Now that you have a better understanding of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, identify the role they play in your diet. Explain the possible health risks involved in overconsumption of certain lipids and proteins. What are some of the dietary choices or substitutions you currently do or would like to do, to maintain a healthy diet? Please provide at least 2-4 examples for each macronutrient.
Lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins are called the big three macronutrients. Proper intake of these three macronutrients only gives us the energy to support our daily acand but also promotes and sustains good health over the long term.
Lipids
Fats are also called triacylglycerols or triglycerides because of their chemical structure, “a fat molecule consists of two main components—glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol is an organic compound (alcohol) with three carbons, five hydrogens, and three hydroxyls (OH) groups. Lipids also serve as structural components of cell membranes, act as energy stores, and work as critical signaling molecules (Zimmerman & Snow, 2012). "The three main types of lipids are triacylglycerols, phospholipids, and sterols" (Zimmerman & Snow, 2012, chap.5).
Excessive intake of lipids increases blood triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) while decreasing HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol), leading to obesity and dyslipidemia (Davidson, & Pulipati, 2022). It is also known that when visceral fat accumulates, harmful substances are secreted from adipocytes, and these actions cause blood vessel contraction and decreased insulin action, which can lead to high blood pressure and high blood sugar. . It leads to arteriosclerosis, which can lead to stroke and heart disease. Butter and margarine are saturated fatty acids, which increase neutral fat and cholesterol in the blood, but oleic acid, which is abundant in olive oil and rapeseed oil, and DHA and EPA, which are abundant in bluefish, are unsaturated fatty acids that can lower cholesterol in the blood (Sapkota et al., 2022). Also, some lipid such as omega fatty acid is essential in our body but not synthesized by the human body, so I want to take in more in my diets.
Restrict
·butter
·margarine
·mayonaise
Ingest more
·olive oil
·blue fish
·nuts
Carbohydrates
The basic units of carbohydrates are monosaccharides, and glucose (monosaccharide) is the basic energy source for all living things, including humans (Zimmerman & Snow, 2012). Therefore, carbohydrates are essential to us as they give the brain the ability to think and the constant energy for survival.
However, eating large amounts of cheap carbohydrates can fill us up and give us energy at a low cost. However, those diets lead to lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. This is a common issue in developing low-income countries. Fast-releasing carbohydrates raise blood sugar rapidly and are converted into energy. This energy lasts for only a short time and makes you hungry quickly, which leads to eating more food (O'Byrne, n.d.). On the other hand, slow-releasing carbohydrates are absorbed slowly in our bodies, suppressing the sudden rise in blood sugar levels, and can be expected to maintain satiety and thereby prevent overeating.
Restrict
·white rice
· bread
·potato chips
Ingest more
·brown rice
·beans
·nuts
Proteins
Proteins are essential for maintaining and replacing tissues in our bodies, growth, and survival (Zimmerman & Snow, 2012). Also, proteins are involved in all aspects of wound healing, a three-step process of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. (Zimmerman & Snow, 2012). Also, usually, protein is not used for energy, but in an emergency, when the body cannot get enough calories from other nutrients and fat stored in the body, protein is broken down into ketone bodies and used as energy. There are 20 amino acids present in proteins, but ten of these are considered essential amino acids in humans because the human body cannot produce them obtained from the diet. Glutamic acid is one of the excitatory neurotransmitters in the nervous system and plays a vital role in higher brain functions such as memory and learning (Danbolt, 2001).
Excess protein intake also leads to excess energy and obesity. In addition, the digestive process strains the liver and kidneys, which can cause visceral fatigue."For example, people that eat very high protein diets have a higher risk of kidney stones, and a high protein diet that contains lots of red meat and higher amounts of saturated fat might lead to a higher risk of heart disease and colon cancer" (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020, para.3). On the other hand, I would like to consume more plant protein than animal protein because I know that side effects are relatively less, even if I take a lot of plant protein.
Restrict
·steaks
·pork libs
·fried chicken
Ingest more
·beans
·tofu
·soy milk
References
Danbolt, N. C. (2001). Glutamate uptake. Progress in neurobiology, 65(1), 1-105. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301008200000678
Davidson, M. H., & Pulipati, V. P. (2022). Dyslipidemia - endocrine and metabolic disorders. MSD Manual Professional Edition. Retrieved from https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/endocrine-and-metabolic-disorders/lipid-disorders/dyslipidemia
Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). When it comes to protein, how much is too much? Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/when-it-comes-to-protein-how-much-is-too-much
O'Byrne, L. (n.d.). Slow and fast carbohydrates: What's the difference? Atkins. Retrieved from https://au.atkins.com/articles/slow-and-fast-carbohydrates-whats-the-difference.html
Sapkota, A., Mary, Hibron, & kabindama, M. (2022). Saturated vs unsaturated fatty acids- definition, 20 differences, examples. Microbe Notes. Retrieved from https://microbenotes.com/saturated-vs-unsaturated-fatty-acids/
Ziemerman, M., & Snow, B. (2012). 2.4 National Goals for Nutrition and Health: Healthy People 2020. In An Introduction to Nutrition, V1.0. Unnamed Publisher. Retrieved from https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/an-introduction-to-nutrition/s05-06-a-fresh-perspective-sustainabl.html
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