Diet & Nutrition

Selecting a Drug Rehabilitation Center in UK

Drug addiction of a family member can cause serious consequences in a family. So it is utmost important to find a reliable and good quality drug rehabilitation center. Finding a drug rehab center may be easy, but finding a good drug rehab center may be a difficult task, especially if you are searching it for someone you love and care, for whom you want nothing but the best.

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Acidophilus: The Helpful Bacteria

Acidophilus is the term used for number of very important bacteria that helps us in digesting our food properly. The bacteria acidophilus belong to lactobacillus group. The bacteria got its name from lacto meaning milk (the bacteria ferments lactose or milk into lactic acid), bacillus meaning rod like and acidophilus meaning acid loving, so we get the meaning as acid loving, rod like bacteria. The bacteria grows very well in acidic medium at pH 4-5 or lower and at about 30 degree Centigrade. Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. casei are some of the common acidophilus that are important. The bacilli are found naturally in whole of human body mainly in gastro intestinal tract, mouth and vagina.

Lactobacillus acidophilus can help us protect our body against many harmful bacteria, parasites and other organisms. Some of the strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus are considered “friendly to humans” or probiotic. These types of friendly bacteria are present in intestine, vagina and mouth and protect us against many harmful bacteria and other organisms. The breakdown of nutrients by L. acidophilus to hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid (and also some harmful byproducts) create a harmful environment for the undesired bacteria. L. acidophilus also protect us by consuming the same food that is used by other harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and thus not leaving enough nutrients for the harmful bacteria to grow and cause harm to humans.

Recent studies have suggested that L. acidophilus also helps us with additional health benefits like improved immune system, improving gastrointestinal function and by reducing vaginal infection by fungus (yeast).

Probiotic acidophilus nutritional supplements are available in powder form, liquid form, capsule and tablet forms. The probiotic nutritional supplements are taken orally preferably on empty stomach just before major meal (up to 1 hour before meal) The probiotic nutritional supplements are helpful in treating candida albicans infection, stomach upset, whole gastrointestinal upset, allergy and many more medical conditions. Some strains of probiotic bacteria can also be useful in treating IBS (irritable bowel syndrome; symptoms of IBS are constipation, diarrhea, cramps and urge to defecation after food) as recent studies in Ireland suggests and is approved by authorities in many countries for treatment of IBS.

In a recent study in Canada found certain things how probiotics act to help us. They found that probiotics acts by preventing the harmful bacteria to adhere to the wall in the gastrointestinal tract. They also prevent the bacteria to migrate to the lymphatic system thereby preventing an immune response.

Prevent Cancer by Healthy Eating

Cancer, the dreaded disease can be prevented to a great extent by adopting a healthy food habit. A good diet can go a long way in reducing the chances of occurrence of cancer, what type of cancer it might be. And the prescribed diet for prevention is the same. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses, whole grains and nuts. Maintain a healthy body weight (preferably ideal body weight). Avoid the excessive intake of dairy products, red meat and processed food. These above three rules help to reduce breast cancer, prostrate cancer, stomach cancer, and practically all forms of cancer.

Vitamin A helps to prevent lung cancer, but the best way to avoid it is not smoking and reducing air pollution. There are many myths at play. It is commonly believed that intake of Vitamin C helps prevent cancer, but no such one element can help.

Aflatoxin, is a chemical that is produced by a fungus that grows on peanuts and other nuts when stored improperly, is carcinogenic, but most farmers are now aware of that problem, so the risks have been reduced.

Regional food habits also go a long way in increasing or decreasing the risk of cancer. For example, in Japan, people eat a lot of pickled vegetables. We have seen that the number of people suffering from stomach cancer is very high there. Anything in moderation though, is not a problem. In India, too, people have pickle with their meals. But there, it is just a condiment and not a main dish. So the effect is not so grave.

There is, however, some bad news for Indians. Frequent helpings of kebabs can effectively increase chances of cancer. The blackened meat on the surface, when meat is cooked over an open flame, is carcinogenic (causes cancer). That doesn’t mean you have to stop eating kebabs altogether. You can have it once a week, as long as you are eating healthy the rest of the weak, and giving the DNA the opportunity to repair itself.

