7. Understand Macronutrients
Nutrients
are grouped into six different categories: carbohydrates, proteins,
fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
are called macronutrients because we need larger amounts of them in our
diet. Some foods consist of one, two, or all three of these
macronutrients. Even though each macronutrient has a particular function
in the body, they work in partnership for good health. Our bodies need
all three macronutrients to function properly, but we don’t need them in
equal amounts. Some evidence suggests that a diet with macronutrients
in the wrong proportions is a risk factor for diseases like coronary
heart disease and certain cancers. Achieving the right balance,
quantity, and quality of macronutrients will keep your body healthy and
your metabolism functioning at its peak capacity.
8. Understand Micronutrients
A
healthy diet consists not only of optimal portions of macronutrients
(food) but also recommended levels of essential micronutrients.
Micro-nutrients include vitamins and minerals. Vitamins are called
“micro”nutrients because they are needed only in small amounts to do
their jobs properly. Don’t let the “micro” fool you, though; good things
come in small packages! The micronutrients are just as essential as the
macronutrients in helping to keep your metabolism functioning at a high
level.
9. Understand Simple Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates,
sometimes called carbs, fuel our brain and muscles and supply us with
quick energy. Each gram contains 4 calories, and there are two types of
carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are
sugars—including glucose, sucrose, lactose, galactose, maltose, and
fructose—and are found in refined sugar, fruits, milk, and yogurt. Most
of your simple carbohydrate choices should come from fruits and dairy
products, which also contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber and are
guaranteed to help your metabolism soar!
10. Understand Complex Carbohydrates
Complex
carbohydrates are long chains of molecules that are chemically more
complex than simple carbohydrates. They are also considered to be more
healthful because they are digested more slowly than simple
carbohydrates, provide the body with a deeper pool of energy, and may
include fiber. Look for high-fiber complex carbohydrates in such foods
as beans, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains.
11. Eat More Complex Carbohydrates
If
you crave carbohydrates, you should reach for a complex carbohydrate
instead of a simple one. This is because complex carbs take longer to
break down into absorbable sugars. In addition, some complex
carbohydrates have the benefit of being high in fiber which helps you
stay full longer, and they are usually low in calories and fat. After
being processed, complex carbohydrates are stored in the liver and
muscles as glycogen until they are needed. Good sources of complex carbs
include nuts, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and whole-wheat or brown
rice pasta. Stay away from unhealthier versions like white pasta and
white bread.
12. Get Those Radicals under Control
A free radical
is an unstable molecule that is formed when molecules within the body’s
cells react with oxygen. It is unstable because it has an unpaired
electron that steals a stabilizing electron from another molecule,
potentially causing cell and DNA damage. Free radicals age your body—and
slow your metabolism. In fact, your metabolic process causes free
radicals, but there are also external sources such as pollution.
Antioxidants
are vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, selenium, vitamin C, and
vitamin E that neutralize free radicals. If there aren’t enough
antioxidants available, excess free radicals begin to damage and destroy
normal healthy cells, leading to degenerative diseases and a slow
metabolism. Free radicals can damage any body structure by affecting
proteins, enzymes, fats, and even DNA. They are implicated in more than
sixty different health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, heart
disease, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Vitamins C and E are natural
antioxidants that may clean up roving free radicals before they can
inflict damage; obtaining them from eating a varied, balanced, healthy
diet is crucial.
