FK's Fundamentals of Nutrition

Food can be many things: entertainment, culture, comfort, nostalgia and even art. But unless it is sustenance; providing energy, strength, allowing growth and repair, generally keeping you alive - it is not food. 

Nutrition is more than ‘energy in’ versus ‘energy out’. The main units of food are macro-nutrients; fat, protein and carbohydrate. Carbohydrates provide fuel. Protein builds. Fat protects and insulates. Eating too much or too little of these then the body starts to, and can irreparably, struggle.  

Logical stuff. 

However, there’s actually quite a bit more to it. 

Food also contains micro-nutrients; vitamins (14 groups of) and minerals (21 of the planets 4000+ are needed by the body) and phytonutrients. The latter are compounds in plant food, believed to protect the body from disease and illness. There are 12 categories of phytonutrients and no doubt you will be familiar with one or two, possibly the most famous resveratrol in grapes (and tentatively red wine). 

Vitamins and minerals, on the other hand, have a diverse range of functions in the body. Crucially they facilitate every biologically process in our body allowing us to function the way we were designed to. 

Food (real food) also contains enzymes or coenzymes to help you digest that food, e.g. lactase is found in milk to help digest the natural sugars (lactose) in milk. This is why it’s important to eat whole foods and avoid the trap of seeking nutrients in isolation. Individual foods house all the necessary components to make all its nutrients available to the body, something a pill cannot do. 

The problem is that depending on how food is farmed (intensively) manufactured (genetically modified) or cooked can dramatically deplete foods of micro- and phytonutrients. So whilst your fridge may boast a colourful nutrient-rich looking bounty, if it’s flown half way across the world, sprayed with pesticides and about to be boiled within an inch of its life you’re, at most, going to be taking in a bit of fibre and little else. 

Don’t be put off. Eating properly is very simple. If you’re consuming a varied range of fruit, vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein and minimal processed foods then our bodies are clued into knowing what we could do with more or less of and prioritises nutrients.  

The time to sit up and take note is when you start to show physical or emotional symptoms of physiological wear and tear. These are the body’s way of hinting at underlying micro-nutrient deficiencies. This is a good time to review what’s making it onto your plate. 

Although, sometimes it’s not what we’re eating but the volume and (ir)regularity. When we’re going through periods of stress, sleep deprivation, heighten physical exertion or entering a new age bracket our body uses its nutritional resources differently and our diets will need re-tuning to adapt to our shifting environment or physical terrain.  

Other times, and more complicatedly, it’s because of our genetic imprint. For whatever reason genes can suddenly be switch on/off changing the way our body function and consequently what nutrients it needs to work optimally. 

The most important thing to remember is that our bodies have been cleverly designed to work harmoniously. Too often we label ourselves as an individual who “has allergies” or “get migraines”. The body wasn’t designed to be like this, these are most likely the body telling you it’s not happy. 

INTRIGUED?  

Get in touch and learn how to IMPROVE your nutritional intake: francescaklottrup@gmail.com