Different Classes of Food and Their Nutritive Value - Case Study Example

Swarna1 Word count: 2273 Pothula Swarnalatha ID # 5448 Order no 153563 20th February 2007. Consider and discuss different es of food and their nutritive value There are three important types or classes of food materials that are being taken by us. 1. Carbohydrates which give 4 kcals /g 2. Proteins which give 4.2 kcals/g 3. Fats which release 9 kcals/g. Balanced diet should comprise of all the three primary ingredients of foods. People who engage themselves in sports activities are to be supplied with balanced diet containing optimum doses of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in addition to vitamins and minerals. The ancient forms of medicine like Ayurveda believed that combining different foods may be harmful (EN1). However recent or modern forms of medicine recommend uniform mixture of different ingredients in balanced diet (EN 2). The lack of awareness about accurate energy or nutrient values may result in obesity and other side effects (Speakman et al., 2005). Hence there is a strong need to develop awareness about different classes of food and their nutritive values. The details of these different classes of foods are described here. Carbohydrates and their nutritive value: Carbohydrates help in fast release of energy that is very much needed for our body metabolism. The sports persons are generally given small doses of carbohydrates for meeting the immediate need of energy after exhaustion. The examples are glucose, fructose, lactose and maltose. Carbohydrates have the following major functions within the body: 1. Blood glucose regulation in addition to energy release 2. They help in biological recognition processes 3. Sparing the use of proteins for energy 4. They act as dietary fiber 5. Breakdown of fatty acids and preventing ketosis 6. Flavor and Sweeteners Sports persons or athletes generally spend more energy and get tremendous help from carbohydrates in meeting all the above mentioned requirements. Carbohydrates play important role in cellular recognition processes. Several immunoglobulins (antibodies) and peptide hormones contain glycoprotein sequences. These sequences are composed of amino acids linked to carbohydrates which may resulting in the passage of time for proteins. 2 Different sources of carbohydrates are to be made as an integral part of balanced diet for sports persons as they form a good source of minerals, vitamins and fibres. Different sources of carbohydrates like breads, cereals, starchy vegetables, legumes, rice pastas, fruits, vegetables, milk and milk products have to be supplied in our diet regularly. Starchy foods should make up about a third of the food for sports persons. As starchy foods contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins, balanced proportions of the different foods containing carbohydrates is vital in deciding the nutritional value. If starchy foods are taken in natural form, it will not add any fats where as cooked foods may add fats that are used for cooking and serving, because this is what increases the calorie content. Hence one should prefer intake of wholegrain source. One should not forget the fact that starchy foods are to be preferred by sports people as they are rich in fibre. Hence different sources of fibre rich starchy foods like bread, granary, brown, seedy, chapattis, roti, potatoes, plantain, yam and sweet potato, dasheen, coco yam and kenkey, squash, breadfruit, cassava, wholegrain breakfast cereals, beans, lentils, peas, couscous, bulgar wheat and maize are to be made as internal key ingredients of balanced diet for sports people for ensuring higher nutritive value. One should also keep in mind that both insoluble and soluble fibres play crucial role in human digestion and hence balanced diet should contain the both. Wholegrain bread, brown rice, wholegrain breakfast cereals, fruits and vegetables are rich in insoluble fibres and they mainly help in free bowel movement and removal of waste products from the human body. They aid in reducing constipation and preventing gut disorders and hence should be main class of food for sports persons. Similarly the diet should contain sources of soluble fibres like oats and pulses such as beans and lentils. They mainly help in reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood. While prescribing the diet schedule for athletes, one should keep in mind the side effects of over intake and deficiency of carbohydrates which may result in malnutrition and obesity (Saris and Foster, 2006). Proteins and their nutritive value : Proteins aid tremendously in body building activity. Hence the growing up children should be given higher quantity of protein. The healthy sports person requires good quantity of proteins for maintaining the required energy levels. Eggs, pulses, nuts and seeds are good sources of protein, and they have to be supplied to sports persons regularly. They supply approximately 4.2 kcals of energy per gram and help in body shaping. Eggs also supply the following basic constituents in addition to proteins. protein iodine vitamin B2 vitamin D vitamin A Some people express concern over cholesterol levels increased by egg, but it is a better source of fats along with proteins than saturated fat containing foods. Protein is a critical component of all cells and it helps in all major functions of the cell. They are important in the structural framework of cells and tissues as well as the immune system and transporting oxygen. Without a source of protein, it would not be possible to grow, repair and replace the every tissues and organs in our body. The most recognized proteins for growth and repair are collagen, keratin, and fibrin. Collagen is the most abundant structural protein and is a main component of the connective tissue. Keratin is used to create hair and skin and fibrin is deposited around a wound after an injury. Hence protein rich foods like pulses must be supplied to the sports persons regularly. One must remember that proteins are main components of enzymes and hence play key role in all metabolic activities like respiration, nitrogen metabolism, excretion and reproduction. Proteins also play vital role in efficient communication among the Cells. Proteins cross the layer surrounding cells (cell membrane), which allows for signals to travel between the outside to the inside of a cell. Similarly they help in transportation of Substances. For example, oxygen in the lungs binds to the main protein of red blood cells, called hemoglobin, and is transported around the body in blood. When the oxygen is deposited in some tissue, it picks up carbon dioxide and returns it to the lungs. Albumin, the largest single protein in the blood, is known to transport many particles including medications as well. In addition, excess proteins may get converted in to fats and would be used by the body in starvation or emergency time. Hence by keeping all the valuable functions of proteins in mind, the balanced diet should be made with optimum quantity of proteins which would be highly useful for sports