Sometimes the amount of information at our fingertips can be overwhelming, especially in the case of information on food and nutrition. Every day a new headline tells us what we thought was right is now wrong, and suddenly there’s a laundry list of “new” things we should be concerned about in our food. Even as a registered dietitian, I feel like the constant barrage of contradictory information is confusing and pulls my attention away from the key nutrition facts I need to know. With so much talk about what our food doesn’t or shouldn’t contain, we are losing sight of the most important fact: There are tons of great nutrients and components that food should and does contain that aren’t being highlighted. I’ve whittled down the long list of those great nutrients and components in food into five things you should always look for. The following five items are “tried and true,” so even though they may not be the in the most recent headlines, they still have tons of science behind them to back up their benefits.
1. Protein.
Protein is an important macronutrient that is comprised of amino acids, which serve as building blocks for forming protein and other structures in our body. When we eat protein, we are consuming amino acids, which are important for a variety of functions — including building and maintaining lean muscle, weight loss/maintenance, bone health and immunity. So where should you look for protein? There are a variety of sources of protein that can fit any taste, preference or budget. Good animal sources of protein include lean beef, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy products like milk and yogurt. Plant sources are also an important source of protein, so look for sources with soy such as tofu, soymilk and other soy products, as well as beans, seeds, nuts and some grains and vegetables.
[See: 5 Unintended Consequences of Eating Too Much Protein.]
2. Whole and enriched refined grains.
Grains may get a bad rap from some, but the truth is they play an important role in our body and provide plenty of health benefits. Carbohydrates, like grains, are the primary energy source for your body. Especially during exercise, your body relies on carbohydrates in the form of glycogen to fuel exercise. Now to get a bit more granular: Whole grains are found in carbohydrates and refer to the entire grain or seed of the plant. There are a variety of whole-grain sources found in foods like oatmeal, brown rice or popcorn, or incorporated as an ingredient in food, such as whole-wheat flour in cereal, bread or crackers. The benefits of whole grains are numerous and include cardiovascular health, gut health and weight loss/maintenance, just to name a few. Many of these health benefits can be linked back to fiber, a component of whole grains, which could be called the true whole-grain hero.
The word “whole,” of course, implies that anything less is void of something, but that’s not necessarily the case with non-whole grains like enriched refined grains. Refined grains differ from whole grains in that they have been processed where the bran and the germ are removed. Even though refined grains have gone through a few extra processing steps, it doesn’t mean they are without nutritional value. In contrast, most refined grains, like flour, are enriched with vitamins and minerals before being added to foods. Most refined grains are enriched with B vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folate, critical for cellular growth and metabolism, and minerals like iron, which is important for cardiovascular health.
[See: 7 Diet Mistakes Sabotaging Your Weight Loss.]
3. Unsaturated fats.
We’ve gone from fat phobic to fat fanatics, but there’s still some confusion on what types of fats we should be eating. Unsaturated fats such as mono-and polyunsaturated fats should be the headline here, as they support satiety, boost cognitive function and promote cardiovascular health. Monounsaturated fats, also known as MUFAs, are comprised of omega-9 fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fats, commonly referred to as PUFAs, are further broken down into omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and omega-6 (linoleic acid) fatty acids. When looking for unsaturated fats in the diet, you may hear them referred to as any of the above terms. The important thing to remember is that they are connected to important health benefits and can be found in a variety of foods. Plant oils such as canola, soybean and olive oils are good sources of unsaturated fats. Other great sources are soy products like soy milk and edamame, seafood like canned salmon and tuna, and nuts such as walnuts and almonds.
4. Vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Even though this sounds like the miscellaneous category, these micronutrients can have macro effects on your health. Depending on the vitamin, mineral or trace element, these nutrients can be important for energy, growth and repair. With vitamins, look for fat soluble (vitamins A, D, E and K) and water soluble (vitamins B and C). Two important minerals to keep your eye out for are calcium and iron. Trace elements such as iodine and fluoride are needed in much smaller amounts but still play a crucial role in your body functioning properly. Since there are a lot of vitamins, minerals and trace elements, how are you supposed to know what to look for in food to make sure you’re getting all of the above? The answer is simple: Eat a variety of foods. Instead of focusing on just one food, choose a variety of types of food so you ensure you’re getting all the different vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Aim to get lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet, as well as grains and lean protein (see Nos. 1 and 2 above). The other option is to look for foods that are fortified with these important nutrients, such as orange juice fortified with vitamin D and calcium or cereal fortified with B vitamins and iron.
[See: Seeds 101: A Guide, From Chia to Hemp.]
5. Healthful components, such as probiotics, prebiotics and flavonoids.
Finally, there is a whole other category that I like to call “healthful components.” These are the components in food that have associated health benefits but can’t be classified as a macro or micro nutrient. These are also the components that, when in foods, some like to call “superfoods” — although there is no definition for that term. Depending on the component, accompanying health benefits can be cognitive health, developmental health and gut and cardiovascular health. Examples of healthful components in food are probiotics, which are microorganisms that support gut health — aka the microbiome — and can be found in yogurt and fermented foods like tempeh and sauerkraut. Another example of a healthful component are prebiotics found in bananas, honey, onions and garlic that are basically food for the microbiome. Flavonoids are also a great example of one of these components since they’re associated with increased cognitive and cardiovascular health and found in a variety of foods like fruits, vegetables, soy products, tea, red wine and dark chocolate.
So whether it’s in the grocery aisle, at the dinner table or at a restaurant, keep your eye peeled for these five important things in food that can contribute to overall health.
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The Top 5 Things You Need in Your Food originally appeared on usnews.com
