Cooking 101: Nutrition

July 14, 2008

This post is part of a series called Cooking 101, which introduces the basics of cooking. The series follows the book Culinary Fundamentals. Check out the previous posts here.

Unit 2: Nutrition

Nutrition is a difficult topic to discuss in a single post given not only the enormity of the subject but the necessity that individuals tailor their diet to their own nutritional needs. Nevertheless, I’ll give some highlights from the book and my own take on nutrition at the end.

The Food Groups

Ah, yes, who doesn’t remember the food groups from elementary school? The pyramid has changed a little since I was in school, but the actual groups seem to have stayed the same:

• Grains - Whole grains, breads, pasta, cereal. These should be about half of your total servings for the day. Whole grains are the best for you and the less processed the better.
• Vegetables - Very healthy but make sure you get a variety. Can be further broken down into dark green, orange, starchy, etc.
• Fruits - Also very good for you nutrient-wise and one of the few foods that has evolved for the purpose of being eaten (probably why they taste so good!). Can be a good source of fiber too. Stick to whole fruits instead of processed, sugary juices.
• Dairy - The USDA actually recommends a fair amount of dairy, but it recommends sticking to lower fat products.
• Meats and Meat Alternatives - A moderate amount of meat or an alternative like legumes is good.
• Fats and Oils - Keep it to a relative minimum. I know, it’s hard to.

I realize that my recommendations on how much to eat of each group area bit vague, but that is because the USDA provides a more personalized recommendation at MyPyramid.gov. It is actually a pretty cool site, so check it out.

Of the basic nutrients, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, the USDA recommends that carbohydrates make up 55-60% of you calories, proteins at 12-15%, and fats at 30%. I know, the fats percentage is surprisingly high. My guess, however, is that a lot of the foods we eat have more fat already than we realize. It does not mean 30% of your food can be ice cream! (Unfortunately.)

Nutrients

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates are the energy your body wants. They are easily broken down into simple sugars which are then digested for energy. They can also help burn fat efficiently and keep your body from using proteins for energy. Simple carbohydrates are found in fruits, dairy and refined sugars. These are digested easily and quickly. Complex carbohydrates are found in vegetables, grains and legumes. These often take longer to digest because their first must be broken down into simple sugars. They do, however, contain many good nutrients.

Fiber is also a carbohydrate, but one that humans can’t digest. It does help the body in many ways, though, so be sure to eat enough beans, fruit, vegetables, oats and barley.

Protein:

Proteins are essential to your body’s functioning, but in relatively small amounts as long as you have enough carbohydrates. They are used to build and maintain cells, produce enzymes, hormones and antibodies, transport varies minerals and compounds, and balance your body’s fluids. Surprisingly, eating too much protein has been linked with various diseases such as osteoporosis, kidney failure and gout. I guess that is one more reason for me to cut back on my meat intake.

Proteins also supply the vital amino acids that your body needs. Animal products (meat, poultry, eggs, etc.) are complete proteins, meaning they supply all the amino acids that your body needs. Vegetables, legumes and nuts also contain amino acids, but they don’t have all the ones that the body requires. If you are getting your protein from non-animal sources, be sure to eat a variety of protein sources in order to ensure that you get all the necessary amino acids.

Fat:

Fats are great for adding flavor to food and also provide numerous vital functions such as making certain vitamins soluble, assisting in growth and maintaining structural elements in cells. Excess fat, however, can have negative side effects such as heart disease.

Saturated fats are the worst for your health (or maybe trans fats are now, but the book doesn’t mention them), as they can raise LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats are usually a solid at room temperature, such as butter, but they are also found in some tropical oils such as palm and coconut. Hydrogenated products like margarine also have saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats help raise HDL cholesterol, which is actually good for you! It can help reduce circulatory diseases. Foods with monounsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil, some nut oils, cashews and avocados.

Polyunsaturated fats are also linked to lowering the risk of certain health problems. Look for polyunsaturated fats in corn oil, sunflower oil or soybean oil. Foods with polyunsaturated fats also have the benefit of containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, things that are good for reducing the risk of heart disease. Other good sources of these fatty acids include salmon, trout, dark-green leafy vegetables, some nuts, and canola oil.

Other Stuff You Need

Other things that are necessary for your body’s functioning include water, vitamins and minerals. I’m not going to get into detail on all of these because it’s just too much right now. Antioxidants, a phytochemical, have been linked to cancer prevention and slowing aging.

My Take On Nutrition

I probably don’t think enough about the nutritional value of the food I’m eating, but I try to keep my philosophy pretty simple and am trying to change my diet in simple, but significant ways. I like Michael Pollan’s philosophy of “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Essentially he argues to stay away from foods that are too processed and eat more fruits and vegetables. My diet is pretty heavy in the meat category, so I am trying to eat smaller portions of meat and eat meat at fewer meals. My other goal is to eat vegetables. I just don’t eat them as much as I should.

My other idea about nutrition is simply variety. Eat as wide a variety of foods that you can. This will ensure that you get all the healthy nutrients you need without eating too much of any bad thing.

Nutrition and Cooking

At the end of the chapter, the book discusses how chefs have to adapt their cooking to nutritional needs. With regards to fat control, the book suggests trying to replace saturated fats with unsaturated and choosing techniques that add lower amounts of fat, such as roasting, grilling, steaming or poaching instead of frying foods. You can also try to trim meats of as much fat as possible before cooking. Make the most of fat when you do use it - highlighting its flavor but serving it in small amounts.

Regarding carbohydrates, the book more or less recommends using more whole grains instead of processed “white” foods like pasta.

Your Take

What sort of nutritional philosophy do you use?

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