There is lack of awareness regarding the link between diet and diseases like cancer. Even in America where so much of research is taking place, the level of awareness among the common people is very low. A lot of information is available on the Internet, but it is not always reliable. International Association of Cancer Research as a possible reference point.

There is confusion regarding wine and cancer. Till now whatever evidence we have had, there is no negative effect of wine. It is good for the heart. But the problem with wine is that it has alcohol. It causes intoxication and addiction. And the good element of wine are available in grapes, cherries etc in non-alcoholic forms. For women, more than one glass of wine a day is not advisable, and for men the limit is two glasses a day. But the above prescribed limit is not easy to follow by maximum of people.

Carbonated drinks are best avoided. They are empty calories. And they decalcify the bones, causing osteoporosis. Even a diet drink, which is claimed to be low on calories, poses the same threat.

When it comes to food, too little is not too good. Surviving on a fruit or vegetable diet is not healthy, because the body is losing key body building nutrients like protein. So even if you are a model and need to be thin, have a helping of whole grains and nuts, to keep the diet balanced.

Eating Disorder: Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is a severe form of eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, which is followed by abnormal behavioral change for compensation like self induced vomiting. BN shares certain characteristics with anorexia nervosa (AN). Both the disorders occur in previously healthy women, who become overly conscious about their body shape and weight. Many patients with BN has past history of AN. In current diagnostic system the different between BN and AN is body weight. Patients of AN have significantly lower body weight and that of BN have normal or above normal body weight.

BN is much more common among women compare to men (10 times higher). Incidence of BN is higher than AN, about 1 to 3 % of women have BN. Incidence is now slowly declining compare to 20 years back. There are some facts to suggest genetic predisposition, but cultural factors are more important than genetic factors from the fact that BN is very rare in under developed countries.

Typical patient of BN is usually a woman in her mid twenties with binge eating and purging 5 to 10 times per week for last 5 to 10 years. It starts in adolescence with a diet and associated with depressed mood. The self induced calorie restriction leads to severe hunger, which in turn leads to binge eating and a feeling that eating habit is out of control. In an attempt to avoid weight gain, the patient induces vomiting, takes laxative, or engage in some other compensatory behavior. As the disorder progresses patient understands there is diminished control over vomiting. During this time there may be transient depression, anxiety or feeling that too much food has been consumed and purging increases in frequency. Typically patient with BN are ashamed of their behavior and they try to hide their habit from family and friends. The BN patients are over concerned with body shape and weight and consider these to be basis of self esteem.

Physical abnormalities of patients with BN results from purging behavior. There may be painless bilateral enlargement of salivary glands (sialadenosis). There may be scar on the dorsal aspect of the palm (under side of the palm) due to repeated trauma from the teeth, who manually stimulate gag reflex (by touching back side of the tongue or pharynx to cause vomiting). There may be erosion of frontal teeth due to repeated touching of frontal teeth by gastric acid during self induced vomiting and erosion of enamel. In women there may amenorrhea (lack of menstruation), or oligomenorrhea (irregular menstruation).

BN can be treated as out patient basis. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is given for 4 to 6 months to control concern regarding body shape, dieting, binge eating and purging. Antidepressants are effective but CBT is more effective than antidepressants. Antidepressant fluoxetin 60 mg per day is recommended. In CBT the patient is asked to monitor the circumstances, thoughts and emotions associated with binge or purging episodes. Patient is advised to eat regularly and challenge their assumption linking body weight and self esteem.

The prognosis of BN is much better than AN. Half of the patients recover fully within 10 years. About one fourth of the patients have persistent symptoms and some of the patients progresses to anorexia nervosa.

Eating Disorder: Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by severe disturbance of eating. The main feature of Anorexia nervosa (AN) is refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight. AN is seen among previously healthy women who become overly concerned about body shape & weight. In AN patient becomes dangerously underweight like malnourished.

AN is much more common in female than male. Its incidence is 0.5% among female in western countries and recently there is an increase in incidence. AN is more prevalent in culture where food in plenty and in which being thin is associated with attractiveness. It is common among models, ballet dancers.

