In nutrition, diet plays an important role in the management of the body weight and helps determine the amount of calories and other nutrients that are absorbed by the body tissues. It also determines how much of the energy consumed is spent on various body activities, like digestion, maintenance of the body, and so on. In a nutritionally healthy diet, the proportions of nutrients and calories vary according to the macro-nutrient content of the diet and the calorie intake per day. In this way, the dietitian ensures that the diet provides the necessary amount of nutrients to meet the daily energy requirements of the body tissues and organs.
Food refers to all the nutrients that are required by the body for its normal functioning. The term nutrition includes all the foods that provide the calories needed by the body for maintenance, growth and repair of tissues and cells, and growth and development of the individual cells and tissues. A balanced diet is essential for a healthy living. There are two types of diets: one is the macro-nutrient diet; another is the micronutrient diet. In this article, we will focus more on the macro-nutrient diet.
Studies indicate that there is a relationship between nutrition and heart disease. Diets that provide more calories than necessary are associated with increased chances of developing cardiovascular diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. These diseases are associated with obesity, which is closely related to an unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, it is advisable for those who are concerned about their health to follow a healthy diet and get regular exercise.
There are three broad categories of diets: the low-fat diet, the low-calorie diet and the low-saturated fat diet. The first diet reduces the intake of fats and fatty foods. Fatty foods are defined as those foods that contain high levels of saturated fats, hydrogenated fats, and cholesterol. This type of diet is characterized by less consumption of dairy products, seafood, poultry and legumes, grains, potatoes, sugar, salt, and soybean products. On the contrary, the second diet requires less intake of saturated fat and hydrogenated fats, but increases the intake of fiber, grains, fruits, vegetables, and protein.
The third diet is characterized by decreasing the consumption of snacks. Snacks are defined as any food or drink that is consumed between breakfast and lunch, except nuts, raisins, chocolate, and cooked eggs. This type of diet is recommended for obese people who need to lose weight. The recommended food energy resource (food energy) intake per day is about six thousand calories lower than the amount of energy required by an individual who is moderately active.
Currently, many people are motivated to change their diet culture. One of the reasons for this motivation is the recognition of the significant health benefits associated with healthy eating habits. Furthermore, people are increasingly becoming aware of the social benefits of having healthy eating habits. A diet culture that is based on the American Dietary Association’s (ADA’s) recommended dietary guidelines provides support and encouragement to many people who want to live a healthy lifestyle. It also provides a sense of security that if one observes a healthier diet they will be viewed as healthier individuals by others.