persons in meeting their nutritive value. Fats and their nutritive value: Fats are high energy giving foods and are hence required for all the persons in general and sports persons in particular. They are believed to supply approximately 9 kcals of energy per gram. When a person has to indulge in huge quantity of physical activity or work with in a short period, fat rich diet is highly recommended to meet the energy level required. Fats help the human body to absorb some vitamins, and they act as a source of the essential fatty acids required for healthy skin that the body cant make itself. They aid in absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. However one must keep in mind the fact that over consumption of fats result in obesity and hence have to supplied in optimum quantity for sports persons. Nutritive value provided by the fats should be judged mainly by the type of fats. One should prefer taking unsaturated fatty acids and cut down the quantity of saturated fatty acids and trans fats. Some specific unsaturated fatty acids like omega 3 fatty acids have high nutritive value and must be a key ingredient of balanced diet. Oily fish is the best source of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids have been shown to help protect against coronary heart disease. Some omega 3 fatty acids are also found in certain vegetable oils, such as linseed, flaxseed, walnut and rapeseed. The saturated fatty acid sources like meat products, meat pies, sausages, hard cheese, butter and lard, pastry, cakes and biscuits, cream, soured cream, coconut oil and palm oil have to be reduced strictly for sports persons as they result in heart ailments. Similarly trans fat containing foods like biscuits and cakes, fast food and pastry should be avoided for optimum diet schedule for sports persons as they are reported to increase bad or LDL cholesterol in the human blood. As mentioned earlier, the unsaturated fatty acid containing foods must constitute the basic fat diet of sports persons. They supply essential fatty acids required for human metabolism and help in reducing the bad or LDL cholesterol. In addition to oily fish, unsaturated fat is also found in avocados, nuts and seeds, sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil and vegetable oils. For better nutritive value, these sources of unsaturated fatty acids must be supplied in balanced diet for sports persons. Fruits and vegetables and their nutritive value: Till now, the discussion has been concentrated on primary classes or ingredients of foods, but it is also important to study the nutritive value of some salient sources of foods like fruits and vegetables. They supply huge quantity of vitamins and minerals in addition to some fibre. Fruits and vegetables should make up about a third of the balanced diet for sports persons. It is also recommended that atleast five varieties of fruits can be mixed uniformly for enriching nutritive value. Majority of fruits and vegetables contain huge quantity of carbohydrates and proteins and have less fats and hence crucial for our balanced diet. One can have dried fruit, grapefruit or an apple at break fast and a bowl of salad, banana sandwich or any seasonal fruit at lunch and atleast two seasonal fruits at dinner for better nutritive value. However for ensuring higher nutritive value, one should eat fresh fruit and vegetables with out long storage and one should not over cook the same. It is also proved that people who eat optimum quantity of fruits and vegetables are less likely to get heart diseases and hence sports persons should consume enough quantity of fruits and vegetables. Vitamins and their nutritive value: Vitamins are essential nutrients that our body needs in minute amounts to work properly. They provide nutrient value in terms of their specific functions. If a vitamin is deficient, symptoms are clearly visible in human body. Hence balanced diet for sports persons should supply vitamin rich food classes in regular intervals. There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins Fat-soluble vitamins are found mainly in fatty foods such as animal fats (including butter and lard), vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver and oily fish. The main advantage of fat soluble vitamins is that they will be stored in fat tissues and will be used for different metabolisms. Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K come under fat soluble vitamins. If they are stored in excess quantity they may be harmful and hence proper care has to be taken so that balanced diet for sports persons contain optimum dose of fat soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins However water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so they have to be supplied to the body regularly through different classes of foods. The main advantage with these vitamins is that they are not harmful to human body even if present in excess quantity as they get lost through urination. They are mainly found in fruit, vegetables and grains. Sports persons must take them regularly if they are exposed to heat as heat may destroy them. B complex vitamins and C vitamin come under this category. Minerals and their nutritive value: Minerals are also essential nutrients that our body needs in small amounts for proper metabolism. Calcium, phophorus, iron, magnesium, sodium and potassium are some important mineral elements that are required by human body at regular intervals for optimum metabolism and nutrition. They help in building strong teeth and bones, efficient conversion of food in to energy and in controlling body fluids inside and outside body cells. Hence mineral containing foods like meat, cereals fish, milk and dairy foods, vegetables, fruit and nuts may be kept as key ingredients for balanced diet for sports persons. Conclusion: Eating a healthy balanced diet will provide sports persons with all the nutrients they need to take part in their favorite sport or activity. Some precautions can be taken by them which aid in balanced nutrition. Consume more starchy food sources as they supply regular energy after work outs. drink plenty of fluids before and after exercise. eat energy rich fruits like banana during work outs. Glycogen storage has to be higher by consuming more starchy foods which help in time taking sports (EN 3). Care has to be taken to drink enough water (atleast) one litre before and after work outs to avoid dehydration. End notes: EN 1 : Ayurvedic concept of food combining. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/nutrikit/sectae.shtml EN 2 : Food combining. http://the-vu.com/food_combining.htm EN 3 : Food standards agency. http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/foodforsport/sportnexercise/. References: Saris,W.H.M. and Foster, G.D. 2006. Simple carbohydrates and obesity: Facts, fiction and future. International Journal of Obesity, 30, S1-S3. Speakman, J.R., Walker,H., Walker,L. and Jackson,D.M. 2005. Associations between BMI, social strata and the estimated energy content of foods. International Journal of Obesity , 29, 1281–1288. Read More