Home | Health & Fitness | Weight Loss

Getting The Balance Right - A Guide To Healthy Eating

By: Graham Foster

Today I am going to look at the 3 building blocks of a healthy diet one that is filled with nutrition and is good for you, whether you are trying to lose weight or not. They are protein,carbohydrate (carbs if you prefer) and fat.

Foods such as eggs those foods made from milk such as yoghurt, cheeses and of course just milk it's self are high in on of those essential building block protein which is why nutritionist recommend we eat plenty of protein in a balanced diet.

Carbohydrates also have around 4 calories per GRAM although this is of course rather a less scientific measurement as by chemical nature carbohydrates are wide and variable and are available as both naturally occuring carbohydrates and also man made carbohydrates.

Examples of natural carbohydrates include obvious ones such as potato's (in their various forms),bread,rice and oatmeal.Then we have processed foods or man made carbohydrates such as cakes, cookies,bagels and candies etc.

However Fat derives 9 calories from each GRAM, a full 225% more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates.Maybe that suprises you but it shouldn't really but few people uderstand the significance and even then it's not that simple. Nothing ever is ...

Nothing is ever quite as it seems as there are a number of different types of fat there are bad fats Trans Fatty Acids and Saturated Fats which are generally derived from animals or manufactured by man. Where as good fats are generally from plants.

But your body needs a balanced diet, so you have to ensure your are getting adequate amounts of all 3 food groups. To live a healthy life and if you maintain this balance correctly you will not become fat or have problems with obesity.

The balance of carbs, to fat to protein is essential to healthy living and if you choose a diet which is unbalanced you risk health problems. Consume excess of either fat or carbs or a combination of both and you are likely to end up over weight.

Since fat has substancially more calories per gram than both protein & carbohydrates, just ensure the bulk of your diet is a balance of the first two food groups with some healthy fats thrown in for good measure.

There are 4 different types of fat lets look at each in turn...

Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA's).. Mono unsaturated fats are found at room temperature normally in the form of vegetable oils,nuts and seeds.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (Polyunsaturated Fats):- These are are most commonly found in vegetable oils, fish and seafood. They are liquid or soft at room temperature.Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are types of Polyunsaturated fats and are considered essential fatty acids because our bodies need them but don't make them, thus they must be obtained through the diet. Some times referred to as PUFA's.

Saturated Fats (SUFA's):- These are fats which are found predominantly in animal food sources such as meats, dairy products (those made from milk) such as butter and cheese and in some plants the most well know one being coconut and it's derivatives.

Trans Fats (TFA's):- These are manufactured vegetable oils which have been specially processed to become solid at room temperature by the addition of hydrogen. You may have heard them called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils or fats. They have been used in some margarines,junk foods and processed snacks which the manufacturers claim enhances their flavor and shelf life.

Think of it this way fats from animals such as butter, shortening, pastry and the like are saturated fats. Whereas fats from sunflower oils, some nuts and olive oil and unsaturated fats. Some margarines and spreads are also unsaturated fat but read the label first.Don't forget any fat will make you fat if eaten to excess but unsaturated fats are better for you.

All fat will make you put on weight, so always keep it in check and maintain a balance.

Article Source: Main Articles

Are you looking for help and diet advice i'm convinced enjoy the new free report by Graham Foster "82 weight loss tips to lose 22.5 pounds of horrible fat in just 5 short weeks"
This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.

This article may be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission provided the byline, resource area, and any hyperlinks remain in order to give proper credit to the author.

Internet search engines and directory listings are imperative to your sites existence and success. Submit Your Website to the Searchen Networks directory and search engine to achieve authoritive inbound links.

Please Rate this Article

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Weight Loss Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Health & Fitness | Weight Loss

Personal Trainers Aren't Just for Celebrities - By : Jim Mackey
How To Lose Weight Fast - By : Jackie Serta
Having And Meeting Goals When Dieting - By : Jackie Serta
Shocking Information About Liposuction - By : ChristyJonpns
Very Fast weight Loss - By : Jackie Serta
Successful Weight Loss on TV - By : Jim Mackey
Gastric Band Surgery Today - By : GeoffLord1
Advantages of Gastric Band Surgery in Belgium or France. - By : GeoffLord1
Benefits of Gastric Band Surgery. - By : GeoffLord1
Choose Gastric Band Surgery in France. - By : GeoffLord1

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

	Submit Articles
	Member Login
	Top Authors
	Most Popular Articles
	Submission Guidelines
	Ezine Notifications
	Article RSS Feeds

	New Stuff
	About Us
	Link to Us
	Contact Us
	Privacy Policy
	Terms of Service

:: Top Author Businesses:

Try your luck, Play BlackJack

:: Our Supporters: