I am compiling a glossary to help non-nutritionists to better understand what they are eating. The contents of foods can be very important for different reasons; protection, strength building, antioxidants, energy giving, cell building, etc, etc. The list does go on so hopefully the details below will help you on your way to a healthier life. |
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Antioxidants are our friends, they are dietary substances including some nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamins C and E and selenium, that can prevent damage to your body cells or repair damage that has been done. Antioxidants are the knights in shining armour that subjugate the attack of free radicals in the body, the hazardous molecules that damage cells and procure aging and disease. Though antioxidants are produced naturally in the body, these decline with age, hence there is an increasing need to acquire them from the foods in our diet. What is it / What does it do? Beta-carotene is what gives yellow and orange fruit and vegetables their colour. Beta-carotene is turned into vitamin A in the body and, therefore, can perform the same functions in the body as vitamin A. Sources: yellow and green (leafy) vegetables such as spinach, carrots and red peppers, and yellow fruit such as mango, melon and apricots. What is it / What does it do? Calcium has a number of important functions, helps build strong bones and teeth, regulates muscle contraction, including the heartbeat and makes sure blood clots normally. It's thought that calcium may help to lower high blood pressure and may help to protect against colon and breast cancer, although more evidence is needed to confirm this. Sources: milk, cheese and other dairy foods, green leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage and okra, but not spinach), soya beans, tofu, soya drinks with added calcium, nuts, bread and anything made with fortified flour, and fish where you eat the bones, such as sardines and pilchards. Amount: Adults need 700 mg a day. What is it / What does it do? Folic acid, known as folate in its natural form, is one of the B-group of vitamins. It works together with vitamin B12 to form healthy red blood cells and helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in unborn babies. Sources: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, peas, chickpeas and brown rice. Other useful sources include fortified breakfast cereals, some bread and some fruit (such as oranges and bananas). Amount: Folate is a water-soluble vitamin, which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body. Adults need 0.2 mg a day. What is it / What does it do? Manganese is a trace element found in a variety of foods. It helps make and activate some of the enzymes in the body. Sources: These include bread, nuts, cereals and green vegetables (such as peas and runner beans). It's also found in tea, which is probably the biggest source of manganese for many people.
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What is it / What does it do? Potassium is a mineral found in most types of food. It controls the balance of fluids in the body and may also help lower blood pressure. Sources: fruit (such as bananas), vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, milk, fish, shellfish, beef, chicken, turkey and bread. Amount: Adults need 3500 mg a day. What is it / What does it do? Vitamin A is also known as retinol. It helps maintain the health of skin and mucus linings (in the nose for example), helps strengthen immunity from infections and helps vision in dim light. Sources: cheese, eggs, oily fish (such as mackerel), milk, fortified margarine and yoghurt. Liver is also a rich source of vitamin A, but, because it's such a rich source, if you already eat it every week, you might want to choose not to have it more often. Amount: Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means you don't need it every day because any of the vitamin your body doesn't need immediately is stored for future use. 0.7 mg a day for men and 0.6 mg a day for women. What is it / What does it do? Vitamin C, also know as ascorbic acid. It helps protect cells and keeps them healthy and it helps the body absorb iron from food. Sources: peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, oranges and kiwi fruit. Amount: Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body. Adults need 40 mg a day. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can bind to and destroy cellular compounds. We produce more free radicals in the body than taken in from the environment. In the body are toxic forms of oxygen molecules, these are produced by our own metabolism. The body is designed to protect us from free radicals by way of enzymes. From the environment free radicals are produced from cigarette smoking (some of the worst free radicals produced), alcohol, pesticides, fried and barbecued foods, cleaning products and much more (a good reason to reduce these in our homes and diet). To protect us from free radicals we must supply the body with a good supply of anti oxidants from fresh fruits, vegetables, green teas, red grapes and in small amounts red wine
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