Articles On Nutrition : Nutrition Facts

Several articles on nutrition including nutrition facts and tips are given for a healthy life. We should eat foods with high nutrients. You should know why nutrition is important for your health. It is a good idea to know all the nutrition facts of the foods you buy. Make a habit of reading nutrition labels on the product to know the nutrition details of the product.

You should buy the things which are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and foods high in dietary fiber, vitamins and mineral. Keep in mind that you should be eating a balanced diet according to food pyramid. Have a variety. No single food can supply all nutrients you need. For example, oranges do not have vitamin B12 but have vitamin C, whereas cheese has no vitamin C but contains vitamin B12.

If we are deficient in any nutrient, then we will soon fall sick. Even our nails can reveal the deficiency of nutrition.

Some foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains have good nutrition and are relatively low in calories. These are good foods to eat. Foods high in both sugars and fat provide calories and may be low in vitamins, minerals and fibers. So you should avoid such foods.

Women of childbearing age, young children and teenage or adolescent girls should eat enough iron rich foods. They also need to eat more foods rich in calcium. Know your daily nutrition needs using nutrition chart.

Myths About Nutrition

Many people have misconceptions on certain food nutrition as given below:

1. You should not eat fat as all fats are bad: Wrong.
   In fact, fat is an essential requirement for our body. However, fat consumption in excess is not good. Note that all fats are not bad. Saturated fats and trans fats are bad, whereas monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good. Eating 45 gram (1.5 ounces) nuts per day along with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease, according the FDA.
2. Nuts are fattening: Wrong.
   In fact, nuts are healthy in small quantities. Nuts are high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and plant sterols which lower LDL cholesterol.
3. Brown sugar is harmless: Wrong.
   The brown sugar and white sugar contain almost the same nutrition. The brown sugar is nothing but white sugar with added molasses. Some make of dark brown sugar having properties similar to jaggery (gud is good.
4. Don't eat sugar, it will cause diabetes: Wrong.
   Type 2 diabetes is caused due to an inactive lifestyle, excessive body weight and a high fat diet. If you don't have diabetes, eating sugar will not make you diabetic. However, if you have diabetes, then you should control your suage intake.

Nutrition Facts: Nutrient Dense Foods

The foods that provide adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals with few calories are known as nutrient dense foods. Foods that are low in nutrient density supply calories but only small amounts of nutrients, or none at all.

Sugars, alcohol and saturated and trans fats provide provide little, if any, of the essential nutrients but gives unnecessary calories.

The following pages give detailed nutrition values of a variety of food items including fast foods, Indian home made foods, Indian ready to eat (ready made) foods and other foods.

1. Nutrition Guide
2. Water soluble Vitamins
3. Vitamins soluble in fat
4. Minerals sources & benefits
5. Vitamin D deficiency
   The vitamin d deficiency can cause rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, depression, muscle pain, fatigue, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, etc. However, these conditions may be due to otgher reasons.
6. Benefits of vitamin D
   Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, thereby helping bones and teeth stay strong and healthy, reduces back pain and osteoporosis and many other things.
7. Antioxidants vitamins & supplements
8. Antioxidants Foods
   The antioxidants are good for prevention of diseases like heart disease and cancers. Natural antioxidant food include fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, nuts and seeds. The best way to ensure adequate intake of the antioxidants is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables through a diet consisting of 5 to 8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
9. Iron Foods
   An excellent source of iron means that it contains 20 percent or more of the daily value for iron in a serving. Iron free free means that the food contains no or negligible source of iron. Foods high in iron include cereals, grains, pulses, beans, lentils, vegetables such as beetroot greens, mint, parsley, turnip greens, broccoli and bok choy, etc. and animal foods such as beef, chicken, clams, mussels, oysters, pork, sardines, shrimp and turkey.
10. Iron Deficiency
    Due to iron deficiency, muscles get less oxygen which reduces the body energy. Iron deficiency means a decrease in the red cells in the blood as a result of lack of iron. Anemia is a result of chronic iron deficiency. It develops slowly when the iron reserve in the body is low. If there is a lack of one or more of iron, folic acid and vitamin B12, anemia will evolve.
11. Calcium foods
12. Calcium deficiency
    Calcium deficiency causes bones thinner, brittle and weaker, prone to fracture. Prolonged calcium deficiency may lead to several health problems in men and women like osteoporosis, osteopenia and osteomalacia.
13. Potassium Foods
    Eexcessive potassium in blood can cause irregular heartbeats and even cardiac arrest. If you feel weakness and numbness, it may be due to high level of potassium and you should consult your doctor. Good sources of potassium include apricot, banana, baked potato, sweet potato, beet greens, beans, yogurt, tomato, prunes, carrots, spinach, lentils, milk, etc.
14. Fiber Foods
    Fatty foods have very little fiber but some foods are naturally rich in fiber. There are also foods that are low in dietary fibers. You can include fiber foods in your diet.
15. Soluble Fibers
    Food like lettuce appears fiberous but actually it is not. The cereals, whole grains, vegetables fruits and nuts, in general, are high in soluble fibers.
16. Protein Foods
    Protein rich foods includes meat, poultry, eggs, seeds and nuts, dairy products, bean, grains like wheat, rice,lentils, barley and corn, and soy products.
17. Trans fats in Foods
    The unsaturated fatty acid is solidified by hydrogenation making the oil solid. The hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor of the food so the food industry use it. Trans fats are not good for health. The trans fats are very harmful to the body.
18. Daily Salt Intake Recommendation
    The adults do not need more than 1 teaspoon of salt. Babies and children need a very small amount. However, most people take more than the recommended amount a day in diet.
19. High Sodium Foods
    High sodium foods include most fast foods and take away foods, snacks, processed meats, canned vegetables and canned vegetable juice, soups, sauces such as soy sauce and tomato sauce, ketchup, etc.
    Sodium in meat, poultry
    Sodium in legumes, lentils
20. Sodium in snacks, soups, Sodium in vegetables, fruits and juices
21. Omega 3 Foods
    Foods high in omega 3 fatty acids can protect from heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and eye diseases. They also enhance brain function and beneficial in depression.
22. Vegetable Nutrition
23. Calorie counter
24. Fruit Nurition
25. Lentil nutritions
    The high values of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber in lentils make them very healthy.
26. Saturated, Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fats
    Fats can be classified into four major categories: Saturated fats, Polyunsaturated fats, Monounsaturated fat and Trans fat. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered to be better than saturated fats. The saturated fat in the diet is more harmful than dietary cholesterol.
27. Nutrition of milk
    Milk is a unique drink that provides a large range of natural nutrients such as protein, calcium, vitamins A and D, riboflavin, other B vitamins and phosphorus.
    Protein in milk vs yogurt
28. Protein in Chicken
    The chicken protein contains all the essential amino acids required by the body for growth as good amount of protein along with potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, B3 and B6 and K.
29. Calories in meat
    Most meats are all high in cholesterol, fat, and have no fiber. They contain high percentage of calories as fat.
30. Carbohydrates definition
    The carbohydrates are the most common source of energy needed for our cells, tissues and various organs. While these are not essential nutrients as the body can obtain all its energy from fats and protein, but the brain and neurons need carbohydrates for energy.
31. Low Carb Foods
    Eating a low carb diet can raise risk of some diseases. The list of low carb foods include vodka, coffee, meat and eggs. The low carb foods may be high in fat and cholesterol.
32. Carbohydrates in fruits
33. Carbohydrates in vegetables
34. Wheatgrass
    Wheatgrass, the young grass shoots of the wheatberry contains high concentrations of chlorophyll, active enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients. Wheatgrass is the rich sources of vitamin A and vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, sulfur, zinc, cobalt, and protein.
35. Mangosteen juice benefits
    The mangosteen, a popular tropical fruit, is high in carbohydrates, sugar, dietary fibers and iron but low in vitamins and minerals.

Nutrition Facts on Fast Foods (includidng calories in Fast Foods)

1. McDonalds Desserts Nutrition
2. Nutrition of McDonalds Sandwiches
3. Nutrition of McDonalds French Fries
4. Nutrition of McDonalds Salads
5. Nutrition of McDonalds Chicken
7. Nutrition of Burger King's Salads, Desserts, Sandwiches
8. Nutrition of Burger King's Burgers
9. SubWay Nutrition

Nutrition Facts on Indian Foods (including calories in Indian Foods)

1. Indian Food Calories & Nutrition
2. Nutrition in Indian Roti
3. Nutrition in Indian Vegetable Curries
4. Nutrition of Indian Curries
5. Nutrition in Indian Meat Curries
6. Nutrition in Indian Snacks
7. Nutrition of Haldiram food