Background
Nutrition science is one of the evolving topics that catch the attention of many in society. New trends in nutrition have been contributed to the advancement in technology and the use of social media by people. The stigma surrounding some of the nutrition components makes people fear including in their diets. For example, carbohydrates are avoided by people claiming that it contributes to lifestyle diseases with the highest percentage. In reality, carbohydrates should not be feared by incorporating other nutritional components to form a good diet. Since some of the nutritional components are avoided without a valid reason, people need to be educated on the importance of eating balanced date food. Nutrition Cal Plus software analyses data on how people can take a well-balanced diet food. In this essay, I will present the assessment of my diet based on different categories of Macronutrients (Philippou & Andreou, 2022). The essay points out why specific nutritional components in a given category of macronutrients should be taken in large quantity, their significance, and the relevance of having variation of nutrients from one category to another.
Macronutrients Analysis
Macronutrients comprise carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They are normally taken in large quantities as compared to other nutrients due to their crucial role played in the human body. Macronutrients are well known for providing our bodies with energy, helping in preventing diseases and allowing the body to function correctly (McDonald et al., 2020). Macronutrients are found in many food sources, but it can be difficult to determine the exact amount to consume. Macronutrients are regularly required by our bodies to provide energy which helps in performing bodily functions.
Carbohydrates
When serving lunch, our bodies need the largest amount of carbohydrates. From the spreadsheet, it is clear that the amount of Carbohydrates needed by our bodies in a day is 992.3 grams. Carbohydrates are highly dominated by potatoes (104.5g), cassava (78.4g), wheat (37.5), and cashews (68.5). The significance of taking meals that have a large number of carbohydrates at lunchtime is that the body needs a lot of energy to work. Foods like cassava and potatoes help in gaining strengths that are effective in sustaining the health of human beings—fruits such as tomatoes, cucumber, eggplant and zucchini. The carbohydrates items contribute to more than 60% of the nutritional components taken by our bodies (Salam, 2021).
Sugar also helps in providing energy hence being one of the key components of the diet. From the data, we can see that most of the components that are enriched in carbohydrates have some components of fiber and sugar. For example, the potato has 3.3 grams of sugar and 17.9 grams of fiber. Seeds that have carbohydrates include rice (51.7), corn (123.7g), and chickpeas (125.9 g). Carbohydrates are significant in our bodies by acting as a source of energy hence having them taken in large quantities. They also help to boost the brain, kidneys, central nervous system and heart muscles. Most carbohydrates have fiber which is crucial in ensuring smooth and effective digestion. Some categories of foods have large components of carbohydrates, while others have lower percentages. For example, from the table, it is clear that there are no components of carbohydrates in chicken, duck, beef, ad very lower components in cauliflower (5.3g), broccoli (6.0g), and Brussels 7.9g). both food components are important in our bodies as they contribute to ensuring a balanced diet.
Proteins
When serving animal products, one gets 25.5mg of proteins from chicken, 16.4g from duck,24.3mg from beef, and 27.9mg from salmon. However, chickpeas dominate, with 40.9 mg representing the seeds and nuts. Proteins are essential nutrients as it helps in the body’s growth. They repair body tissues hence allowing metabolic reactions to take place and coordinate the functions of the body (Gonzalez-Vazquez et al., 2021). Therefore, it is advisable for people to consider taking proteins as part of their meal.
Fats
Fats are dominated by cashews 99.5mg, almonds 71.4mg, and peanuts 72.5mg. However, almost every component of food has some contents of fats to show how significant the nutrient s in our bodies. For instance, fats from salmon contain omega 3, which helps our bodies in brain development. Furthermore, fats also play a crucial role in digestion hence remaining one of the important nutritional components. Fats also provide the body with energy, support cells growth, stabilize cholesterol and blood pressure, and help the body to absorb crucial nutrients into the body.
Vitamins
Micronutrients are made up of vitamins that are essential in the human body. Major types of vitamins include vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin C. A well-balanced diet should not miss vitamins as they play a significant role in maintaining the immune system of the body. Vitamin B12 is mainly found in beef, and from the analysis, we can see that it has a quantity of 2.5mg and in salmon, 5.4mg. It is essential in the human body as it helps in forming the DNA of an individual. Vitamin C is the dominant vitamin that is taken by a human being (Chang et al., 2021). Categories of food that are enriched in vitamin C comprise fruits and vegetables. Fresh orange lead fruits by having a quantity of 120.7mg, followed by mango, which has 60.1mg. In vegetables, broccoli dominates with 81.2mg, brussels sprouts with 74.8mg, and spinach with 63.7mg. One should take large quantities of vitamin C as it is significant in forming and maintaining bones, skin, and blood vessels. It also boosts the immune system of an individual hence protection from diseases.
Minerals
Nutrition is made complete by taking foods that are enriched in minerals. Some of the major minerals needed by our bodies include calcium, magnesium, zinc, sodium, potassium, iron, and phosphorus. Potassium is highly needed by our bodies. Fruits also have minerals that are helpful in our bodies. From the analysis, tomatoes have a quantity of 426.6mg, cucumber 153.9mg, mango 277.2mg, apple 242.7mg, and eggplant 519.4mg. Underground organs such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and cassava also have a large composition of potassium. Potato skin leads this category by having 1299.5 mg, followed by sweet potato (950 mg) and cassava 558.3 mg. Animal products that are enriched in potassium include chicken, duck, beef, and salmon. Beef has the largest amount of potassium which is at 392.4mg, and salmon at 497.8mg. Potassium is significant as it helps in moving the nutrients into cells and waste products out of cells. A diet that is in potassium plays a great role in offsetting some of sodium’s harmful impacts on blood pressure. Furthermore, potassium products also help in water retention and protect the body against kidney stones and stroke.
References
Chang, M. C., Kwak, S. G., & Kwak, S. (2021). Effect of dietary vitamins C and E on the risk of Parkinson’s disease: A meta-analysis. Clinical Nutrition, 40(6), 3922–3930.
Gonzalez-Vazquez, M. C., Vela-Sanchez, R. A., Rojas-Ruiz, N. E., & Carabarin-Lima, A. (2021). Importance of Cry Proteins in Biotechnology: Initially a Bioinsecticide, Now a Vaccine Adjuvant. Life, 11(10), 999.
McDonald, C. M., Bowser, E. K., Farnham, K., Alvarez, J. A., Padula, L., & Rozga, M. (2020). Dietary Macronutrient Distribution and Nutrition Outcomes in Persons with Cystic Fibrosis: An Evidence Analysis Center Systematic Review. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Philippou, C., & Andreou, E. (2022). Integration of Healthy Eating Habits and Physical Activity through Nutrition Care Process to Tackle the Obesity Epidemic: A Narrative Review of the Evidence. Arab Journal of Nutrition and Exercise (AJNE).
Salam, P. A. D. M. K. D. H. (2021). The effect of the of creatine phosphate and carbohydrates loading according to the training curriculum on some special physical abilities for boxing player. Journal of Studies and Researches of Sport Education, /(69).