Nutrients

Carbohydrates

Function: mainly fuel for our body
Building block: glucose (sugar)
Energy: 1 g provides 4 kCal

Good sources: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, grains

For glucose to be used as fuel, we need a key to unlock our cells and allow the glucose to enter from the bloodstream. This key is insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas.
Glucose that is not used as fuel can be stored in the liver and other cells as glycogen (this process is called glycogenesis), as back up fuel. All other unused glucose will be converted into fat (lipogenesis). Conversely, glycogen, fats and proteins can be used to make glucose (gluconeogenesis).

Fiber is a form of carbohydrates. Fiber consists of complex multiple carbohydrates (polysaccharides) that are as good as indigestible and therefore pass through your body almost unchanged from A to Z. So: they provide very little or no energy (no kCal). Their function is to thicken food pulp so that a feeling of satiety is created and bowel movements start well and proceeds easily.

Fiber lowers cholesterol and slows down food transport so that no peaks in blood sugar occur.
Whole grain products, vegetables, fruit, legumes and nuts/seeds are good fiber sources.

Proteins

Function: component of hormones, antibodies and enzymes, fuel.
Building blocks: amino acids.
Energy: 1 g provides 4 kCal

Good sources: nuts/seeds, all vegetables, legumes

ALL plants contain protein! Even rice and bananas! There is no such thing as a protein deficiency! Unless you are deficient in everything and then you are dying. (Unfortunately this is a reality for some). Where do you get your protein? Well... from the same source that your "protein" gets its protein: plants! (most animals that are eaten by humans are herbivores, so if you think you have to eat a cow to get protein, remember that cow gets its protein from plants... she is just the middle man, that is to say in most cases: a sick, middle man offering you no added value).

Fats

Function: insulation of organs, solvent for vitamins A, D, E and K, component of hormones and vitamins
Building blocks: glycerol and fatty acids
Energy: 1 g provides 9 kCal

Sources: nuts, avocado, olives, linseed

Fats can be stored as a reserve. All saturated (e.g. coconut oil) and mono-unsaturated fats (olive oil), and some poly-unsaturated fats (e.g. linseed oil) damage the endothelium of our veins, which can lead to atherosclerosis (the main cause of cardiovascular diseases).

We only need a small amount of natural fats found in a.o. olives, nuts and avocados.

Oil causes our red blood cells to clump together so that they can transport less oxygen to our organs. Oil undermines our immune system.

Cholesterol: fatty substance

Cholesterol is a building material for cell membranes and the central nervous system. It is created by absorption through food and is produced by the liver. Cholesterol is only found in animal products and leads to clogged arteries.

A high cholesterol level in your blood (especially the LDL) means an increased risk of cancer and atherosclerosis (fat accumulation in arteries, aka plaque) which can be a direct cause of cardiovascular disease.

Eating animal products (including chicken and fish!) increases LDL cholesterol in the blood.

Eating plant based food lowers cholesterol; only fat from natural sources such as nuts/seeds, olives, linseed and avocado can lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol - the "good" cholesterol that can eliminate excess fatty acids via the liver.

Carbohydrates and proteins provide 4 calories per gram and fats provide as much as 9 calories per gram.

Recommended distribution of your daily needs:

For a woman who needs about 2000 kCal per day, this amounts to 325 grams of carbohydrates, 50 grams of proteins and 56 grams of fats per day.

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