What
is the recommended amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat
to eat?
Regardless of how many calories you consume, generally speaking
it is suggested that approximately 55-60% of calories
are from carbohydrates, 15-20% as protein and 25-30% as fat, with
no more than 10% of this from saturated fats. These ratios
may vary slightly depending on your activity level or specific
goals to gain or lose weight. For a precise calculation of
your needs, visit a registered dietitian who can assist you.
I am doing a debate on nutrition. The question
is whether you should eat healthy vs. eating whatever you
want and then exercising to burn it off. I am for eating
healthy but I also need stuff about the opposite side.
I agree that eating well at least 80% of the time should be
what most people strive for. This means making your focus healthy
food, but giving yourself permission to indulge in treats roughly
20% of the time. So much of healthy eating is related to psychology.
Sometimes if we tell ourselves we can eat whatever we want,
the novelty is gone and we feel less desire to indulge. When
we tell ourselves we must try really hard to avoid unhealthy
foods, this often has the effect of making us crave them even
more.
In the argument about eating whatever you want and then simply
exercising to burn it off, people are focusing only on calories
and weight. Even if you did eat whatever you wanted and used
exercise as a means to control your weight, you would potentially
be neglecting your body's basic needs for certain nutrients.
We should eat healthy because it nourishes our heart, lungs,
kidneys, hair, skin and every organ in our body while giving
us energy, keeping our bones and teeth strong and preventing
diseases. The bonus of this is that our weight usually will
take care of itself. We also should exercise regularly because
it is a requirement for good health and not simply a tool to
manage our weight or make up for poor eating.
With all the hype about high protein diets, how do I actually
know how much protein I need?
Health Canada recommends adults consume in the range of
0.8 to 1 gram of protein/kilogram body weight. This works out
to roughly 3, 3-4 ounce servings per day of meat or alternates,
together with 2-3 servings of milk products or suitable alternatives.
People who are very active may need more protein. There is
no justification to consume more than 2 grams/kilogram/day.
Which is better, butter or margarine?
A popular question, there are pros and cons to both. They
are both 100% fat and are equal in calories. Butter, being
an animal product, contains cholesterol where margarine does
not. However, many margarines undergo the process of hydrogenation
which creates undesirable fats known as trans fats. Regardless
of which one you use, spread it thinly. Remember, liquid oils
are usually healthier than solid fats.
What exactly is a carbohydrate?
Carbohydrate, protein and fat make up the 3 major building
blocks in the human diet known as macronutrients. The term
reflects both carbon and water. Carbohydrates are sugar-based
compounds, but this doesn't necessarily mean they taste sweet
or are high in calories. There are simple and complex carbohydrates.
Complex carbs, namely whole grains and vegetables, should be
emphasized in the diet.
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