The Macrobiotic Diet

A macrobiotic diet is a type of diet that consists primarily of whole grains, cereals, and vegetables. Early versions of a macrobiotic diet encouraged eating only cooked whole grains, but these more extreme regimens are no longer used because of their potentially dangerous health effects.

The new approach? The macrobiotic diet “promotes whole foods vs….

What Is a Nutrient?

You probably already know that a nutrient is something that is good for you, but do you know what a nutrient really is? Macronutrients “Macro” means big, so the macronutrients are the big nutrients, better known as protein, fats and carbohydrates. Except for zero-calorie foods, everything you eat contains varying amounts of these nutrients. Despite the popularity of some fad diets…

Vitamin B12 May Help Ward off Alzheimer’s

People who consume lots of foods rich in vitamin B12—such as fish and fortified cereals—may be at lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than people who take in less of the vitamin, a small study conducted in Finland suggests.

In the study, which was published in Neurology, researchers in Scandinavia analyzed blood samples from 271 individuals ages 65 to 79…

Vitamins, Water-Soluble

Vitamins are essential organic substances that are needed in small amounts in the diet for the normal function, growth, and maintenance of body tissues. Water-soluble  vitamins consist of the B vitamins and vitamin C. With exception of vitamin B6 and B12, they are readily excreted in urine without appreciable storage, so frequent consumption becomes necessary. They are generally nontoxic…

Vitamins, Fat-Soluble

Because they dissolve in fat, vitamins  A, D, E, and K are called fat-soluble vitamins. They are absorbed from the small intestines, along with dietary fat, which is why fat malabsorption resulting from various diseases (e.g., cystic fibrosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease) is associated with poor absorption of these vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins are primarily stored in the liver and…

Vegetarianism

Definition

Vegetarianism refers to the practice of excluding meat, poultry, and fish from the diet. The word was coined in 1847, when the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom—the oldest organized vegetarian group in the world—was founded in Ramsgate, Kent. The Society, which has included George Bernard Shaw and Mahatma Gandhi among its members, chose the word vegetarian for its…

Sports Nutrition

Definition

Sports nutrition is a broad interdisciplinary field that involves dietitians, biochemists, exercise physiologists, cell and molecular biologists, and occasionally psychotherapists. It has both a basic science aspect that includes such concerns as understanding the body’s use of nutrients during athletic competition and the need for nutritional supplements among athletes; and an application aspect, which is concerned with the use…

Preschoolers and Toddlers, Diet of

At approximately age one, children enter the latent period of growth. During this period, until the onset of puberty, growth and development are more gradual than during the first year. Physical growth steadies, and the body begins to look more proportioned as it prepares for an “upright” lifestyle.

The immediate stages following infancy are toddlerhood (ages…

Pregnancy

Nutrition during the preconception period, as well as throughout a pregnancy, has a major impact on pregnancy outcome. Among prepregnancy considerations, the prepregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI), folic acid status, and socioeconomic status are the most important.

Prepregnancy BMI is an important factor in predicting pregnancy outcome, since both low prepregnancy and high prepregnancy BMI are associated with an increased…

Minerals

Definition

Minerals are inorganic elements that originate in the earth and cannot be made in the body. They play important roles in various bodily functions and are necessary to sustain life and maintain optimal health, and thus are essential nutrients. Most of the minerals in the human diet come directly from plants and water, or indirectly from animal foods. However,…

Malnutrition

The nutritional requirements of the human body reflect the nutritional intake necessary to maintain optimal body function and to meet the body’s daily energy needs. Malnutrition  (literally, “bad nutrition”) is defined as “inadequate nutrition,” and while most people interpret this as undernutrition, falling short of daily nutritional requirements, it can also mean overnutrition, meaning intake in excess of what…