Healthy Human Nutrition Recommendations

Food, Diet, and Nutrition

The problem of healthy nutrition is a complex one, requiring extensive knowledge and skills in various fields of science and practice. Air, water, and food are needed for every person. Food gives energy, without which life is impossible. Human health and well-being depend on the full value of nutrition. Thus, a useful and varied food can prevent the development of many diseases. A successful treatment of diseases that have already arisen is also unthinkable without the products, beneficial to the body. In recent decades, the physical activity of a significant part of the population has decreased significantly, especially in developed countries. The reduction of energy costs required the revision of norms for the energy value of consumed food products. In other words, with reduced energy consumption, food should be less caloric, contain less carbohydrates and fats. Otherwise, excessive body weight accumulates, obesity develops, and numerous diseases appear. However, it has been found that a decrease in the volume of consumed food is accompanied by a decrease in the intake of vitally important components such as vitamins, bio elements, and amino acids. Thus, lack of these substances in the body also leads to health disorders such as the development of hypovitaminosis, hypo-elementosis, and various diseases. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop scientifically based food rations as well as create additional sources for the body of vitamins and other essential nutrients and maintaining a healthy diet.

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Food is a combination of food products, such as natural, industrial, or culinary ones, suitable for direct consumption. The average consumption of food per day is about 800g without water, and with water, it is about 2,000g (Fontana & Partridge, 2015). For a normal functioning, a person receives everything, except for oxygen, from food and water. Food products used by modern people are not only the carriers of plastic and energy materials, but also a source of non-nutritional components, many of which are components of natural or anthropogenic origin. (Malhotra, Noakes, & Phinney, 2015) In other words, food is the source of food and biologically active substances, necessary for the body. However, along with this, food is the source of various xenobiotics such as radionuclides, pesticides, nitrates, nitrites, mycotoxins, various biological pollutants, etc. The chemical composition of food products, with regard to non-nutrient components, has a regulating effect on virtually all systems of a living organism, responsible for transport, metabolism, neutralization, and elimination (excretion) of xenobiotics (Lang & Heasman, 2016).

A diet must satisfy the physiological needs of a person in the necessary substances and energy as well as meet the requirements, established by regulatory documents for the permissible content of chemical, radioactive, biologically active substances and their compounds, microorganisms and other biological organisms that present danger to the health of present and future generations (Carroll, 2015). The definition of diet can be seen as a specially selected food that is determined by its energy value and chemical composition. Further, when choosing a diet, the way food is processed is determined. After compiling a diet, it is necessary to determine the time of food intake and strictly observe the schedule of eating (Geaney et al., 2015). To avoid causing harm to one’s health, a person must choose the necessary diet and follow this gastronomic way of life, despite various temptations (Malhotra, Noakes, & Phinney, 2015). One should remember that diets are used only for a small adjustment of the body shape and changes in metabolism (Fontana & Partridge, 2015).

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Adequate and adequate nutritional essential nutrients in the diet become a prerequisite for maintaining health, while lack or excess of nutrients in food creates conditions for the development of various diseases (Dernini & Berry, 2015). The term food in modern language is used to refer to several different concepts. Thus, when talking about nutrition, one often means the degree of food supply such as good or, conversely, bad food. The word ‘catering’ refers to a network or system of restaurants, cafes, snack bars, etc., where people eat. Parenteral nutrition means a way of introducing food into the body, bypassing the digestive tract (Fontana & Partridge, 2015). Finally, in the general physiological sense, the following definition is correct: nutrition is the process of intake, digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients in the body necessary to cover its energy costs, build and update tissues, maintain reproductive capacity, provide and regulate body functions.

Healthy Food Preparation Practices

The main reason, forcing manufacturers to use pesticides and chemical fertilizers, is the inability to get a good harvest without using them. However, the use of chemicals does not remain without trace, leading to the fact that harmful substances accumulate in the tissues of fruits and plants. Therefore, it is important to recognize and eliminate the consequences of purposeful cultivation of products with the use of harmful substances (Carroll, 2015). With a high concentration of harmful substances in consumed products, the probability of getting poisoning becomes high, and with time, the occurrence of severe consequences for the human body is high as well, while these consequences are still not accurately established and studied by specialists (Geaney et al., 2015).

