Optimum Nutrition
From LoveToKnow Diet
Achieving optimum nutrition has never been easier with the vast selection of functional foods, vitamins and mineral supplements, and the newest nutritional compounds proven to prevent disease and enhance overall well-being.
Basics of Optimum Nutrition
Before diving into the most recent scientific findings related to optimum nutrition, it is helpful to know what our basic needs are when it comes to vitamins and minerals. The following table provides an overview of the critical components and their food sources we need to stave off disease.
Since the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), also known as Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), differ from person to person, a detailed outline is available for vitamins and minerals that is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.
| Vitamin/Mineral Name | Function | Food Source |
| Vitamin A | proper vision, cell growth, infection fighter, antioxidant | eggs, orange, yellow, dark green vegetables, fish oil |
| Thiamin | converts food to energy in every cell | whole grains, fortified cereals, beef liver |
| Riboflavin | converts food to energy, changes tryptophan (amino acid) in food into niacin | dairy products, organ meats, whole grains, eggs |
| Niacin | supports enzyme function, use of sugar and fatty acids for energy | poultry, fish, beef, peanut butter, legumes |
| Pyridoxine | produces amino acids for cell development, helps produce insulin, hemoglobin, and antibodies | chicken, fish, pork, whole grains, nuts, legumes |
| Folic acid | critical for cell reproduction, forms hemoglobin in red blood cells | spinach, legumes, wheat germ, avocado, orange |
| Cobalamin | makes red blood cells, helps body use fatty acids and amino acids for energy | meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products |
| Biotin | metabolizes protein, fat, and carbohydrates from food for energy | eggs, fortified cereals, liver, yeast breads |
| Pantothenic acid | energy production at cellular level | whole grains, fish, poultry, meat, legumes |
| Vitamin C | produces critical connective tissue (collagen), forms and repairs red blood cells, bones, and various body tissues, maintains blood vessels, helps with iron absorption, promotes healthy gums, heals cuts and wounds, protects from infections by supporting immune system | citrus fruits, tomatoes, dark green leafy vegetables, potatoes |
| Vitamin E | antioxidant for healthy heart and cancer prevention | nuts (especially almonds), seeds, vegetable oils, wheat germ, avocado |
| Vitamin K | blood clotting, production of proteins | spinach, broccoli, eggs, body also produces vitamin K on its own when needed |
| Vitamin D | promotes absorption of calcium and phosphorus | cheese, eggs, milk, also synthesizes in skin with sun exposure |
| Calcium | builds bones, strengthens bones, supports heart function and muscle contraction, blood clotting | dairy foods, kale, broccoli, bok choy, fish with edible bones such as canned salmon |
| Magnesium | supports enzyme that regulate body functions, maintains nerve cells and muscles, component of bone | legumes, nuts, whole grains, peanut butter, spinach |
| Iron | essential for hemoglobin function of oxygen transport from lungs to every cell in body | beef, pork, chicken, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, whole grains |
Additional nutrients necessary for optimum nutrition include chloride, potassium, sodium, chromium, copper, iodine, fluoride, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc. However, since these micronutrients are widely available in many of the common foods we eat, deficiencies are rare.
Power Foods
Many food items are identified as power foods due to the components found within those particular foods, hence supporting optimum nutrition and health. There are four main antioxidant compounds found in food:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Selenium
Good sources of vitamin E-rich foods are avocados, wheat germ, and almonds. Other foods abundant in antioxidants proven to fight against cancer, heart disease, and premature aging are brightly colored and dark green fruits and vegetables for their beta-carotene (vitamin A), which include carrots, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, kale, and spinach. Loading up on vitamin C from citrus fruits, red bell peppers, strawberries, papaya and broccoli also supports optimum nutrition. Finally, selenium is found in seafood, grain products and seeds.
How to Achieve an Optimum Diet
Since there are many components to achieving optimum nutrition, the best advice for attaining it is to eat a variety of foods on a daily basis. A varied diet includes at least two servings of fruits each day, three servings of vegetables a day, two to three ounces of lean protein at each meal, and between 20 to 25 grams of fiber for women, and between 30 and 38 grams of fiber for men. Fiber-rich foods include:
- Whole grain breads
- Fruits
- Most Vegetables
- Lentils
- Kidney beans
- Chickpeas
- Whole grain cereals, including oatmeal
- Popcorn
- Nuts
- Seeds
Whole grains are best to be chosen over refined flour products. A daily multi-vitamin from a quality manufacturer acts as insurance for achieving optimum nutrition. Staying well-hydrated is also a key to optimum nutrition. An indicator that you are drinking enough water is clear urine at the end of the day.
Foods to Avoid
For optimum nutrition, the leading foods to avoid are saturated fats and trans fat. Hydrogenated oils form trans fat, hence staying clear of processed foods such as packaged cookies, cakes, pies, muffins and crackers will ensure you are eliminating the harmful fats. Saturated fats are found in whole milk dairy products such as whole milk, cream, cheeses, yogurts, ice cream, and sour cream. Besides substituting these with low fat varieties, choosing these in moderate portions, if any, is beneficial for attaining optimum nutrition and energy. Large amounts of alcohol will also leach energy from your body. While it is best to avoid alcohol, the recommendation for the number of drinks per day is one to two drinks for men and one drink for women. In addition, refined white sugar supplies empty calories and is a non-nutritious food item. For this reason, to achieve optimum nutrition it is advisable to limit sugar as much as possible.
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