Nutrition / Nutrição

Notes and research on nutrition #

Introduction #

I am curious about nutrition but from a natural perspective rather than taking supplements. I think the best approach is to educate myself and try to eat as healthy as I can. This post is part of my journey in learning more about the topic.

I took the Essential Nutrients from this page and then analyze every nutrient in itself. For that I am using basically two sources. The first is the NUT Nutrition Software. In this case I am querying directly the database here in org-mode via babel blocks execution. The second is NatureClaim website.

Probably at the end I will elaborate a table with daily values and the sum of everything I plan to eat. I am not sure where this is going at the time of the writing other than just capturing information. We’ll see.

Links #

• NUT Nutrition Software download | SourceForge.net

  • Source: https://sourceforge.net/projects/nut/
  • Title: NUT Nutrition Software download | SourceForge.net
  • Captured on: [2023-12-30 Sat]

• Food Nutrition Facts | NatureClaim

  • Source: https://natureclaim.com/nutrition/
  • Title: Food Nutrition Facts | NatureClaim
  • Captured on: [2023-12-30 Sat]

DONE Macro minerals #

References: Essential Nutrients – Nutrition Essentials

• Source: https://open.maricopa.edu/nutritionessentials/chapter/essential-nutrients/
• Title: Essential Nutrients – Nutrition Essentials
• Captured on: [2023-12-30 Sat]

Magnesium [Mg] / NUT #

• Magnesium is the most important nutrient, tied to about 300 functions in the body

Occurrences in food: All green leafy vegetables. Nuts and seeds, bananas, avocado and tuna. Used to fortify some breakfast cereals. Available as a dietary supplement.

Roles in the body:

• Essential for human body - adult body contains ~25 g, mostly in bones.
• Cofactor in many enzyme systems so regulates many metabolic processes.
• Required for production of energy.
• Required for development of bones.
• Regulates heart beat and nerve impulses.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Sodium (Na) #

• Sodium is an essential electrolyte, important for nerve and muscle function.
• Sodium deficiency (hyponatremia) can cause muscle spasms and cramps.
• Use sea salt, not regular salt

Potassium (K) / 3.5g / NUT #

Occurrences in food:

• Avocados, starchy roots and tubers.
• Bananas, citrus fruits.
• Leafy vegetables, legumes.
• Whole grains, dairy products.

Roles in the body:

• Vital mineral and electrolyte for the body.
• Helps regulate fluid balance.
• Promotes muscle and nervous system function and brain health.
• Helps removal of excess Na to reduce blood pressure (K & Na ions flow in cells).
• Adequate intake (AI) 3,500 mg/day.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Calcium (Ca) / NUT #

Occurrences in food:

• Dairy products, green leafy vegetables and fish.

Role in the body:

• Promotes strong bones and teeth

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

• Chia Seed Nutrition Facts | NatureClaim

  • Source: https://natureclaim.com/nutrition/info/chia-seed/#minerals
  • Title: Chia Seed Nutrition Facts | NatureClaim
  • Captured on: [2023-12-30 Sat]

Phosphorus (P) / NUT #

• Is found in all cells in the body.
• Plays a structural role in nucleic acids and cell membranes.
• Is an essential mineral for growth and repair.
• Essential for bone health.
• Phosphorus from animal sources is more easily absorbed than from plant sources.
• Deficiency is called hypophosphatemia and causes rickets, osteomalacia and osteoporosis.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Sulfur (S) #

Occurrences in food:

• Proteins (S-containing amino acids are cysteine and methionine).
• Particularly eggs, meat, coffee, vegetables.
• Sulfur compounds responsible for aroma of onions, leeks, garlic and the compound that makes you cry.
• Glucosinolates in brassica (broccoli, sprouts, etc.) have potential anticancer properties.
• They break down to isothiocyanates which give an acrid mustardy flavour.

DONE Trace minerals #

Iron (Fe) / NUT #

Occurrences in foodRole in the Body:

• In meat, fish, liver and egg yolk, iron is present as haem iron (haemoglobin) and is readily absorbed.
• In plant sources i.e. dark green vegetables, legumes, whole grains, it is present as non-haem iron.
• Recently, a company producing plant-derived burgers have isolated a plant based haem iron (leghaem-globin) found in the root nodules of soya, to mimic the colour and flavour changes in meat.
• It changes to brown when cooked.
• Flours, breakfast cereal and breads are sometimes fortified with Iron (II) lactate, fumarate or succinate.

Role in the body:

• Iron helps form red blood cells, provides oxygen and aids in the transport of oxygen to all parts of the body.
• It is required to convert nutrients to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during cellular respiration, thus providing energy for the body.
• It supports good immunity and cognitive function
• Bioavailability is increased when iron is chelated to an amino acid such as glycine to form ferrous glycine.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Zinc (Zn) / NUT #

Occurrences in food

• Zinc is an essential element for human health, and is present in plants and animals.
• It is essential for the functioning of insulin.
• It is a key component of > 200 enzymes many of which are important in human metabolism.
• Zinc is found at highest concentrations in meat.
• Bread, cereals, meat, meat products and milk are the major contributors to the dietary exposure.
• Normal dietary exposures is unlikely to be of toxicological concern.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Iodine (I) / 150mcg #

Occurrences in food:

• Widely found in foods such as fish and seafood, seaweed, dairy products and products made from grains.
• Main sources seaweed (kelp), white fish, milk and yoghurt.
• Sometimes added to salt to prevent iodine deficiency disorders. Although this is not common in the UK.
• The main component of the red food colouring erythrosine is iodine.