It’s impossible to get rid of harmful substances in foods, but a person can reduce their content by performing simple procedures immediately after purchasing food products or immediately before eating them. Soda, soap, vinegar, or citric acid can substitute chemical products (Dernini & Berry, 2015). Pesticides are deposited mainly in the skin of vegetables and fruits, so the best option is to clean it. It is especially recommended to remove the peel in the cases when there is a clearly visible chemical film on the surface and it is indelible in the usual way (Lang & Heasman, 2016). It is also necessary to cut green areas on potato tubers and carrots since they contain one more harmful substance solanine (Ghosh, 2014). For the foods that can be heat treated, increasing the temperature helps remove pesticides. Especially effective is a method for neutralizing nitrates in leafy greens. Before soaking white cabbage and various root crops, it is recommended to cut them into slices. During the preparation of vegetable and fruit salads, it will be useful to add juice of lemon or pomegranate into the dish. They destroy the nitrate compounds contained in the products. It is not recommended to store vegetables after defrosting and keep vegetable juices and freshly prepared salads for more than a day (even at low temperatures) since long storage can cause nitrates to turn into the most dangerous carcinogens nitrites (Geaney et al., 2015). To avoid the danger of harmful substances that are contained in most of the products presented in stores and on the market, it is worthwhile to study their composition carefully, inspect their appearance, and process them carefully after the purchase.

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When buying meat in the market or in a store, the person must give preference to meat from carcasses of mutton or beef. Before the main preparation, the meat of any animal must be soaked and boiled several times, followed by the decanting of broth. This need arises from the fact that all harmful chemicals from meat are transferred to broth, and it is no longer considered useful (Anklam, 2015). The soaking of meat should be done for several hours, while it is desirable to put it in salt water because salt prevents the development of new microbes and kills the existing bacteria.

Joules and Calories

Energy is measured in calories, in particular thermal energy. One calorie is the unit of energy needed to heat 1 gram of water per 1 degree Celsius. Now calorie, as a unit of measurement, is used mainly only in the context of the energy value of products. The equivalent of calorie in the metric system is the joule that is used more often in a scientific context and is equal to the work done when moving the point of application of the force equal to one Newton, at a distance of one meter in the direction of the force. Theoretically, 1 kilocalorie is 1000 times more than 1 calorie (Lang & Heasman).1 kilocalorie (kcal) is the energy needed to heat an entire kilogram of water by 1 degree and 1 calorie, as written above – only 1 gram of water. The energy value of food is indicated in kilocalories (kcal). However, for convenience, a kilocalorie is often called simply calorie. Thus, by saying calorie, many people mean kilocalorie.

The main rule is as follows: 1 kcal is 4.185 or 4.2 kJ. Therefore, when one talks about how many kilocalories a person can consume per day, one needs to translate them into kilojoules, dividing the figure by 4.2 kcal. For example, an adult woman, who leads a moderately active lifestyle, needs 2,000 calories a day to maintain her weight and provide her body with the energy necessary for normal functioning (Fontana & Partridge, 2015). If she has to calculate the energy in kilojoules, she needs 2000 x 4.2 = 8400 kJ. If the person has a reverse situation, and he or she needs to convert kilojoules into kilocalories, then the figure in kJ should be divided by 4.2. Looking at the same woman described above, the formula will look like this: 8400 ? 4,2 = 2000 kcal per day. This amount of energy will be enough for her to keep her body in shape and lead a normal lifestyle. Another example is a woman, 43 years old who weighs 57.5 kg. Her need in calories is 57.5 * 20 = 1150. Calories of activity level include work at the computer, homework, 45 minutes of exercise = 35% * 1150 = 402. Calories for the assimilation of food = 10% * (1150 + 402) = 155 Calories for the whole day = 1150 + 402 + 155 = 1707.

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Elements in Human Body

Carbohydrates are organic compounds, consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are synthesized in plants from water and carbon dioxide under the influence of sunlight. Simple and complex, digestible and undigested carbohydrates are supplied with food. The main simple carbohydrates are glucose, galactose and fructose (monosaccharides), sucrose, lactose and maltose (disaccharides). Complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) include starch, glycogen, cellulose, pectins, and hemicellulose. They are necessary for the normal exchange of proteins and fats in the human body. In combination with proteins, they form some hormones and enzymes, the secrets of salivary and other mucus-forming glands as well as other important compounds.

Lipids are the same necessary component of nutrition as well as proteins. First, lipid is a concentrated source of energy. Each gram of stored fat contains 9 calories. Proteins and carbohydrates have only 4 kcal per gram. When one is at rest or one performs long-term aerobic loads, fats are the main source of energy. If the proportion of fats in the diet becomes less than 15%, endurance and performance of the organism decrease by 10%. The concentration of lactic acid increases, which leads to rapid fatigue. Together with fats, a person receives fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K. Accumulating fat under the skin and around the organs, fat reduces the heat loss of the body and performs a protective function, protecting tissues from mechanical damage during shocks and falls (Leray, 2014). Fats in the human body are very heterogeneous in their composition, they release neutral fats, phospholipids, sphingolipids, steroids, waxes.

