Our bodies rely on pathways to supply us with energy to move, breathe, think, battle infection, etc.
We need energy to both survive and thrive, and there are 3 main ways to get it. A couple of them need food to act as Fuel, specifically carbs and fats.
It's time to replace 'calorie' with 'ATP' when we talk about the body's energy currency. More on that later.
Bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, brain, heart, lungs, etc. These unique types of tissue give you physical form. Eating supports this form (e.g. proteins give us the building blocks to build and repair our organs).
Our bodies rely on interconnected systems, including:
They're made of our amazing anatomy, and their function is known as physiology, or the software of the body. Vitamins and minerals massively influence the integrity of these systems.
Let's not underestimate the importance of enjoying your food, whether personally or socially. Marrying function and pleasure is the holy grail of human nutrition!
Eating isn't only about utility, especially when talking about restrictive and/or dogmatic diets. Science overwhelmingly confirms that these become unsustainable in a hurry. You've likely found this out on your own at some point too (in a low-carb rage right now, aren't you?).
Clean eating can be delicious when you know what to look for in both ingredients and portion sizes. It might be shocking to know that this can include desserts/snacks/whatever your vices may be.
Our priority is to help you get a stranglehold on a customized and sustainable strategy.
Eat and drink mostly whole, unrefined foods and beverages.
While not revolutionary by any means, it’s vital because the less we alter our food, the more nutritious it is. In turn, this makes us feel fuller, longer (satiety).
The goal of most processing is to increase the shelf life of foods. This tends to create products that keep us hungry, while the food industry makes beaucoup profits.
We generally do best with short shelf life food. Freshness and perishability are key to best choices at the grocery store or on menus.
Our culture of convenience and availability leads us to eating too much, too often.
Taking ownership and scaling back is a major key. We flat out don’t need anywhere near as much energy from our diets as we did before the 21st century.
Our modern environments keep evolving towards efficiency. This cuts the need for even the most basic physical activity (like pressing buttons to open doors). Since the average person now relies on marathons of sitting to survive, it doesn't makes sense to eat as much.
Portion and appetite control can be as elusive as the Sasquatch for a whole host of reasons. Right on cue, Fasting has come back to modern consciousness and will help you slay these beasts.
When making food choices, focus on getting as much colour as possible. Plenty of colour means plenty of nutrients.
Sure, Skittles can help taste the rainbow, but that obviously ain't it chief. Veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruits have to be priorities.
While we're on the subject, brown, white, and their sexy shades take up way too much of our daily menu. See what brown can do for you through smaller amounts of meat, say half of your current usual. Choose mainly whole grains and legumes.
Enjoy what comes with the Maillard reaction. This is what happens when you brown/caramelize food via heat in the cooking process. Needless to say, it can make things taste delicious (unless you're that person that burns everything in the kitchen).
Water makes up about 60% of the body, making it crucial to human life.
You can only survive for a few days without it, depending on environmental conditions. Whereas you can live for weeks without food.
Why?
Our bodies can’t store water like they do other nutrients, so we have to consistently re-up.
It's essential for all of our bodies' processes, like:
01Neuromuscular functioning & protection.
02Regulating fluid balance & blood volume.
03Nutrient transport.
04Waste removal.
05Tissue lubrication.
... and more.
There are three major sources of water for the human body:
01BeveragesObviously considered our greatest source of water, but not the only way we can hydrate.
02FoodSome, like fruits and veggies, contain a lot of water and are a great source.
03MetabolismWater is a byproduct of metabolism in our cells. Compared to the other two, this is a minimal source.
Proteins are chains of amino acids, the building blocks of all living things.
They're unique in that our own DNA is responsible for their production, unlike carbs and fats.
The human body works with a pool of 20 amino acids, which form the plethora of proteins we need to live.
They are divided into two groups: essential and non-essential.
01EssentialClassified as such because they must be consumed in our diets. There are 9: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan, and Valine.
02Non-EssentialCan be made by the body, but are no less important. There are 11: Alanine, Arginine, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Cysteine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Glycine, Proline, Serine, and Tyrosine.
