Did you know that what we eat literally becomes the parts of our body that we depend upon? Most people do not. Food is fuel but it is also information.
Our diet in North America has become more focused on the speed in which it is ready to eat than the nutritional content it has. When Rachel Ray was asked the inspiration behind creating the 30 minute meals she responded that 30 minutes was the amount of time people were will to wait for a pizza to be delivered!
I want to show you why our foods are so important and what to focus on. There are many diet plans out there that tell you exactly what to eat. I don’t want you to diet. I want you to have an amazing relationship with food. I want you to enjoy the food you eat, have it taste great and I want you to know how to prepare it easily. I want you to feed your cells and your satisfaction by knowing and eating real food.
One of the most important things for you to understand about nutrition is the importance of micronutrients. The foods we eat are either micronutrients or macronutrients. Micronutrients are essential in small amounts for healthy bodies such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. The great news is that food like fruits and vegetables are full of micronutrients!
While micronutrients are the literally the ingredients of every cell in our body that make up our organs and structures, macronutrients provide the energy to do the work of building and living. We need macronutrients for normal growth and development. The three main parts of macronutrients are proteins, carbs and fats. Protein is what provides us with the building blocks needed to sustain life. Carbohydrates are what our body needs for an on demand energy source. Fats are what supply our bodies with stored energy for use later on.
Micronutrients exist in many foods but I want to bring your attention to plant based micronutrients as the powerhouse of these vital substances. A whole food plant-based diet is ideal nutrition:
- Low in saturated fat and cholesterol by minimizing animal product consumption
- Moderate in whole grains, nuts, and seeds
- High in vegetables, fruits, and beans
