Incorporating Fats and Carbohydrates Into a Healthy Diet

Trent Harrington

COM/155 University Composition and Communication 1

August 10, 2013
Tracy White

Incorporating Fats and Carbohydrates Into a Healthy Diet

Did you know that a diet with high-fat and low-carbs can put you at risk for heart arrhythmias and kidney problems because of electrolytes and lack of potassium? Fad diets often take bodies on a nutritional rollercoaster because they limit the kind of food a person is allowed to eat. Fats and carbohydrates are especially at risk of being called-out as bad, but the facts are that they contain many things a body needs. A body needs a healthy balance between all foods to function the best it can. This maintenance in our bodies will help fight off diseases that we have become accustomed to knowing about for far too long. When eaten in the correct amounts both carbohydrates and fats give human bodies energy and nutrients that will help maintain a healthy diet.

Carbohydrates and fats give energy, nutrients, and have specific functions that many diets leave neglected because people hear how they can lead someone to have diseases and weight gain. Carbohydrates have two main functions in a healthy diet. First, they give a person’s body an immediate energy source that can help with brain, nervous system, and muscle function. Second, another form of carbohydrate is called fiber, a non-digestible material. Fiber is essential to have a healthy digestive process, maintain blood glucose levels, keep healthy cholesterol levels, and diminish the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fats have three important functions in a healthy diet. First, fats contain many vitamins that can only be digested along with the fat that is eaten; also certain vitamins can only be stored in fat deposits within a body. Second, fat is designed to protect vital organs. Third, fats contain both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that can be found in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats; these fats are proven to lower the chances of getting diseases and help to regulate hormones. The fact that people neglect crucial nutrition in their diet can lead result in many diseases that should be easily avoided.

Getting the correct amount of carbohydrates and fats in a healthy diet can be easy if given the correct information. Carbohydrates should account for 900 to 1,300 of a normal 2,000 calorie diet. Fat should consist of 400 to 700 calories of a normal 2,000 calorie diet. Checking labels on the back of products is an essential way to keep a healthy diet within these restrictions. When eating natural foods, which do not have a label, it is possible to find their nutrients in http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/. The website http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/ can be helpful when trying to make a healthy meal; choose any ingredient and look up a healthy recipe for it. Looking up a favorite fruit or vegetable may help to inspire healthier living because there are so many wonderful recipes. Having reliable information sources will help to control what is allowed in a healthy diet.

When trying to find a diet that will be healthy stay away from those that cut out all fats and carbohydrates. Fats and carbohydrates come in many forms that are critical for a body to function the best it can. The two different types of carbohydrates are simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are the easiest form to digest and give a body immediate glucose, which is energy. Complex carbohydrates give a person’s body energy over time and are usually found in natural foods. Complex and fiber carbohydrates are the healthiest form of carbohydrates. Fat has five main types, which are trans fats, saturated fat, cholesterol, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. Trans fats and saturated fats are the forms of fat that give fat a bad name. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats can be healthy. Cholesterol has two different types that are named High-Density Lipoprotein, HDL, which is a good form of fat and Low-Density Lipoprotein, LDL, which is a bad form of fat. HDL is a healthy type of cholesterol because it moves cholesterol into the liver. LDL is where cholesterol gets dangerous; it can stay inside arteries and create a clog that will put a body at risk for heart attacks. Giving the body the right carbohydrates and fats in the correct amount will lower the chances to get preventable diseases.

Finally, here are some helpful foods that contain healthy fats and carbohydrates that will lower a body’s chance to be afflicted by diseases. Healthy forms of carbohydrates are whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, low fat dairy, beans, and legumes; all of these contain both either complex carbohydrates, fiber, or both. The best sources are fats can be found in nuts, seeds, avocado, fish, and cooking oils because they contain omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, or monounsaturated fats. To get the most out of a diet try to focus on nuts and seeds as they seem to be a recurring source of healthy carbohydrates and fats. As mentioned before vegetables are a healthy source of carbohydrates, but their oils are also a healthy source of fats; make sure to have vegetables every day to maintain a healthy diet. The foods mentioned above are the best way to get carbohydrates and fats to keep the body healthy and resilient to diseases.

Anyone can form their own healthy diet based on the knowledge they gained here and stay away from diets that could harm them. Even carbohydrates and fats play an indispensable role in a healthy diet. Notably the best uses of carbohydrates are to give your brain energy, maintain proper muscle and nervous system function, and use fiber to keep a healthy digestive track. Fat has the ability to give bodies certain vitamins, protect vital organs, regulate hormones, and uses HDL to clean the arteries. Getting as much information about food is important because it is necessary to learn what foods will be best each person. Having healthy recipes on hand is an excellent way to take fruit or vegetables out of a refrigerator and make a tasty meal with them. Everyone has different body types that have a few nutritional inadequacies and may require more or less of certain foods. However, the similarities between humans are enough to ensure that the foods mentioned will help maintain a healthy diet if a person stays within the caloric limits. The more someone is able to understand about the nutrition in a healthy diet the better chances a person has at creating the best diet for their individual body. Don't be tempted to take the next fad diet and remember that all food sources play a role in an excellent diet.

References http://www.livestrong.com/article/423810-difference-between-fats-carbs/ Ulmer, Graham April 19, 2011 Difference Between Fats and Carbs

http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/carbs.html
The Franklin Institute 2004 Nourish – Carbohydrates Fuel Your Brain

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/content/carbohydrate
Iowa State University 2013 Carbohydrate Role of Carbohydrates

http://stanfordhospital.org/PDF/cardiology/preventiveCardiology/fats.pdf
Brochers, Jane October 2004 Good Fats, Bad Fats

http://commonsensehealth.com/Diet-and-Nutrition/Carbohydrate_Foods_List_with_Healthy_Carbohydrates.shtml
Good Carbs List of Carbohydrates in Food

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/fat/unsaturatedfat.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention September 27, 2012 Polyunsaturated Fats and Monounsaturated Fats

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-and-cholesterol/
Harvard School of Public Health Fats and Cholesterol

http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/

http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/