01Proteins are not only essential pieces of our muscles, but all other human tissue as well. This includes: bone, blood, skin, etc. They're key to growth, repair, and the general functioning of all bodily systems.
02They help maintain fluid balance in the body by being able to draw water. For example, proteins in the bloodstream help ensure that excessive fluid doesn’t build up in surrounding tissues and result in edema (swelling).
03They help maintain the acid-base balance of our blood. This is essential for normal functions like enzyme activity. They can be used as buffers (i.e. have an alkaline effect) when the body becomes too acidic.
04The immune system needs proteins to defend us from illness. This comes specifically in the form of antibodies. Enzymes, the molecules which catalyze all chemical reactions in the body, are proteins.
05The outer shells of all cells in our bodies contain proteins. These are critical to their normal functioning, like getting materials in and out.
06Proteins can provide the body with energy, but only as a last resort. This happens when there aren't enough carbs and fats to work with.
When thinking about sourcing protein, also consider its quality.
01Plant products can be sources of complete proteins, like soybeans, quinoa, hemp and chia seeds, but not always.
02Certain plants need to be eaten in combination with others to complete their amino content. For example, legumes (beans, lentils, peas) typically lack methionine but contain lysine. Whole grains (brown rice, wheat) are low in lysine but contain methionine.
03Animal products are rich in all amino acids, meaning they contain all nine of the essential variety.
04Diversity is the best bet. Red meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, whole eggs, soy products (tofu, tempeh), legumes, whole grains (quinoa, wheat, wild rice), nuts (peanuts, almonds, pistachios), and seeds (hemp, flax, chia) are all great sources.
Also known as lipids, fats come in the forms of:
01Triglycerides95% of the fat we consume. They contain fatty acids, categorized as either saturated or unsaturated.
Unsaturated fats can be further broken into mono and polyunsaturated varieties.
02PhospholipidsAlso contain fatty acids, but are unique because they can mix with water. This allows them to perform very important functions in the body.
03SterolsThese lipids are structured a lot differently. One of the more common sterols we consume is cholesterol, a crucial compound for the human body.
Triglycerides are stored in adipose tissue (body fat), which is mainly deposited under the skin and around internal organs, but also within muscles, bone marrow, and breasts.
These fats then get mobilized during non-feeding times (e.g. between meals, during exercise, and sleep).
This is super important because we have relatively low energy storage space for carbs (glycogen). Remember, our bodies prefer to avoid burning protein.
01EnergyBy far the largest source for the body. This is because most of our cells are great at metabolizing them. Fats primarily Fuel the body at rest. This is also true for low-moderate intensity work like standing and walking. They also help Fuel exercise at these same intensities.
02Satiety (feeling full)While energy-rich, fat is slow to digest & absorb because of the extra work the gut has to do to get it into the bloodstream. It makes us feel full for a longer period of time, which comes in handy if you're in the weight-loss game.
Fats are friends of the tongue. They provide delicious flavours and textures to food.
Form the membranes, or walls, of our cells. These are like customs agents that regulate what gets in and out, keeping your body running smoothly. It's vital that they stay flexible, and fat makes sure they stay that way. Additionally, fats make up about 60% of the brain!
04
CommunicationHelp our cells communicate with their external environments. When your squad is trillions of members deep, it's important they can talk to each other.
05EFADietary fat provides essential fatty acids (our bodies can't make them).
These are the famous
omega-6 (linoleic - LA) &
omega-3 (alpha-linolenic - ALA, eicosapentaenoic - EPA, docosahexaenoic - DHA) acids.
06Adipose TissueCommonly known as the jiggle you're trying to shed. We do need some though because it insulates our bodies. It also cushions our organs, like shock absorbers, and Fuels cells.
07TransportChauffeur the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K (see the 'Vitamins' section) around the body.
01Saturated
02Polyunsaturated
03Monounsaturated
04ALA
05EPA & DHA
06LA
07Trans Fats
08CholesterolOnly animal products:
09Plant Sterols
10Phospholipids
Vitamins are organic molecules with two classifications:
01 Fat-SolubleThese have to dissolve in fat from our diets before they get transported through the body.
This means we can store them, so they don’t need to be consumed on a daily basis.