The cause of AN is unknown, but, involve a combination of psychological, biological & cultural risk factors. Patients of AN are more perfectionists than their peers. AN starts as dieting which than progress slowly towards AN. At first dieting become stricter and then fear of gaining weight increases and psychological, behavioral and medical aberrations take place. AN is more common in type 1 diabetes mellitus (insulin dependent). Genetic factor contribute to the risk of

development of AN. Its incidence is greater in families with one member affected by AN and also incidence is more among monozygotic twins than dizygotic twins. But a specific gene is yet to be identified.

AN typically begins in mid or late adolescence. The disorder sometimes starts at the time of puberty, but it rarely starts after 40 yrs age. AN patients are underweight but they are afraid of gaining weight for the fear that it might get out of control. AN patients despite being under weight they still feel that the body as a whole or some parts are too fat. Further weight loss is viewed as an accomplishment and any gain of weight is seen as personal failure. They never complain of hunger, fatigue and often they exercise extensively .About one quarter to one half of the AN patients engage in binge eating. Patients are withdrawn socially, and they engage in study, exercise and dieting .As weight loss progresses thought of food dominates their mental life and they become mentally sick.

AN patients may have intolerance to cold. They do not menstruate. Bowel habit is irregular due to decrease motility of intestines and they develop constipation .Body Mass Index(BMI)is well below normal of 18.5 (lower side of normal) and usually below 15. Some AN patients develop yellow tint of skin mainly in palms called hyper carotenemia due to eating of excessive quantity of vegetables containing Vitamin A.

Due to scanty eating patients are usually anemic. Many hormonal abnormalities also occur in AN patients.

Diagnosis of AN can be made if a female of adolescence age is underweight ,i.e.BMI below 18.5% or below 85% of ideal body weight for height and age and by history & psychiatric condition of the patient The patients of AN often deny that they have serious medical problem.

Treatment of AN is aimed at restoring body weight above 90% of the ideal body weight or increasing BMI to above 18.5. Unfortunately, because of patients resistance to the goal of treatment the management of AN is accompanied by frustration for the patient, the family and the doctor. Patients usually exaggerate the food in take. Attempt should be made to elicit patient’s physical concerns like osteoporosis and its bad effects, and fertility (it patient is desirous to have body). If patients is desirous to conceive than she should be explained that unless body weight increases she can not conceive and have baby. This type of motivation if can be brought to surface than treatment becomes simple and easy.

Outcome of treatment of AN is highly variable. Physician should be in consultation with psychiatrist to get optimum result of treatment. One fourth to half of the patients generally recovers fully. Some patients progress to another eating disorder called Bulimia Nervosa (BN). Remaining patients do not improve much and they eventually become depressed with psychiatric disorders.

Why Weight Sways After Losing it

Losing weight may be easy, but maintaining it is difficult. But scientists (so we) now have better understanding of long term weight maintenance.

A person may lose as much as more than 200 kg of weight in 15 to 20 years and gain more than 200 kg. How it is possible and why it happens? It is possible by losing weight and again gaining the lost weight. Why it happens is because the human body is designed to sabotage weight loss at every turn. Once a body is fatter, it wants to revert to what it used to be. Physiology gets changed in two ways, the body needs fewer calories to maintain itself but the craving of food becomes more intense. So, keeping the food away means pitting one’s willpower against several biological processes involving brain, metabolism, hormones, and fat storage. That is why most people can lose weight but only few can sustain it.

Human body is designed to protect against weight lose and starvation. After a period of obesity human body change permanently the way weight is regulated by stimulating the appetite more and protecting the fat stores. After the permanent change the metabolism also changes permanently. The body requires eight (8) calories per day less energy for every pound of weight lose. This difference in energy need before and after weight loss is called “energy gap”.

There are hormonal changes also. Appetite hormone leptin, for example, is appetite regulator. This leptin tells the body to stop eating and store fat after meal. But after weight loss leptin levels are lower than before weight lose. That means appetite is more difficult to suppress. Some people are genetically prone to have lower leptin level and prone to weight gain and obesity. Similarly, another hormone ghrelin, stimulate food intake. Its level in brain falls after meals. But after weight lose the levels of ghrelin increases, and fall after meal is not as marked.

