With so much in the paper about Atkins’ diets and such I’ve decided to just list the main things found in foods and why you need them all.
The key thing to remember is that all these foods are fine in moderation, the key is moderation.
Carbohydrates:
Many new radical diets are telling people to completely cut carbohydrates from their diets, as they are high in calories. Did you know that there are as many calories per gram of carbohydrates as there are per gram of protein? Carbohydrates are a vital source of energy and are required if a person wants to do more than just sit down for the whole day. If you are planning on doing any sort of exercise then it is essential that you are supplying your body with enough carbohydrates.
There are two different types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are found in sugar rich foods such as chocolate and sweets. They are more likely to be stored as fat if not used up by the body quickly. So if you are planning on rowing down the Thames or going for a long distance bike ride then a mars bar could be a good idea, as it will provide the body with a quick source of energy.
But remember if you don’t use this energy up the body will store it as fat. Complex carbohydrates are found in foods such as bread, rice, pasta, vegetables, cereal and potatoes. Complex carbohydrates are stored much longer in the body before being turned into fat. A carbohydrate rich lunch can leave you feeling energetic for the rest of the day helping you to maintain concentration during even the most boring of lectures.
Protein:
Protein is again a very important part of a diet and is essential for healthy muscle upkeep. If you really do need to loose weight, and I stress the really because so many people don’t, then you need to make sure you are consuming enough protein. If you don’t then your body will use muscle as an energy source causing muscle wastage.
I’m sure no one out there wants to lose weight by getting rid of his or her muscle and losing tone. You should consume a reasonable level of protein at least 3 times a day, i.e. with each meal. Protein is found in all meat but of course not everyone is a meat eater. If you are not then you can find protein in milk, eggs, cheese and other dairy products. Nuts are also a good source of protein but watch out they are high in fat and can also be high in salt.
Fat:
The word fat causes most people to cringe; no one wants to be eating fat filled foods. And that is fair enough but fat is an essential part of any diet and needs to be eaten along with everything. The key word is moderation.
There are fats known as EFA’s, essential fatty acids, these are also known as good fats. They are low in cholesterol and are high in energy. An excellent source of EFA’s is oily fish such as salmon, which is also an excellent source of protein. The recommended daily intake of fat for the average male is 95g and for a female is 70g, this is quite a fair amount so don’t worry too much about eating the odd desert or a nice steak because as long as you don’t eat excessively your unlikely to go over the recommended limit.
Salt:
Salt is in many foods that you probably aren’t aware of its presence. However tinned foods and ready made meals have a large amount of salt in them and you should try to eat as little of these as possible. The recommended daily intake of salt is 7g for a man and 5g for a woman. This is a very small amount. Take a look at the amount of sodium or salt in the food your eating and you’ll be surprised. As salt is a cause of high blood pressure and heart disease you’ll probably agree that you don’t want to be eating too much.
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