The Importance of Nutrition

Nutrition is often taken for granted. In this day in age, we eat whatever is convenient. We eat for social reasons. We eat for business reasons - but we seldom eat for health reasons. What is nutrition? And why is it so important that we start eating for health?

Oxford languages define nutrition as “the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.” 

Emphasis on necessary.


Why is nutrition so important? So necessary?

Looking at those around me, I have concluded that nutrition is grossly underappreciated. Just like sleep, the food you eat can have substantial effects on your mood, body composition, workouts, and memory. If you ask me, I’d say that is pretty important. 


Okay, it can affect us... but how?

I'm glad you asked!

Body composition: 

This one might be the most obvious of the four. If you eat calorie dense foods with low nutritional value, you will find your body composition erring towards a higher fat percentage as well as developing more frequent, or even chronic, malnutrition-related illnesses. Gaining weight is okay; it matches some people’s goals (though this is not the way to do it). 

The effects of bad eating habits on your body is not just limited to the change in body mass makeup; there are many other things happening under the surface when you fuel properly. According to Harvard Health, your food choices contribute to the function of your "brain, muscle, bone, nerves, skin, and immune system." Fueling properly can also help prevent diseases such as cardiovascular disease (the leading cause of death in America behind cancer), some cancers, osteoporosis, diabetes, and many autoimmune diseases or other chronic illnesses (CDC).

Proper nutrition is clearly important to physical health, but how do we practice proper nutrition?

The most important thing I'm going to stress here is balance. Eat balanced. That's kinda all there is to it.

The three macronutrients - carbohydrates, fats, proteins - can be found in most foods. Starches such as breads, pastas, cereals, certain vegetables and fruits are carbohydrates. Yogurt, cheesecake, eggs, and other dairies are fats. Meat, dairies, protein powder, beans, and lentils are protein.

Then there are your micronutrients: water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, major minerals, and trace minerals. Each micronutrient is critical to the upkeep of your bodily functions. Different foods have different quantities of micronutrients. For instance, Vitamin B12 is important for the maintenance of neurocytes (brain/nerve cells), the formation of DNA and red blood cells, and the binding of intrinsic factor (a protein) to help further digest in the small intestine (Harvard Health). It is naturally found in animal foods such as eggs, fish, meat, etc. These protein sources also have thiamin, a water-soluble vitamin. Thiamin, also called Vitamin B1, helps cells grow and stay healthy throughout your entire body. Without sufficient protein sources (if you're vegetarian, there are supplements or vegetable sources to get complete proteins in), you might develop malnutrition diseases such as beri beri, from a lack of B12, B1, and protein (plus many more). However, if you only eat protein, you'll miss out on Vitamin A in sweet potatoes and peas for your eyes, Vitamin C in bananas and oranges as an antioxidant, and many, many more. 

Sooooooo, by following balance, it doesn't seem too intimidating to get everything in, right?

Workouts:

Different workouts call for different fuels and intake times. I won't get too complicated here, but I'll give you an example: If you eat a lot of simple sugars before a gym workout, such as sour patch kids, you'll find that you have a lot of energy 20 minutes after consumption for about 45 minutes to an hour, (depending on how much you ate) and then you'll crash. This is because your body will break down the carbohydrates and release glucose in your bloodstream and spike your blood sugar. Carbs give you lots of energy, until it's all gone. When energy is depleted, you might get "hangry," and then your day is ruined. Alternatively, if you ate a big bowl of oatmeal about an hour or two before you hit the gym, your energy levels would be constant the whole time because oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate. If you eat oatmeal, your blood sugar won't spike that much; It will remain constant due its low glycemic index. The glycemic index is a measure of how fast, how long, and how much a food releases glucose into your bloodstream. In the image shown to the right, the red slope represents those sour patch kids and your crash. The yellow slope represents the bowl of oatmeal. Eating to fuel yourself properly doesn't have to be gross; If you don't like oatmeal, there are plenty of other complex carbohydrates to choose from. However, to reach your desired goal, pure sugar is not the way to go.

If you're curious about which workout is best for you, you can read more here and take quiz here.

Memory:

Your memory can be influenced by the foods you eat in various ways. If you only eat foods high in sugars with low nutritional value, you might experience a "brain fog" feeling. A study linked here describes other symptoms associated with a diet high in sugar such as difficulty concentrating, energy imbalances, jitters, anxiety, and depression. If you have ever experimented with a "no added sugar" diet or perhaps the internet famous Keto diet (or Atkins diet), you may be familiar with the withdrawal symptoms from sugar -- including brain fog -- that come right before a mental clarity unfamiliar to most.

In addition, a proper diet can avoid aging-related memory deficits. Studies summarized by the Mayo Clinic detail various sources of antioxidants, omega 3s, Vitamin B6, and more with preventative properties for memory loss. As aforementioned, many micronutrients are associated with brain function, so eating a healthy balance of foods with all of these (listed below) will promote brain function.

Nutrition in combination with a balanced (there's that word again) and regular fitness routine are fantastic for the function and maintenance of various brain functions. 

Mood:

Mood, manipulated by the brain just like memory, is very dependent on nutrition. Improper nutrition leads to improper brain function and therefore higher rates of depression and anxiety. The amygdala in the temporal lobe is responsible for your "emotional control and processes" as well as memory (see a connection here?). Advice for memory and mood go hand in hand, and as one improves, the odds of the other improving increase. By focusing on a diverse (a balance synonym) whole food diet (examples below), you can help better manage your mood. 

Just like how your pre-workout snack influences the energy levels you have throughout your exercise, your breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks influence your energy levels throughout the entire day (and night). By focusing on complex carbohydrates rather than simple ones, you can ensure your energy levels throughout the day hold long and steady, avoiding any crashes.

Written By: Siena