How Nutritional Biochemistry Can Help Us Eat Better

Knowing about the chemistry behind big nutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—can really help us make better eating choices for our health. These nutrients do more than just give us energy; they also help our bodies function properly.

1. Carbohydrates: What They Are and How They Affect Us

Carbohydrates come in two main types: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are found in things like fruits and some snacks, while complex carbohydrates are in whole grains and vegetables. Each type affects our blood sugar differently.

• Dietary Sources:

  • Simple Carbs: Found in fruits, honey, and milk.
  • Complex Carbs: Found in whole grains, beans, and starchy vegetables.

• Important Points:

  • Simple carbs are digested quickly, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise fast. This is important for people with diabetes—choosing foods with a low glycemic index (low-GI) can help keep energy steady.

2. Proteins: More Than Just Building Blocks

Proteins are important for making and repairing body tissues. They also help produce enzymes and keep our immune system strong.

• Dietary Sources:

  • Animal Proteins: Meat, dairy products, and eggs.
  • Plant Proteins: Beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

• Important Points:

  • The building blocks of proteins, called amino acids, can affect how our body uses energy. For example, one specific amino acid called leucine helps build muscle. So it’s important to focus on both the amount and quality of protein in our diet.

3. Fats: The Good and the Bad

Fats are key for storing energy and making hormones, but different kinds of fats can affect our health in different ways.

• Dietary Sources:

  • Unsaturated Fats: Found in olive oil, avocados, and fish.
  • Saturated Fats: Found in red meat and whole-milk dairy products.

• Important Points:

  • Unsaturated fats can help lower the risk of heart disease by improving cholesterol levels. Therefore, it’s smart to swap out saturated fats for healthier unsaturated fats.

4. Digestion and Absorption: Meeting Individual Needs

How our bodies digest and absorb these nutrients can help us create personal eating plans.

• Carbohydrate Digestion: Starts in the mouth with saliva and continues in the intestines. Everyone digests carbs a bit differently, so we might need to adjust how many we eat based on our body.

• Protein Digestion: Begins in the stomach and continues in the small intestine. Some people may need more protein if they are very active or have more muscle.

• Fat Digestion: Fats are broken down with help from bile and mostly absorbed in the small intestine. Some people may struggle to digest certain fats because of their genetics.

5. Metabolic Pathways: Keeping a Nutrient Balance

All these nutrients work together in our bodies, which means we need a balanced diet.

• For example, turning carbohydrates and fats into energy needs some amino acids to help.

• Eating too much of one nutrient can upset this balance and lead to health problems.

Conclusion

In short, understanding the science behind the food we eat can improve recommendations for our diets. By personalizing our eating habits based on our unique needs and how our bodies respond, we can create a healthier diet. Learning about these topics helps us make better food choices, leading to a healthier life and less risk of chronic illnesses.