Biochemistry and Human Nutrition Archives

Jul 19

Important Nutritional Considerations in Different Stages of Life

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To develop their optimal potential it is vital that children are provided with nutritionally sound diet. Diet and exercise pattern during childhood and adolescence may spell the difference between health and risk of disease in later years. Different stages of life cycle dictates different nutrients needs.
Important nutritional considerations in first stage of life:
In first 12 months of life a baby will triple its weight and increase its length 50 %. These gain in weight and height are the primary indices of nutritional status and their accurate measure at regular intervals are compared with standard growth charts. These measurements are important tools for monitoring a child’s progress particularly during the first 6 to 12 months of life. Read more

Jul 18

Healthy Eating Habits for Adults

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Healthy eating and healthful way of life are important to how we look, feel and how much we enjoy life. The right lifestyle decisions with good food and good regular exercise can help us make the most of what life has to offer. Making smart food choices early in life and through adulthood can also help reduce risk of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, certain cancers and osteoporosis. Following are the healthy eating habits for adults.
1. Enjoy wide variety of food: This concept it is the most consistent health message in dietary recommendations around the world. We need more than 40 different nutrients for good health and no single food can supply them all. That is why consumption of a wide variety of foods (including fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, fats and oil) is necessary for good health and any food can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet. Some studies have linked dietary variety with longevity. In any event, choosing a variety of foods adds to the enjoyment of meals and snacks. Read more

Jul 18

Healthy Eating Habits for Children and Adolescents

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1. Enjoy your food: try to enjoy lots of different food every day for variety and enjoyment. Share food with family and friends.
2. Breakfast is very important meal: your body needs energy after long sleep so breakfast is important. Food that are high in carbohydrate such as bread, cereals, fruits make good breakfast choices. Skipping meals especially breakfast can lead to out of control hunger, often resulting in helpless over eating. Skipping breakfast can also cause lack of concentration for school-work.
3. Eat lots of different food: a variety of different food every day is the secret for good health. You need 40 different vitamins and minerals for good health and no one food can supply all of them. There are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ food so you don’t need to miss the food you enjoy.
4. Base your food choices on carbohydrate: these food provide needed energy, vitamins and minerals. Food that are high in carbohydrate include pasta, breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Try to include some of these food in every meal as more than half of the calories in your diet should come from them. Read more

Jul 03

Vitamins: Functions and their sources

Vitamin refer to essential dietary factor which is required by an organism in small amounts and whose absence results in deficiency diseases. Vitamins are important for their regularity and protective functions. Unlike most other nutrients, they are required in very small amounts. But it is necessary to provide these in diet because many of them cannot be synthesized in our body. Excess intake of any vitamin however is harmful. Vitamins are generally classified on the basis of their solubility.

Water soluble vitamin: vitamin C, B complex
Fat soluble vitamin: vitamin A, D, E and K

Jun 30

Why Functional foods are high valued?

Food with ingredient that are medically beneficial beyond their basic nutritional value are called functional food. It is similar in appearance to conventional food, consumed part of normal diet and has demonstrated physiological benefit and reduces the risk of chronic disease beyond basic nutritional function. Examples include tomatoes, broccoli, citrus fruits, leafy vegetables and many more. People are starting to look at food as a perception for health. Functional food in highest demand include those containing omega -3 fatty acid, glucosamine and probiotics.

Jun 25

Why minerals are so important?

Mineral is naturally occurring chemical compound which is not produced by life process. Food contains varying amount of minerals. The mineral may be present as organic or inorganic salt or may be present with the combination with organic materials such as phospho-protein, hemoglobin, vitamin B2, chlorophyll etc. Minerals like calcium and phosphorous are required in large amount in our diet as they constitute major part of bone. Other minerals like zinc, Cobalt, copper, iodine etc. are required in very small amount ranging from few mg to microgram. However, these minerals should not be neglected in our diet as even they are required in very small amount, their inadequate intake leads to several deficiency diseases. Read more

Jun 15

Protein Quality, Sources and Dificiency

Protein quality: It is the digestibility and quantity of essential amino acids for providing the protein in correct ratio for human consumption. There are various methods that rank quality of different types of protein. Some of the popular methods are Protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) and Digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS). Read more