Role in the body:

• Iodine deficiency can lead to an enlargement of the thyroid, seen as a swelling of throat area.
• Important mineral for production of thyroid hormones which help regulate metabolism and development of babies’ brains during pregnancy.
• EFSA RDA for iodine is 150mcg / day for adults.
• Iodine supplements mainly for pregnancy use potassium iodide, potassium iodate.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Selenium (Se) / 55mcg / NUT #

Occurrences in food:

• Occurs in Brazil nuts, wholegrain products, and in brown rice.
• Also found in poultry and seafood.
• Onions, garlic, mushrooms.

Roles in the body: Plant foods especially wheat provide much of the Se in the diet.

• Plays a key role in the thyroid which produces hormones affecting mood.
• Antioxidant that works with Vitamin E to protect cell membranes.
• Required for the production of glutathione, most important antioxidant.
• Trace mineral essential for strong immune systems.
• Recommended RDA 55µg.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Cooper (Cu) / 900mcg / NUT #

Occurrences in food:

• Copper is an essential element with food being the major source.
• Copper is found at highest concentrations in offal, shellfish, and nuts, but cereals and bread are the highest sources of exposure due to the larger amounts of these foods that are consumed.
• 20-25% of copper intake from drinking tap water.
• 50g of high cocoa solids chocolate can contain RDA of copper (900 µg).
• Copper is antibacterial, used to be used in hospitals in door handles and plates to reduce transmission of infection.

Role in Body

• Required for activity of range of enzymes needed for a huge range of essential metabolic functions:
  • Iron transport
  • Electron transport in respiratory reactions
  • Melanin and pigment production
  • Growth and production of nervous tissue
  • Protection against free radical damage
  • Growth and development of bones and connective tissue
  • Healthy thyroid function
• Copper deficiency can lead to neural dysfunction, osteoporosis, blood, bone and connective tissue disorders.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Manganese (Mn) / NUT #

Occurrences in food:

• An essential element that is present in most foods, particularly green vegetables.
• Highest concentrations are found in nuts.
• Beverages, cereals and bread make the highest contribution to the dietary exposure due to the larger amounts consumed.
• Manganese aspartate, manganese ascorbate, manganese pidolate and manganese bisglycinate can be used in dietary supplements.

Role in body:

• Both nutritionally essential and potentially toxic!
• Is key for the formation and function of one of the most important antioxidants in the body.
• Required for healthy cartilage and bones.
• Co-factor for many different enzymes.
• Provides proline for collagen formation in skin cells.
• Absorption decreases if iron supplements are used.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Fluoride (F) #

Occurrences in food

• Found naturally in fish and tea.

Roles in the body:

• Protective trace mineral for emerging teeth and dental maintenance, preventing tooth decay.
• Fluoride (generally as NaF) important to protect bones from mineral loss and inhibits calcification of soft tissues.
• Fluoride compounds e.g. tin fluoride added to toothpaste.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Chromium (Cr) #

Occurrences in food:

• Sugars and preserves contain the highest levels of chromium and are the largest source of dietary exposure.
• Vegetables, egg yolk, whole grains, meat, dairy and fruit.

Role in body:

• Tri-valent chromium Cr(III) or Cr3+is essential to human life and plays an important role in carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism.
• Helps with blood sugar control.
• However, hexavalent, Cr(VI) or Cr6+ is toxic.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Molybdenum (Mo) #

Occurrences in food:

• Highest concentrations are found in nuts and offal, and dark green vegetables.
• Cereals and Bread are the main sources of exposure due to the higher consumption of these foods.
• Plant material grown above ground contains higher concentrations of molybdenum compared with foods from tubers or animals.
• A relatively rare element and an essential constituent of several enzymes in the human body.

Role in the body:

• A component of enzymes needed for metabolism.
• Instrumental for iron storage in the body and production of uric acid.
• Deficiencies of this mineral are rare

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Water soluble vitamins #

Vitamin B1 - Thiamin / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin B3 - Niacin / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin B5 - Pantothenic acid / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin B6 / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin B9 - Folate acid / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin B12 / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, VITB12, VITB12_ADDED
FROM food_des
ORDER BY VITB12
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin C / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Fat soluble vitamins #

Vitamin A / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, VITA_IU, VITA_RAE
FROM food_des
ORDER BY VITA_IU
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin D / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, VITD, VITD_BOTH
FROM food_des
ORDER BY VITD
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin E / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, VITE, VITE_ADDED
FROM food_des
ORDER BY VITE
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin K1 / NUT #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Vitamin K1D #

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Other elements that could be important #

Lithium (Li) / 1mg #

• The liver of grass eating animals contains around 5mg/kg.
• Lithium citrate and lithium carbonate are used to treat bipolar disorder.

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Fiber? #

I am not entirely sure if FIBTG refers to fiber or not

SELECT Long_Desc AS food, $element
FROM food_des
ORDER BY $element
DESC
LIMIT $limit;

Analyzing the columns #

PRAGMA table_info(food_des);

Vitamins

Diets #

Definitive Paleo Diet Food List - A Guide to All Paleo-Diet Approved Foods #

• Source: https://www.ourpaleolife.com/paleo-diet-food-list/
• Title: Definitive Paleo Diet Food List - A Guide to All Paleo-Diet Approved Foods
• Captured on: [2023-12-30 Sat]

Growing 101 #

Grow Your Own Supplements: Magnesium - YouTube #

• Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HIdzG8wfoc&ab_channel=RainCountry
• Title: Grow Your Own Supplements: Magnesium - YouTube
• Captured on: [2024-02-01 Thu]