Nutrition Basics

There are six kinds of nutrients:

Carbohydrates

Fats

Proteins

Vitamins

Minerals

Water

Calories

Only three nutrients provide calories:

Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram

Protein provides 4 calories per gram

Fat provides 9 calories per gram

…which is why too much fat adds up so fast!

What is the RDA?

RDA stands for:

Recommended Daily Allowance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture calculates how much of each nutrient you probably need, based on your age, weight, gender, and other factors.

What are Carbohydrates?

What Foods Have Protein?

What Are Vitamins?

Technically, a vitamin is a molecule your body needs to perform certain tasks. Vitamins are created or compounded (put together) by living things.

Examples:

What Are Minerals?

Technically, minerals are molecules your body needs to perform certain tasks.

Although they are almost always present in some foods, they are not “created” in the food: they are elements that can exist without life.

Examples:

What kinds of things are/have fat?

Where do we find water?

RDA for Calories

Usually males have higher RDA’s than females, because a higher percentage of their bodies is muscle rather than fat.

Active people have higher caloric RDA’s than those who do not exercise much.

Iron

Adolescents need extra iron because they develop more muscles,

Because more blood flows in their veins as they go through growth spurts….

And other reasons.

Kinds of Iron

“Heme” iron comes from red meats.

It is absorbed (used) by the body most easily.

“Nonheme” iron comes from grains and veggies.

The body does not absorb it as easily; eating it with a good source of vitamin C helps the body absorb it.

Calcium

Growing skeletons need extra calcium.

Without enough in the diet, the body literally steals calcium from your bones to keep blood calcium levels high enough.

If this happens when you are growing, you may never get that bone calcium back, making it easier to break bones as you age.

Absorbing Calcium

Usually our bodies can only soak up between 30-40% of the calcium we eat.

Even if we eat extra calcium, we usually end up using about the same amount, unless there is a special reason the body needs more.

Being inactive can interfere with calcium absorption, and cause kidney stones and loss of bone density.

Calcium Sources

Best: Milk and milk products (including yogurt and, yes, ICE CREAM!)

Good: dried beans and peas, broccoli, dark green leafy veggies (except spinach)

Good only with doctor’s orders: supplements. Too much calcium from a supplement can mess up iron absorption, and cause appetite problems, vomiting, kidney damage, weakness….ick.

Protein: Enough is enough

Some athletes double (or more) protein in their diets to give them the “edge”. But once a body uses what it needs, the extra protein calories are simply stored away…..as fat.

Too much protein can also cause separate problems, especially for the kidneys.