Nutrition

In a message dated 1/18/2006 3:33:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, psimon@alumni.ubc.ca writes:

A LOW COST, BALANCED DIET: PART 1
by
P.C. Simon

A balanced diet contains essential food requirements such as
carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins and trace
elements.

Minimum daily requirements of food depend on the age and physical
activity of the person.

Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy.

We can compare the body to an automobile. Just like an auto requires
gasoline to run, the body needs carbohydrates to supply the energy
required. The more it runs, the more gasoline it needs. Just as an
engine needs oil to lubricate its various parts, we need vitamins
and minerals.

There are two varieties of proteins, animal proteins and vegetable
proteins. Pulses, lentils, peas, soy  beans etc. are the vegetable
proteins and are cheaper than animal proteins.

The animal proteins derived from meat, dairy, eggs, poultry, and
fish are complete proteins because they contain sufficient levels of
all essential amino acids. Plant proteins tend to be limited in one
or more essential amino acids. For example, beans are low in the
amino acid lysine, while rice is rich in lysine.

The second most important nutrient is protein. This provides energy
but its main function is to build and replace tissues.

Essential fatty acids  maintain healthy skin and  hair. A small
quantity of fat is essential as a solvent for vitamins A, D, E, and
K and to transport them from the alimentary canal to various
destinations where these vitamins are required.

Vitamins are necessary for metabolic reactions but are needed in
only minute quantities. There are water soluble and fat soluble
vitamins.

Minerals are required to maintain the structure of bones, cartilage,

Diet should consist of different varieties for no one variety of
food will contain all the minerals and vitamins required by the
body.  One variety of food if  consumed for long periods can result
in deficiency diseases.

For example, when Chinese farm workers in Indonesia ate polished
rice for many  years, they developed  beriberi which is  a multiple
neuritis with general debility  and painful rigidity. It is due to
lack of vitamin B1.

The Indian workers who used par boiled rice did not contract the
disease  because parboiling incorporates bran`in the rice kernel.
Vitamin B1 is present in the rice  bran. Polishing removes the barn
and when washed even  the trace of bran will be removed. When the
scientists exchanged food between the two groups, beriberi stopped
among the Chinese and the Indians started developing beriberi. Thus
they found that polished rice (vitamin B 1 deficiency) was the cause
of beriberi. This started vitamin research.

Preservation and preparation of food has an influence on its
nutritional value.

After harvesting, fruits and vegetables undergo chemical changes
which cause deterioration. Therefore, if freezing, this should be
done as soon after harvest as possible. Blanching before freezing is
necessary to inactivate enzymes which cause discolouration and other
changes. Also, it will kill some surface microorganisms but not
spores. To prevent rancid flavour, wrap frozen foods in air tight
plastic bags.

Brown discolouration in fruit can be eliminated by treating it  with
ascorbic acid.

Nutrient content of  raw vegetables is affected by the temperature
and humidity of storage conditions. Cabbage, spinach, broccoli, and
salad greens need to be refrigerated in moisture-proof bags. They
keep their nutrients best at near-freezing temperature and at high
humidity.

Leave Green peas and green lima beans in their pods until ready to
use. If shelled, put them into plastic bags before storing in the
refrigerator.

Under-ripe  tomatoes  must be covered and ripened out of the sun at
room temperature. Do not ripen tomatoes on a hot window sill or in
the refrigerator. Ripe, firm tomatoes, held in the refrigerator or
at a cool room temperature for several days, do not lose much
vitamin C. When they become overripe, loss of vitamin C increases.

Keep Carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and other roots and tubers
cool and moist enough to prevent withering.

Nutrient loss can occur during cooking.

To prepare canned vegetables, drain the liquid from the can into a
saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the vegetables, heat through
for about two minutes without boiling, and serve.

Here are some other helpful hints:

For those dishes that involve combing tinned vegetables with other
ingredients during the cooking process, add the tinned vegetables
last. Although there will be exceptions to the "last in" rule, this 
helps maintain the appearance of the final dish.

Retain and use the liquid in which the vegetable are packed to
maximize the nutritive value that vegetables in cans provide. Use
this liquid to cook the vegetables in, or add it to soup and stews
to enhance flavour.

Canned vegetables are ideal for the microwave. Due to the shorter
heat exposure time, nutrient losses in canned vegetables are
minimized when the microwave is used for heating. The ideal way to
heat canned vegetables is to warm the liquid in a microwave-safe
dish before adding the vegetables, then heat through. For a single
half-cup serving, one to one and one half  minutes on HIGH setting
in the microwave is best. It takes four to five minutes to heat 15
ounces of canned vegetables.

Some tips for Cooking fresh vegetables are:

Cook  vegetables until tender in just enough water to prevent
scorching. A tight fitting lid prevents the escape of steam. This
cooks vegetables and holds the maximum nutritional value of water-
soluble vitamins such as C and B, and some minerals.

Waterless cooking which uses only the moisture adhering to
vegetables after they are washed  and the juice extracted from the
vegetables, is slower and  does not conserves nutrients any more
than cooking quickly in a small amount of water

To keep vitamins and minerals, cook carrots, potatoes, and other
root and tuber vegetables without peeling.  For example, potatoes
boiled in their skins keep nearly all of their vitamin C and other
nutrients.

Stir-frying is a  good method to conserve the nutrients in leafy
green vegetables, such as bok choy.

Pressure cooking vegetables reduces cooking time and preserves food
value.

Microwaving can be used in place of boiling or steaming to cook
several vegetables and  helps to retain vitamins and fat.

When cooking frozen vegetables, heat the cooking  water first, then
add the vegetables.
Overcooking  will cause loss of  nutrients. Use only what is
required for the meal. Reheating causes nutrient loss.

In Part 2, we will look at ways in which we can save money
purchasing food while maintaining good nutrition.
               


SIGNATURE:

see:- http://www.interchange.ubc.ca/psimon/book2.htm

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Simon is a retired research microbiologist with many scientific,
motivational, and philosophic publications to his credit. He is also
co-author of a prestigious four volume text book on diseases of
animals. His recently published philosophical work, The Missing
Piece to Paradise, has received outstanding reviews.

He has contributed greatly to the community by founding and acting
as president of the Hatfield Society which operated a half-way house
to educate and modify the nature of  prison parolees and by
establishing the Chacko and Lize Simon Scholarship Fund which gives
scholarships to students from impoverished families in his home
state of Kerala, India. Thus far, he has awarded scholarships to
over 800 such students.