You will be surprised at how simple it is to incorporate some basic laws of nutrition into your day. There is a lot of information on nutrition available, and some of it complicated to understand. The following tips are simple ones that will clarify the well understood tenets of human nutrition.
Choose whole grains over refined or processed flour products. Stick with protein and fiber-rich whole wheat and whole grains, instead of refined grains. Not only do whole grain foods make you feel more full, but they lower your cholesterol as well. Check the ingredients list for the word “whole.” If it isn’t there, NEXT!
Here’s a scary one. Have you ever wondered why dogs only live 10 to 15 years while humans live typically 60 years or more? It all lies within our cells and our metabolism where oxygen plays a big part. Oxygen moves energy throughout our cells breaking the carbs we consume into energy. The problem is, oxygen also breaks down our cells in the same process. This is called “oxidation.” But our cells also have a buffer against the oxygen, these are called “antioxidants” and are prevalent in fruits and veggies.
Dogs have faster metabolisms than humans, which breaks down energy quicker and pumps much more oxygen into the cells. The cells die faster because of oxidation. Dogs also don’t or can’t eat many fruits and veggies, which carry those all important antioxidants.
While humans have slower metabolisms, you can actually speed yours up almost to the speed of a dog’s, simply by eating pure sugar, which the body converts to energy almost immediately. Pure sugar is a high energy carb. Cells turn the sugar into energy, but harm the cells in the process. Cells take time to grow back and they don’t grow back indefinitely! So if you want to live a longer life, eat lots of fruits and veggies and keep away from the pure sugar!
Remember that portions are extremely important. To make sure you are eating the correct portion sizes, fill up your plate with the healthiest foods first and then the least healthy. It also helps to eat the foods on your plate in the same order.
Whole books have been written that focus on one facet of nutrition, and the information can be very interesting, but if you lack time you will just want to know some of the more important highlights only. Having a base level of knowledge will help you make wise choices at the grocery store.