Introduction to Health and Wellness
The Priority of Proper Nutrition
Just like the goal of sustainability in agriculture, we can strive for the longevity of our bodies and minds. It is no secret that the key to good health is through diet and exercise, but what is it about food that keeps our bodies running efficiently? In this blog, we will review a few nutrition basics to help explain why whole foods are so important to our health and their role in our body's functions.
More Than Just Calories
With calorie counting on the rise, good nutrition has steadily declined. This is bad news for health, our bodies need more than just energy to function. So what is a calorie exactly? Our bodies use fats, sugars, and protein for energy, and they fall into a category called macronutrients. Each macronutrient has a certain amount of energy it provides our bodies per gram we intake, also known as calories. This is where calorie counting has come into play, the worry that taking in too many will be bad for our bodies. Most adults assume that the average caloric intake should be 2,000 calories a day, but it’s based on weight and how much energy the individual is burning. There is nothing wrong with paying attention to how much energy you consume, but the problem lies in not paying attention to what else your body needs.
So what else does our food provide? Besides energy, our food provides our bodies with vitamins and minerals, called micronutrients. These micronutrients are vital to every function in our bodies and brains. Without these micronutrients, our bodies can slowly decline until we show signs of malnutrition like reduced cognitive function, memory loss, and fatigue.
What Do Micronutrients Do for Our Bodies?
The main categories of micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. Vitamins are broken into two subcategories fat-soluble and water-soluble. The fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fat-soluble vitamins are important for immune function, coagulation, bone health, and vision (and so much more!). Water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and the B complex vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins are important for brain function, immune health, and energy metabolism. It’s important to have a daily intake of water-soluble vitamins, because, unlike the fat-soluble vitamins that our bodies store excess in our fat for later, any water-soluble vitamins the body can’t use are passed through our systems as waste.
The other micronutrients are the minerals our bodies need for functions like balancing fluid in the body, bone health, metabolizing amino acids, and making red blood cells (and the list goes on!). The main minerals are calcium, chloride, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulfur, and zinc. Each of these vital nutrients serves a major purpose in the functions of our bodies, like healing, building cells, breaking down toxins that enter the body, and maintaining glucose levels. So when we eat food without micronutrients, we are putting our health at risk.
What is Nutrient Density?
Nutrient-dense foods offer the body a wealth of both macro and micronutrients. These foods aren’t just empty calories, they pack a nutrition punch! For example, farm-fresh chicken eggs offer the body vitamins A, B7, B12, and D, minerals such as chromium, iron, and phosphorus, as well as protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is another extremely nutrient-dense food providing the body with B1, B6, B12, and D, and minerals like calcium, iodine, manganese, potassium, selenium, and sulfur, as well as choline (which isn’t considered a vitamin anymore but helps make and release a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine which aids in nervous system activities). Salmon is also an amazing source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids which are so important to brain health, aiding in mood stability and cognitive function.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are another ideal choice when considering nutrient density and your diet. Broccoli can provide the body with vitamins B5, C, and K, and minerals like magnesium, as well as dietary fiber. Legumes are also nutrient-rich, providing the body with vitamin B6, and the minerals manganese, molybdenum, and sulfur. When legumes and rice are eaten in the same meal, their amino acids can provide the body with a complete protein.
So when you’re looking for more nutritious options and are thinking about both your macro and micronutrient intake, it can help to do a little research and figure out what foods would benefit you the most. Like if you want a stronger immune system, or are concerned about the health of your skin, certain foods may provide you with more of the vitamins and minerals your body needs!
Is Convenience Eating Bad for Our Health?
It might seem like a daunting task to come home from a long day at work and cook instead of grabbing a bite to eat on the way. But when we rely on quick options we can no longer control the content of the food we consume. Restaurants and fast food chains are most likely not taking into account what your body needs, instead opting for foods high in sugar, salt, carbohydrates, and fats because they are cheaper to produce and so addicting! There’s nothing wrong with eating sugar, salt, carbohydrates, and fats, our bodies need a certain amount of each to function and provide energy. But when you cook meals at home, you can control the amount of each that goes into your food, as well as which micronutrients your body needs most.
Hunger Relief and Nutrition
Those suffering from food insecurity have typically not had as many options as far as fresh and nutrient-dense foods are concerned. At Four Roots, we believe that good nutrition should be available to all, regardless of income. That is why we supply those within our community with fruits, vegetables, and other foodstuffs sourced from local farms and ranchers from Washington and surrounding states. Nutrition can seem like a daunting task, but through education and opportunity, we believe that we can help work toward the health of our bodies and our communities.