Proteins are special molecular compounds that underlie the vital activity of any living organism. The role of proteins in the body is extremely diverse. Each protein has its own unique structure and it performs a strictly defined function in the body. Each protein is characterized by a unique combination of amino acids, which is unique to it, and their number (Fontana & Partridge, 2015). Thus, the permutation of only one amino acid link to another site, its loss or replacement will lead to a significant change in properties. For the visual abilities, a special light-sensitive protein, rhodopsin, is responsible for the formation of an image on the retina of the eye. Many amino acids are synthesized in the body. They are called interchangeable. Some amino acids necessary for the synthesis of proteins are not synthesized in the body and they must come from outside. Such amino acids are called irreplaceable ones.

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Vitamins participate in a variety of biochemical reactions, performing a catalytic function in the active site of a large number of various enzymes or acting as information regulatory intermediaries, performing signaling functions of exogenous prohormones and hormones. Most vitamins are not synthesized in the human body. Therefore, they must regularly and in sufficient quantities enter the body with food or in the form of vitamin-mineral complexes and food additives (Litwak, 2014). Minerals are chemical elements that occur in the earth’s crust. They are divided into two categories: micronutrients and macro elements. Mineral substances that make up the body are consumed continuously, and the amounts of these expenditures depend on the type of activity, working conditions, the state of the organism, and so on. If the human food is diverse, it contains in sufficient quantities of all necessary mineral substances (salts of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium, etc.). In addition, they are found in the body in a certain ratio. The deficiency of one of the minerals can disrupt the balance of other body minerals. Each mineral, which is present in small amounts in the soil, is important for the body.

Water is the main solvent since many chemical reactions occur in the water environment, associated with the transformation of various biomolecules (Lang & Heasman, 2016). Water also serves as a universal refrigerant, transported with blood flow, and it cools the most active organs. In addition, water performs a number of special functions, for example, takes part in maintaining acid-base balance in the blood. The water in the human organism is contained inside and outside cells. Extracellular and intracellular water is, respectively, the basis of extracellular and intracellular spaces. At the same time, blood water is a part of extracellular water.

There are two types of fibers in a human body that can be characterized by high or low strength and high or low fatigue. Red muscle fibers help to maintain the posture and they are contained in back muscles; they help to produce heat. This type of fiber is rich in myoglobin that stores oxygen in itself. During the aerobic exercise, mitochondria of red muscle fibers produce energy by oxidizing glucose with oxygen. Myoglobin is able to give oxygen to the mitochondria if it does not come with enough blood. Slow muscle fibers are well supplied with blood, so oxygen prevails there for longer time than in fast myocytes.

Balance Diet

A balanced diet is a food ration, in which the content of basic nutrients in the diet completely covers the needs of the body. A properly balanced diet helps to lose weight without special efforts. The basis of almost any food is protein, carbohydrates, and fats (Dernini & Berry, 2015). A diet is most often based on limiting the most caloric components of nutrition as fats and carbohydrates (Carroll, 2015). They are also important for the health of the body, and they are present in the proper volume in a balanced diet (Anklam, 2015). A balanced diet menu is much safer than various restrictive diets because it is more physiological for the human body. The balanced diet menu for weight loss contains only products useful to all people, and already on the basis of a healthy nutrition, a natural weight loss occurs. In a properly balanced diet, the carbohydrate content is 40% and the protein and fat content is 30%. (McCarthy, 2014). This distribution of essential nutrients in a balanced diet allows the body to provide a full-fledged building material and energy, without harm to metabolism. A balanced diet according to Fricker comes from Europe, and its distinctive feature is that there is no special menu. A month of nutrition on the diet of Fricker allows to lose 5 – 7 kg of excess weight. This balanced diet has four rules of nutrition. Protein-rich foods, such as fish, meat, cold snacks, and eggs, are recommended during lunch, necessarily combining them with vegetables. Each meal should be finished with a portion of 200g of fresh vegetables or fruits. In this balanced diet, a person must avoid all pastries and sweets, and in the morning and evening, one should drink a spoonful of olive oil (Fontana & Partridge, 2015).

Conclusion

Nutrition is one of the basic conditions of human existence. The quantity, quality, assortment of consumed foods, timeliness and regularity of food intake decisively influence human life in all its manifestations. A proper diet is the most important factor of health, it positively affects the working capacity of a person and their life activity and largely determines the duration of life, delaying the onset of old age. Among the environmental conditions that constantly affect the human body, nutrition, undoubtedly, is the most serious one. However, food is fundamentally different from all other factors of the external environment. The process of nutrition transforms the energy from external to internal one, and its elements are transformed into energy of physiological functions and structural elements of human organs and tissues. That is why nutrition is the main factor in ensuring a normal growth and development of the human body, its ability to work, adaptation to the impact of various agents of the external environment. Thus, it can be assumed that the nutritional factor has a determining effect on the life span and active human activity.

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