If you lose 10% of your body’s weight all the above mechanisms come into play and try to keep you from losing weight. That is the reason losing 10% of body’s weight is very easy and it becomes very difficult after that. So the person who gains weight after losing it not directly responsible for his weight gain again, it is the biology which is responsible.

There have been some interesting facts about the people who could maintain weight after losing it. They follow certain things like, instead of trying to eat less lifelong to bridge the energy gap, these people exercise more. Exercise influences some biological systems that promote weight regain, encourage the body to be more sensitive to leptons and insulin. These persons also change what they eat. They keep their calories in careful balance with what they expend. They tend to eat low fat foods.

Scientists are trying to find out how to turn the physiological response in our favor and the day is not very far when we will be able to eat and not gain weight. If not what we want to eat, at least we can eat hearts content of food (may not be of our very liking) and not gain weight.

Obesity: an open discussion

Obesity is the result of imbalance of energy (food) intake and output. If energy intake is more than energy output, the energy is accumulated in the body as adipose (fat) tissue, mainly in the abdomen and in subcutaneous (just below skin) tissue. The bad part of fat accumulation is that fat is accumulated in the abdomen first and while reducing weight the abdominal fat is the last to go. This energy is stored for later use if the individual can not get energy supply. So, reduced calorie intake is the cornerstone in reducing weight.

The fundamental goal of obesity reduction is to consume energy (food) below that of expenditure. The “fad diets” does not have any scientific basis. The main regimen that is followed keeps certain facts in consideration relevant to food intake and weight loss. First, 7,500 kcal of energy is approximately one kilogram of fat. Therefore, consuming 100 kcal/day less for a year will produce weight loss of 5 kg, and eating 1,000 kcal/day less will produce weight loss of about one kg per week. Dieticians advice the above regimen for weight loss.

Obese individuals have a higher metabolic rate than normal persons and men have higher metabolic rate than women (due to greater lean body mass) the rate of weight loss is greater in more obese and among men (relative to women). With chronic calorie restriction, metabolic rate diminishes because of reduced lean body mass and possibly because of other adaptations. This fall in metabolic rate with food restriction slows down the rate of weight loss on a constant diet. This is the reason of faster weight loss at the beginning and much slower weight loss later on, if a person is on constant diet.

Weight reduction is not like treatment of a disease that once the disease is cured the person need not to worry. To remain within normal weight by previously obese person require lifelong change of behavior and lifestyle as well as lifelong change of food habit. This lifestyle change has to continue even after reduction of weight to normal. Typically behavior change is brought about by counseling in a group of people and requesting them to monitor and record the circumstances relating to extra eating. Unless the obese person continues to follow the new lifestyle after weight reduction he is bound to gain weight again.

An important aspect of diet therapy is educating the obese person how to prevent weight gain. Knowledge of calorie and nutritional content of food is very important in shaping the food habit for maintaining weight. Generally obese persons liking of food is of high calorie type and there knowledge of calorie and nutrition is very poor. There is no clear evidence that one type of diet is better than others that is why it becomes more important that obese persons should be educated in nutrition and calorie content of different types of foods. In general a diet containing lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat and oil diet is the best diet an obese person can follow. The diet should also contain enough quantity of proteins.

Obesity: A Scientific Perspective

Obesity is presence of excess quantity of body fat, more than scientifically acceptable limit. Deposition of excess food as body fat is a physiological response of the body developed during the time of evolution to overcome food shortage during lean periods. But presently it is causing serious problem because of easy access to food and sedentary lifestyle. Obesity is most commonly measured in terms of BMI (body mass index). BMI is calculated by the following formula, body weight is divided by height in meter square, (body weight/ height2). Body height is in meters. Obesity is defined as BMI more than 30. For normal people BMI is from 18.5 to 30. BMI below 18.5 is taken as underweight. Risk of cardiovascular disease is minimal at this range of BMI. There are other formulas for measurement of obesity. This formula of calculating obesity by BMI is also not foolproof, because if a person is very muscular like body builders, he may have very little body fat but his BMI may be >30. We can not call him obese. Overweight can be called when BMI is form 25 to 30.

