Know What You Get From Foods
It is high time that you know exactly what you get from the food that you eat. You may have encountered something like this before, but it wouldn’t hurt to be reminded.
What do you get from cereals, bread, and other grain products? They provide starch, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, folic acid, magnesium, and zinc. These are not high in calories. But if you eat these together with butter or margarine or jelly, then you are also providing your body with more calories.
Fruits are also low in calories. Instead, they have lots of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, such as potassium and magnesium. Berries, melons, and citrus fruits, such as oranges, are rich in vitamin C (also called ascorbic acid). Of course, the richest source of ascorbic acid is the guava. Yellow-colored fruits, such as cantaloupes, are rich in vitamin A.(also known as retinol). Fruits should be eaten fresh and without sugar.
Vegetables are excellent sources of dietary fiber too. They also provide vitamins and minerals. And they are low in calories. Dark green vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, are rich in vitamin C, riboflavin, folic acid, calcium and magnesium. Deep yellow vegetables, like carrots, are rich in vitamin A. Starchy vegetables, such as green peas and potatoes, obviously give starch, but at the same time, they provide potassium. They also have more calories than other vegetables. Legumes, like beans, are rich in iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and protein. Because of the protein, legumes can be good substitutes for meat.
Meat, poultry, fish, and other similar foods provide lots of nutrients, such as protein, niacin, iron, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin B-6 (made up of pyridoxal, pyridoxol, and pyridoxamine), and vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamine). But these also give many calories. Most of the calories are concentrated in fat areas. And so, to have the protein and to avoid many calories, you may want to choose the lean cuts and remove the chicken skin. Eggs are good alternatives to meat. They provide proteins, as well as minerals. The downside is that they are also high in cholesterol.
Legumes, nuts, and various seeds are also good sources of protein. One-fourth cup of nuts may replace an ounce of meat. However, they do not provide vitamin B-12. Peas and beans, except soybeans, give less fat than lean meat while nuts and seeds provide more fat than lean meat.
Milk, cheese, yogurt, and similar foods are rich sources of protein, riboflavin
and vitamin B-12, and of course, calcium, the most mineral for the growth
and strength of bones.