Sunday, June 28, 2009

The Necessary Buzzwords From Dietary Science

By Kathy P Bates

These days there are a lot of "buzz words" when it comes to nourishment. Science has found an large quantity of nutrients that were not acknowledged before. It is easy to get perplexed when you hear such words as phytonutrients, polyphenols, carotenoids, anthocyanins and Omega fatty acids. What do they all mean?

Everyone is familiar with protein, fat and carbohydrates as they are just the simple classifications of food. Break them down and there are the crucial vitamins such as A, C, E, D, E and the B complex and the necessary minerals such as calcium, zinc, chromium and magnesium. But science has found that there are also hundreds of "micronutrients". These are nutrients that are necessary in less significant quantities but are still vital. This would include the phytonutrients, polyphenols, carotenoids, anthocyanins and Omega fatty acids.

Phytonutrients are a non-mineral, non-vitamin, naturally occurring component of food that offers excellent health advantages. Significant phytonutrients include polyphenols, anthocyanins, carotenoids and phytoestrogens.

Polyphenols are an antioxidant. They were in the past known as vitamin P, but the name changed as they were found to be very different from a standard vitamin. Polyphenols have anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic properties. You can get polyphenols from most berries, tea, red wine, coffee, dark chocolate, pomegranates and more.

The orange-red pigment that is so familiar in nature and found in red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin, carrots, apricots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes is called Carotenoids. Carotenoids convert to vitamin A in the body, as they are a vitamin A precursor. Carotenoids can safeguard us from cancers and the negative effects of aging.

Anthocyanins are the pigment that is accountable for the deep purple black colors of many wholesome foods from blueberries and blackberries to purple cabbage and red wine. Anthocyanins provide health benefits against neurological diseases and aging, cancers, inflammation, diabetes and bacterial infections based upon laboratory proof. You can find high concentrations of anthocyanins in red wine, berries and more.

Omega fatty acids are considered to be essential fatty acids because our bodies cannot produce them and they must be provided by our diet. They include Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9. Our bodies require a constructive ratio of 1:1 for these vital fats, but the modern day diet provides very little Omega 3 and excessive amounts of Omega 6. It is imperative to supplement Omega 3's or deliberately add foods that are high in Omega 3's to our diet. Omega 3 fatty acids are important for healthy membranes and the proper progress of the eyes, a strong cardiovascular system and a strong immune system.

Nutritional science is finding increasingly more confirmation of the importance of these essential micronutrients every day. In order to get the peak nutrition you need to eat a selection of beneficial foods every day.

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