Prevalence of obesity: obesity is more common problem in industrialized countries. For example in USA prevalence of obesity was about 30% in the year 2000, and it is increasing. In the year 1975 to 1980 it was 15%. In 2000 as many as 64% of adult population above 20 years were overweight, as calculated by BMI of >25.

Now the burning question is do the obese eat more than the lean?

Answer to this question is not simple. This question has created much debate. There are methodological difficulties in determining food intake. Some of the obese individuals claim they eat less, and these claims are supported by the results of food intake questionnaires. However, it is now established that the average energy expenditure increases with obesity, due to the fact that metabolically active lean tissue mass increases. According to law of thermodynamics, therefore an obese person must eat more to maintain his increased body weight. But certain people who are predisposed to obesity due to there genetic structure, may develop obesity without absolute increase in calorie consumption.

What is the state of energy expenditure in obesity?

The average daily energy expenditure is more in obesity, due to metabolically active extra tissue mass. But when weight is lost the energy expenditure is reduced and for maintenance of body weight less energy is used than it would have been in case of lean person at that weight. This is one of the main reasons why obese people find it difficult to maintain body weight after bringing down body weight to normal.

Causes of obesity: Most important of obesity is eating more food than required to maintain ideal body weight. Next important cause is genetics. There are also certain medical conditions where body weight increases for example, diabetes.

Consequences of obesity: Obesity can cause many serious consequences. It can cause type 2 diabetes mellitus (non insulin dependent diabetes), cardiovascular diseases, gall bladder stone, cancers, lung disease, reproductive disorder, bone and joint disease etc.

A Food Guide during Pregnancy from Conception to Delivery

Your baby is what you eat. Your diet before, during and after pregnancy is the most important determinant factor of your health as well as the health of your baby. Research shows that maternal nutrition not only affects the health of the baby but his susceptibility to disease during adult life. Healthy eating should be a way of life, especially when you are nurturing another life within you.

Pre conceptual Care: Overweight females find it difficult to conceive.If you are planning a baby, and you are overweight, reduce weight first. Begin on a healthy note with healthy eating. Plan your diet for reducing weight and also for maintaining proper nutrition. Cut down on your intake of anti-nutrients such as caffeine, deep-friend foods, cigarettes, alcohol and also painkillers. This ensures healthy conception.

Research shows fifty essential nutrients are needed for proper growth and development of the foetus, of which folic acid is of prime importance. Lack of folic acid causes neural tube defects such as Spina Bifida and other congenital deformities of neural tube. It is a birth defect in which the spinal cord does not develop fully.

Folic acid is extremely crucial for foetal brain development in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Most women do not know they have conceived till they fail to menstruate. That is why; it is of utmost importance that all women of childbearing age consume more than one food which is rich in folic acid.

GOOD SOURCES OF FOLIC ACID:

1. black eye beans chickpeas.

2. peanuts, sprouting beans.

pumpkin, carrot, spinach, greenleafy vegetables.

3. broccoli, letuce.

Positive pregnancy:

If you gain excess weight during your pregnancy, it is less likely that you will revert to your orginal size. Normal weight gain is within the range of 10-13 kg.Excess weight gain can lead to complications like hypertension, preeclampsia , caesarean sections, and extra large baby. Extra large babies can have lots of problems, like diabetes, obesity in later life, and associated problems of obesity. It also means extra weight to burn off after the baby is born.

The amount of fat cells your baby will have is determined in the foetal stage, so your diet must not be too rich in fat. Nevertheless, some fat gain is vital for pregnancy. Compensate with nutrient rich foods and healthy fats found in nuts and oily fish.

Trying to lose weight during pregnancy can be dangerous. Underweight mothers suffer from infections and may give birth to “small for date” babies. Eating for two may be a myth but your calorie demands naturally increase with pregnancy.An average weight person needs only 300 more calories than normal to maintain pregnancy. However, some women reduce their activity, which means normal calorie intake is fine.

If your BMI is more than 25 at the time of conception body weight increase during pregnancy should be little less than normal person. If BMI is less than 18.5 during conception weight gain during pregnancy should be about 15 kgs.

Morning sickness:

Most of the organs of the baby are formed during the first trimester (first 3 months of pregnancy), so during this period, optimum nutrition is extremely important. Yet at this time many women experience continual sickness (nausea & vomiting) and do not feel like eating.

Tips to alleviate nausea and vomiting:

1. Eat anything you like to eat.

2. Eat small quantity of food frequently. Avoid large meals, greasy of spicy foods.

3. Get out of bed slowly, avoiding sudden movements.

4. Eat some dry bread, biscuits of cereal in the morning.

5. Try foods and drinks that have ginger, as it sometimes relieves nausea.

6. Cold foods are better tolerated than hot foods since they are less aromatic.

7. Do not lie down immediately after eating.

8. Do not fast or remain hungry.

Ensure that your diet provides you with enough energy and nutrients for the baby to grow and for your body to deal with the changes taking place.

Post-partum:

The burning question after pregnancy is, “Will I ever get my figure back?”Desperation to fit into your favourite outfit mounts every day. Avoid the temptation to go on a fad diet.

There is no need for any special food after childbirth. You will burn fat with increased physical activity and cutting down on sugary and oily foods. Breastfeeding helps to shed excess weight by burning more calories and mobilizing fat for the production of milk. It stimulates the uterus to contract to its pre-birth size.Eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise to get back a lean, firm body gradually.Walking is one of the best fat burning exercises for post partum women. Pelvic floor and abdominal exercises are also beneficial.

Now you have a baby, it’s a big responsibility. One of the greatest challenges is to provide proper nourishment and inculcate healthy eating habits in today’s snack culture. But in the long run, this is the greatest contribution you can make to your child’s development.

Scientific Fact About Foods & Nutrition

Nutrition is the science of food and its relationship to health. The subject of food & nutrition is very extensive. Through centuries, food has been recognized as important for human beings in health and disease. The history of man has been to large extent struggle to obtain food. Great advances have been made during last 50 years in knowledge of nutrition and in the practical application of that knowledge. Specific nutritional diseases have been identified and technologies developed to control them, for example protein energy malnutrition, endemic goiter, nutritional anemia, and nutritional blindness.

Foods can be classified into five categories 1) Proteins 2) Fats 3) Carbohydrates 4) Vitamins 5) minerals.

Proteins:

Proteins are the building blocks of human body. The word protein means, “Of first importance”. Indeed they are of the greatest importance in human nutrition. Proteins are complex nitrogenous compounds. They contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur in varying amount. Proteins differ from carbohydrates and fats in that they contain nitrogen; this is usually 16 % of protein. Proteins constitute about 20% of body weight.

Proteins are made up of smaller units, called amino acids. Some 24 amino acids are required by human body, of which 9 are called “essential” because the body can not synthesize them in amounts what is needed by the body, and therefore they must be obtained from dietary sources. They are: leucine, isoleucine, lysine, metheonine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, tryptophan, and histidine. Non essential amino acids (which are synthesized in the body) include asparagenic acids, serine, glutamic acid, praline and glycine, arginine. Both essential and non essential amino acids are required for synthesis of proteins. New tissues can not be formed unless all essential amino acids (EAA) are present in the diet. A protein is said to be “biologically complete” if it contain all the EAA’s. if it is lacking in one or more EAA’s it is “biologically incomplete”. From nutritional point of view animal proteins are rated superior to vegetable proteins. Milk and egg proteins are most suitable for humans. If one is a pure vegetarian than he should combine two or more vegetable proteins to overcome deficiencies of EAA’s.

Functions of proteins: proteins give 4 kcal of energy per gram. Proteins are required for body building, repair and maintenance of body tissues, synthesis of substances like, antibodies, plasma proteins, hemoglobin, enzymes, and coagulation factors. Proteins are required for immune mechanism of body.

Sources of proteins: Animal sources include, milk, meat, egg, fish, cheese etc. Vegetable sources include pulses, cereals, nuts, oil-seed cakes etc.

