No/Low Cal Sweetners
Sugar Alcohols: Each sweetener (sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol) is somewhere between 1.5-3 kCal/g. They are absorbed and metabolized at a reduced rate when compared to sucrose and large amounts can cause diarrhea, and bloating.
Saccharin (Sweet N Low): A 0 Calorie sweetener derived from coal tar and is 150-300x sweeter than sucrose, with a bitter aftertaste.
Aspartame (NutraSweet or Equal): 180-200x sweeter than sucrose and 4 kCal/g. Only very small amounts are needed to sweeten however. As a component is Phenylalanine it is not recommended for those with PKU. Many people seem to believe that Aspartame is incredibly toxic. Although a small amount are sensitive to aspartame (causing nausea, headaches, dizziness etc...) there is no need to be concerned if one does not have PKU. Methanol, (methyl ester of phenylalanie) gets converted by the liver into formeldahyde which is itself a toxic by product, however when compared to diet sodas, fresh fruit/juice such as tomatoes and bananas have between 1-2x more methanol.
Sucralose: More than 600x sweeter than sucrose, chemically it is sucrose with chlorine as opposed to hydroxyl groups, this allows it to mostly by-pass metabolism. Sucralose has about 2kCal per teaspoon.
Truvia (Stevia): 200x sweeter than sucrose, stevia doesn't issue any glycemic response.
Fats
Fat is another one of they body's energy sources, certain lipids, and consumption amounts are also important for hormone production, maintenance of organs, and keeping joints healthy.
Excess in calories are converted and stored as fat in adipose tissue, the body's fat stores.
According to the USDA, in order to properly maintain one's organs, joints, and hormones fat consumption should be between 20-35% percent of the overall caloric intake.
Because users create and manipulate major hormones on their own it is common for users to lower fats to below 20%. In order to stay healthy it is not advised to dip fats too drastically for long periods of time. It is always better, for health and safety, to err on the side of caution.
Saturated Fatty Acids
Saturated fatty acids are characterized by having all carbons between the omega (terminal, methyl) end and the alpha (beginning, carboxyl) end "saturated" with hydrogens. Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature (lard, butter, coconut oil etc...). Saturated fats are not necessarily bad to include in one's diet. There seems to still be some controversy over whether or not saturated fats are unhealthy. One one hand saturated fats can increase LDL2,3 but on the other, diets with reduced saturated fats have a higher amount of LDL receptors in a complementary concentration to the amount the saturated fat was reduced by.4 One's target for saturated fats should be no more than 10% of total fats because unsaturated fats in fact do have healthier properties.
Unsaturated Fatty Acids
Unsaturated Fats have one (mono) or more (poly) double bonds between carbons, this creates a "kink" in the otherwise linear structure. Unsaturated fats are generally liquid at room temperature (olive oil, canola oil, fish-oils etc...). When a diet that was once high in saturated fats has much of the saturated fats replaced by mon- and poly-unsaturated fats LDL, cholesterol, and risk of cardiovascular disease decreases.5
Here is a chart of various oils and their fat makeup
Essential Fatty Acids
These are polyunsaturated fatty acids and are necessary because the body can only create a double bond at the 9th carbon from the omega end (hence omega 9). The number (3,6) refers to the location of double bonds. In the omega 9 fatty acid there is one double bond at the 9th carbon from the omega end. In the omega 6 there are double bonds at the 6th and at the 9. In the omega 3 there are double bonds at the 3rd, 6th, and 9th carbons.
Essential fatty acids are necessary for immune function, vision, cell membranes, brain growth, and production of hormones.
Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids work in opposition in certain respects. Omega 3s decrease blood clotting, reduce heart attack, and decrease inflammation. Omega 6s increase blood clotting and increase inflammatory responses. Due to this the target ratio for 6s/3s should be <4g/1g. Common sources for omega 3 fatty acids include: fish, flax, and hemp oils. Common sources for omega 6 fatty acids include: nuts, walnuts, peanuts, poultry, corn, and soybean oils.
Trans Fats
For all intents and purposes all that should be noted about trans fats are two things: The double creates a "trans" relationship between two hydrogens, thus maintaining the linear fatty acid structure while still having a double bond. The "more important" aspect of trans fats are that ingesting 1 or more grams of trans fats per day increases LDL, decreases, HDL, increases cholesterol, decreases insulin sensitivity, and increases risk for heart disease.6 If a food contains <0.5g of trans fats it legally does not need to report trans fats. Look for "trans fat free" and steer clear of "partially hydrogenated" oils in ingredients.
Water
Notable Macronutrient Minerals
(Na, K, Ca)
Micronutrients
Water Soluble Vitamins
Fat Soluble Vitamins
Minerals
Eating "Healthy"
Common Dieting Strategies
Videos
Fat Head - A Documentary that debunks much of the conventional wisdom about health and examines the reality of Morgan Spurlock’s work Super Size Me Gary Taubes Lecture - Why We Get Fat and historical references to the truth Doctor's Discussion of Keto - Andreas Eenfeldt, M.D. discusses the parameters of Ketogenic Diets Sugar: The Bitter Truth - Robert H. Lustig, M.D. discusses the issues and dangers with sugar Robb Wolf on Paleo - Robb Wolf answers community questions on the benefits of low-carb/paleo The Paleo Solution - Robb Wolf discusses ancestral nutrition and “Western” diseases Your Leaky Gut and Grain - Loren Cordain discusses auto-immunity and Western diet How Bad Science and Big Business Created the Obesity Epidemic - David Diamond explains how industrial influences have shaped our diet and health care infrastructure King Corn - A documentary following the effects of the corn industry on rural America and her inhabitants Dr. Mary Vernon Lecture - A video playlist of great information and resources.
|