymes Found in fish, lean meats, soy products, whole grain quinoa, beans and nuts Too much can lead to tissue damage Too little can lead to protein deficiency, muscle weakness, compromised immune system Too little can also lead to Kwashiorkor disease

Complete Proteins Provide 9 essential amino acids Found in beef, poultry, fish and dairy products, quinoa and soy

Incomplete Proteins Proteins that lack one or more essential amino acids Found in plants, nuts, grains, legumes It doesn’t matter if a protein is complete or incomplete because you can combine incomplete proteins to form complementary proteins which will provide all 9 essential amino acids

Micronutrients Micronutrients are: Vitamins Minerals Phytochemicals Micronutrients do not provide energy There are 15 vitamins that regulate a variety of body functions and help carbohydrates, proteins and fats extract energy from food

Water vs. Fat Soluble Vitamins Water soluble vitamins dissolve in water upon entering our body and cannot be stored Fat soluble vitamins are dissolved in lipids and stored in body tissues

B Vitamins Assist in activity of other enzymes allowing energy-producing reactions to proceed effectively Found in whole grains, milk, meats, green leafy vegetables Affects growing or rapidly metabolizing tissues such as skin, blood, digestive tract and nervous system

Vitamin C Helps maintain the integrity of capillary blood vessels and promotes formation of normal teeth and bones Found in Citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, cabbage and spinach Too little can lead to Scurvy, resulting in weakening of connective tissue in bone and muscles Too little can lead to anemia

Mnemonic All Dogs Eat Kibble

Vitamin A Protects from infections, forms and maintains healthy skin, hair, bones and teeth Helps you see normally at night Found in animal tissue, fish oil, egg yolks, butter and cheese Too little can lead to night blindness

Vitamin D Builds strong healthy bones and teeth Found in salmon, fortified milk Too little in children can lead to rickets: muscle weakness, tooth decay, soft bones Too little in adults can lead to fatigue and osteomalacia

Vitamin E Works as an antioxidant reducing free radicals to maintain a healthy reproductive system, nerves and muscles Found in green leafy vegetables, wheat germ and plant oils Too little can lead to nerve problems, neuromuscular issues, and immune compromise

Vitamin K Forms prothrombin – one of the chemicals necessary for blood clotting – involved in bone metabolism Found in spinach and liver Can lead to improper bone formation