Ask a nutrition related questions thread

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Hey I wanted to start a thread where I could answer questions for people on the topic of health and nutrition. If you have any questions please ask. I really enjoy helping people in this area.

Last edited by sealion on 11 Jun 2011, 9:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

Perfect! just the thing I wanted

I have had this doubt for a while now... which source of omega 3 is better fish or flaxseed... nd what dosage is appropriate for women over 20?

I also have another question...Do you study food and nutrition? I've been thinking of shifting to food & nutr... What are the job prospects like after graduation?

@pree10shun I don't recommend any omega 3 supplements. I now this really goes against the grain but they cause alot of inflammation. If you really wanted a omega 3 supplement fish oil would be better then flax seed as the flax seeds slows down metabolism more aggressively both however really down regulate metabolism. Best to stay away from both of them. If you want to improve your health look into more healthy saturated fats like coconut oil. Look at your meal frequency, ratios, timing. All are important. I'm not on the omega 3 ban wagon as you can see.

in terms of education, it's tough there is so much misinformation on health and nutrition I can't recommend anything of the top of my head sorry. It not that taking nutrition in university is that bad. You will learn more depth on how say for example a medium chain fatty acid works. You will however get some misinformation with your education not much you can do about that.

What are the 4 food groups and how much from the 4 food groups are we supposed to eat everyday?

Is it healthy to be vegan....let's start with that.

I can guess the answer, but I'll try to be optimistic (we'll see how that works out...)
Is there some kind of meal bar or shake or something that I could eat as an exclusive source of nutrition? I know they make meal bars and stuff, but I think those are generally meant to be balanced with other foods. I'm tired of having to figure out what I'm going to eat and having to cook it and at some point try to consider if it's remotely healthy.

@catlover

I don't think in terms of food groups so it's hard for me to answer your question. I would suggest that you eat proteins, carbs and fats in every meal and eat foods that are whole. They call them whole foods for a reason. Make sure to have good ratios balance between carbs and protein. 50/50 ratio is a good start. Elimate all grains, they are mostly a scratch so they are bad for blood sugar management and some people have problems with glutten. There's alot more I could add but I don't want to overwhelm you.

@chrissyrun

It's not healthy to be a vegan, you don't get enough protein in your diet and you lose out on lots of sources of vitamin a and d. Yes, you can get your protein from soy or beans but these are bad sources of protein. Your body needs proteins, carbs and fats in every meal.

@Megz

You want to eat whole foods. Protein bars are processed and packaged. You also only get protein which will cause blood sugar fluctuations. Try cooking and having a glass container to store your left overs in the fridge.

Hope this helps

Sealion why do false hunger pangs happen?

@pree10shun

When you say false hunger pangs do you mean you eat and get hungry soon after? Or you eat and feel like something missing? Both are signs of wrong ratios. Health is about balance.

Very confusing. If I wanted to sort my way through the current mono/polyunsaturated craze correctly what's fact and what's fiction in this department? Is saturated fat from fruit/vegetables significantly different from saturated fats in meats or are the claims against saturated fat all wrong?

Recommendations by the experts are usually for the majority of people. The majority of people in the U.S.A. for example would benefit from losing weight, so nutrition advice in articles are usually based on this fact. The same holds true for minimizing saturated fats. Articles on the subject tell the reader how to reduce their intake, since most readers would benefit. It depends on the reader. Moderate intake is not necessarily bad.

Not here to cause trouble just education people but free range grass fed meats are bad because of saturated fats? Every hormone in your body is a precursor to cholesterol and the higher your metabolic rate the more cholesterol you utilize.

Here is an example of free range pigs. These are the types of meats everyone should be eating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-9DHaFp1Dc

There are no nutrients found only in animal products- that's a myth propagated by the industries producing them and the government agencies they control.

"It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes. A vegetarian diet is defined as one that does not include meat (including fowl) or seafood, or products containing those foods. This article reviews the current data related to key nutrients for vegetarians including protein, n-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, and vitamins D and B-12. A vegetarian diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients. In some cases, supplements or fortified foods can provide useful amounts of important nutrients. An evidence-based review showed that vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. The results of an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians also appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Features of a vegetarian diet that may reduce risk of chronic disease include lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy products, fiber, and phytochemicals."

http://www.eatright.org/about/content.aspx?id=8357

Why?

Why should I do that, when the nutrients can be obtained from plant-based sources?

Oh wow. This myth is still around?
This hasn't been the consensus of the field of human nutrition for about two decades.
You're referring to protein-combining, I'm assuming?
Wikipedia: Protein Combining
It's an extremely-outdated concept, and the original author of it has since retracted it.
It's nearly-impossible to be protein-deficient without also being calorically deficient.
That's because protein of different types is in almost all foods.
(From above) "With three important exceptions, there is little danger of protein deficiency in a plant food diet. The exceptions are diets very heavily dependent on fruit or on some tubers, such as sweet potatoes or cassava, or on junk food (refined flours, sugars, and fat). Fortunately, relatively few people in the world try to survive on diets in which these foods are virtually the sole source of calories. In all other diets, if people are getting enough calories, they are virtually certain of getting enough protein."

That Westerners eat a lot of animal-based foods,
and those foods are (er, can be) high in vitamins A and D,
doesn't mean A and D aren't readily-available in plant-based foods.

Also, where do you think Vitamin D comes from originally?
The SUN!! ! Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is synthesized when we're exposed to sunlight.
And Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) is mainly found in plants.


...say what?
What, exactly, does a "bad" source of protein mean? One with nearly no LDL cholesterol? One drastically lower in calories and fat? That's the only thing I can think of that differentiates "good" sources from "bad" sources, and that one's a point for veganism.
VeganBodybuilding&Fitness
^Do these guys appear to be protein-deficient?

Yup, and all those can be found a-plenty in the plant kingdom.







I really don't mean to be rude, but if you're going to start up a thread inviting people to solicit you for nutritional advice, you might want to have an idea of the current understanding of human nutrition.

I've seen a couple nutritionists in the past year, in conjunction with therapy, for some weight-related issues, and you know what their reactions were, respectively, to me mentioning my veganism?
"Excellent!" and "I am, too."

Vegan burn!