Protein requirement is expressed in terms of body weight. Protein requirement of humans is 1 gram/kg/day.

Fats:

Fats are solid at 200C, they are called “oils” if they are liquid at that temperature. They can be classified into simple lipids, compound lipids, and derived lipids.

Most of the body fat (99%) in adipose tissue is in the form of simple lipid. Adipose tissue constitute 10-15 % of body weight, if it is more than that it is obesity. Fatty acids can be divided into saturated and unsaturated. Some of the fatty acids can not be synthesized in the body, they have to be obtained from dietary sources and are called “essential fatty acids” (EFA). Saturated fatty acids increase amount of cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acids reduce cholesterol.

Sources of fat:

1) Animal fats- major sources are butter, milk, cheese, eggs, fats of meat and fish. Animal fats except cod liver oil and fish oils are mostly saturated fats and increase cholesterol. That’s why animal fats should be consumed less.

2) Vegetable fats- plants store fat in there seeds, e.g. ground nut, mustard, coconut, sesame, sunflower. They contain large amount of unsaturated fat and reduce cholesterol. There percentage should be higher in food compare to animal fat.

3) Other sources- small quantities of fat (invisible fat) are found in most foods like, cereals, pulses, vegetables.

Fats are high energy foods; they provide 9 kcal of energy per gram. WHO expert committee on Prevention of Coronary Heart Diseases has recommended only 20-30% of total dietary intake of calories. At least 50% should be vegetable fat. But in developed countries it is more than 30-40%.

Carbohydrates:

The third major component of food is carbohydrate, which is the main source of energy, providing 4 kcal of energy per gram. They are essential for synthesis of certain non essential amino acids. Carbohydrate reserve of human body is about 500 grams.

There are three main sources of carbohydrates viz. starches, sugars and cellulose. Starch is basic to human diet. It is found in abundance in cereals, roots and tubers. Sugars comprise monosaccharide (glucose, fructose galactose) and disaccharides (sucrose, lactose). Cellulose is the indigestible part of carbohydrate which do not contribute calorie. They contribute to dietary fiber. Dietary fibers are mainly non starch polysaccharides physiologically important. They are found in fruits, vegetables, and grains. Fiber has many functions. It absorbs water and this increase the bulk of the stool, which prevents constipation, by encouraging bowel movement.

Dietary fiber should be more than 40 grams per day. A well balanced diet provides that much of roughage. Excess fiber also decreases absorption of micronutrients. Fiber may also bind to vitamins and minerals like, zinc, iron, and reduce their bioavailability.

Vitamins:

Vitamins are divided into two groups (a) fat soluble vitamins viz. vitamins A, D, E, and K and (b) water soluble vitamins viz. vitamins B- Complex group and C. each vitamins has specific function to perform and deficiency of any particular vitamin may lead to specific deficiency disease. Minimum requirement of the vitamins has been determined.

Vitamin A: daily requirement is 600 micrograms (mcg) for adults, 350 mcg for infants, and 950 mcg for lactating mothers, and children of 1-6 years need 400 mcg.

Sources of vitamin A include liver, egg, meat fish, milk, green leafy vegetables (darker the leaf, more the vitamin content), yellow fruits and vegetables like papaya, mango, pumpkin, tomato etc. Human body can store vitamin in body mainly in liver, which is sufficient for 6-9 months. Deficiency of vitamin A can cause many symptoms like, night blindness, conjunctival xerosis, Bitot’s spot, corneal xerosis, keratomalacia.

Vitamin D: Daily requirement of vitamin D are 2.5 mcg for adults, 5 mcg for infant and children, and 10 mcg in pregnancy and lactation.

Vitamin D is unique because it is derived from sunlight; it is synthesized by the body by the action of UV (ultra violet) rays of sunlight, which is stored in the skin. Sources of vitamin D are only animal origin. Liver, egg yolk butter, cheese is rich in vitamin D.

Deficiency of vitamin D causes Rickets and osteomalacia.

Vitamin E: vitamin E does not have serious deficiency syndrome. Sources of vitamin E are vegetable oil, sunflower seeds, egg, butter etc. vitamin E is very important in maintaining skin texture.

Vitamin K: it occurs in two forms vit K1 and vit K2. Sources include fresh dark green leafy vegetables, cow’s milk, and liver. Vitamin K2 is synthesized by the intestinal bacteria, which usually provide adequate supply of vitamin in man. It stimulates certain coagulation factors and deficiency of vitamin K can cause bleeding disorders. The daily requirement of vitamin K is 0.03 mg/kg.

B-complex group of vitamin include thiamin (B1), riboflavin(B2), niacin, pyridoxine(B6), pantothenic acid, folic acid, vitamin B12.

Thiamin is water soluble vitamin. Its daily requirement is 0.5 mg per 1000 kcal energy intake. Important sources are whole grain cereals, wheat, gram, yeast, pulses, groundnut, meat, fish, egg, vegetables. Being water soluble thiamin is readily lost on boiling and washing. It is also lost on prolonged storage. Deficiency of thiamin causes beriberi and Wernick’s encephalopathy. Beriberi is three types’ dry beriberi, wet beriberi, and infantile beriberi. Because of improved socio-economic status throughout the world beriberi is very rare nowadays.

Daily requirement of riboflavin is 0.6 mg per 1000 kcal of energy intake. Its sources are milk, egg yolk, liver, kidney, and green leafy vegetables. Germination increase riboflavin content of cereals. Deficiency causes angular stomatitis (ulceration and infection of angle of mouth), glossitis.

Niacin is essential for metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein. It is also essential for normal functioning of skin, intestine and nervous system. Daily requirement is 6.6 mg per 1000 kcal energy intake. Sources include liver, kidney, poultry, fish, legumes, and groundnut. Deficiency of niacin causes Pellagra. Symptoms of pellagra include diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia (forgetfulness). This condition is rare these days.

Pyridoxine deficiency is rare because our daily diet generally contain enough of it. Its daily requirement is 2 mg/day for adults and 2.5 mg/day for pregnancy and lactation. Sources include egg, milk, liver, meat, grain cereals, legumes, vegetables.

Sources of folic acid include green leafy vegetables, meat, liver, dairy products, egg, milk, fruits and cereals. Daily requirement is 100 mcg (micrograms) for adults, 400 mcg for pregnancy, and 150 mcg for lactation. Severe deficiency during pregnancy can cause congenital malformation. It can also cause infertility or even sterility. Body store of folic acid is small 5-10 mg, so folic acid deficiency develops very fast.

Vitamin B12 is available only in animal sources. So, pure vegetarians can develop B12 deficiency. B12 is required for formation of hemoglobin. B12 cooperate with folic acid in the synthesis of DNA. Sources include egg, milk, fish, meat, and kidney. It is also synthesized by bacteria in colon. Daily requirement is 1 mcg/day for adults and 1.5 mcg for pregnancy and lactation.

Vitamin C: vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is water soluble. It is the most heat sensitive of all vitamins. Vitamin C is antioxidant, and play important role in tissue oxidation. It is needed for formation of collagen, which provide supporting matrix to blood vessels, connective tissues, bones and cartilage. That’s why in vitamin C deficiency bones fracture easily and bleeding occurs, as seen in scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency disease. Main dietary sources are fresh fruits and green vegetables. Liver is rich source. Indian gooseberry is the richest source of vitamin C. daily requirement is about 60 mg/day.

Minerals:

Minerals which are required by the body are calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium. Trace elements like zinc, copper, cobalt, chromium, selenium, molybdenum, nickel, tin, silicon, vanadium, manganese, iron, fluorine, are also required.

Calcium is required for the maintenance and development of bones. Daily requirement is about half gram. Deficiency may cause softening of bones. Sources include milk and milk products, cheese, egg, fish, meat. Cereals and vegetables also contain good amount of calcium.

Iron is very important trace element. The main function of iron is oxygen transport and cell respiration. Daily requirement of iron is 30 mgs. Women require more iron due to loss of iron in menstruation. Other minerals and trace elements are also very important in daily functioning of body.

It is required for synthesis of hemoglobin. Iron deficiency causes anemia. Iron is also required for brain development and its function, regulation of body temperature