02Water-Soluble
These dissolve in water, meaning they don’t need help to be carried through the body.
This also means they can't be stored, so we need to get them daily.
Minerals are inorganic (don't come from living material) elements. They're unique in that they're not broken down by the body, unlike other nutrients.
They have two classifications:
01Major
Known as such because we need to consume at least 100 mg per day. Our bodies contain at least 5000 mg of each.
A major component of bones and teeth – bones store 99% of the calcium in our bodies. It plays a role in balancing the acidity levels of our blood.
It's critical for healthy nervous and muscular systems because it’s an electrolyte. It also regulates blood pressure, blood clotting, and hormone and enzyme activities.
Sources
An electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance, blood acidity, and nerve signals.
It plays a role in food digestion by acting as a component of stomach acid. It also helps the immune system fend off bacteria.
Sources
A major component of bones – about 50-60% of it is stored there. It's involved in vitamin D metabolism, as well as regulation of many different enzymes and blood pressure.
It helps form proteins, DNA, ATP (our energy currency), and blood clots. As an electrolyte, it facilitates muscle contractions and nerve impulses.
Sources
A major component of bones and teeth, which store roughly 85% of the body’s content. It's an electrolyte that helps regulate muscle and nerve function, fluid balance, and enzymes.
It's also a component of energy-storing molecules, genetic material, cell membranes, and fat-transporting molecules.
Sources
An important electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance and healthy blood pressure. It also helps produce nerve signals and muscle contractions.
Sources
An important electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance, acidity levels, and healthy blood pressure. It also helps transmit nerve impulses and induce muscle contractions.
In addition to water, it assists in transporting nutrients like glucose, chloride, and amino acids into cells.
Sources
A component of vitamins B1, B5, and B7, along with the amino acids methionine and cysteine. It protects the health of our body’s proteins.
Alcohol and other drugs get detoxified in the liver with the assistance of sulfur. It also helps maintain acid-base balance and metabolize food.
It builds DNA and guards our cells against oxidative damage (antioxidant).
Sources
02TraceThese need ingesting in amounts less than 100 mg per day. Our bodies store less than 5000 mg of each.
It's essential for carbohydrate metabolism because it facilitates the action of insulin, which helps deliver blood glucose to our cells.
It also helps with immune health, growth, and the metabolism of genetic material (DNA and RNA).
Sources
It participates in energy metabolism, gene expression, and is an antioxidant (combats free radicals).
Copper helps produce the proteins collagen and elastin. It's also important for transporting iron through the body. It helps regulate neurotransmitters and insulate the nervous system.
Sources
Helps form and maintain healthy bones and teeth. It’s a component of the mineral pool in bones, along with calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It stimulates growth of bone-forming cells.
By strengthening enamel, fluoride helps prevent dental cavities and bacterial growth that can harm your teeth and gums.
Sources
As a component of thyroid hormones, it helps regulate resting metabolic rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
It also plays an important role in bone and brain development in fetuses and infants.
Sources
It’s a critical piece of hemoglobin and myoglobin, which are the shuttles for oxygen in our blood and muscles.
As a component of hundreds of different proteins and enzymes, iron helps with:
Sources
Facilitates carbohydrate, protein, and cholesterol metabolism. During the processing of amino acids, it allows the liver to detoxify the body via formation of urea, a major component of urine.
Manganese helps build cartilage and bone. It supports healthy brain, immune, and reproductive function. It also assists collagen formation in wound healing, and protects our mitochondria by fighting free radicals naturally produced during ATP synthesis.
Sources
A component of a class of proteins called selenoproteins. These act as powerful antioxidants, facilitate DNA and thyroid hormone metabolism, and support a healthy immune system.
Through the thyroid connection, selenium helps regulate development, reproduction, resting metabolic rate, and body temperature.
Sources
Around 100 enzymes require zinc to catalyze their reactions. It helps our bodies fight free radicals and make hemoglobin for red blood cells.
Zinc participates in energy metabolism and healthy vision, taste, and smell. It also plays a role in:
It’s also involved in normal development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
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