NUTRITION: WHAT WE ALL SHOULD KNOW

Dr. Richard SheerinB.S. Nutritional Science – Cornell UniversityDoctor of Chiropractic – Texas Chiropractic

College

Dairy Meat/Fish

Grains/Cereals

Fruits/Vegetables

“New” Paradigm

Macronutrients◦Carbohydrates◦Protein◦Lipids (Fats/Oils)

Micronutrients◦ Vitamins◦ Minerals◦ Enzymes

Water

Cereals/Grains◦Breads◦Pasta

Fruits/VegetablesSugars

◦Monosaccharides Glucose, Fructose, Galactose

◦Disaccharides Sucrose, Maltose, Lactose

◦Polysaccharides Large chains of monosaccharides

Carbohydrates (CHO)

ProteinAmino acids joined together in

chains

Animal Sources◦Fish, Chicken, Lean Pork, Eggs, Beef

Plant Sources◦Nuts◦Seeds◦Legumes◦Soy◦Tempeh◦Seitan

LipidsFats (solid at room temperature)Oils (liquid at room temperature)

Fats and oils are made of Triglycerides

Fatty AcidsThose fatty acids with no carbon-carbon

double bonds are called saturated. Those that have two or more double bonds are called polyunsaturated.  Monounsaturated have one double bond.

Unsaturated fats have a particular geometry that prevents the molecules from packing as efficiently as they do in saturated molecules. Thus they are EASIER to breakdown for energy and HARDER to store as fat.

Fatty Acids (cont.) Saturated fats are typically solids

and are derived from animals, while unsaturated fats are liquids and usually extracted from plants.

Your body converts any calories it doesn't need to use right away into triglycerides. The triglycerides are stored in your fat cells. Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals.

VitaminsA, D, E and K

◦Fat soluble vitamins◦Inadequate dietary fat intake can result in deficiencies of these vitamins

◦Vitamin D is vital (more later)B6, B12, Thiamine, Riboflavin, C, Folate, Niacin◦Huge roles in CHO metabolism and other essential body functions

EnzymesEssential for ALL chemical

reactions in the body. Function by lowering the energy needed for chemical reaction and speeding up the reaction.

In short, Enzymes help the body perform the billions of chemical reactions it does each day EASIER (with less energy cost)

Food Preparation: Commercial and Domestic

Fats and Proteins (MACRO) as well as Vitamins and Enzymes (MICRO) are VERY sensitive to HEAT.

Pasteurization◦No real control◦Leaves higher % of carbs per unit

volumeCooking

◦Much more control

Water

ALL CHEMICAL REACTIONS in the body need to take place in or use water

CHO, Proteins and Fats all require huge amounts of water to break down

Death occurs in 5-7 days without water

MACRONUTRIENTS+

MICRONUTRIENTS+

WATER

CELLULAR ENERGY(ATP)

Digestion and AssimilationDigestion

◦The mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into progressively smaller and smaller pieces

◦Can be an issue with poor dental health, ulcers, esophageal disorders, etc.

Assimilation◦The utilization (absorption into the

bloodstream) of the nutrients in those small pieces for energy, growth and repair

◦Poor “gut” health is very common in the US

Carbohydrate Digestion and Assimilation

Begins in the mouth via our saliva, with help from an enzyme - salivary amylase

This only occurs with CHO – WHY?

The brain can only use CHO as an energy source

The brain “steals” up to 40% of CHO intake before the rest of the body gets a shot at them

Carbohydrate Digestion and Assimilation (cont.)

Digestive enzymes released by the pancreas into the small intestine (in response to eating carbohydrates) allows the absorption of carbs throughout the small intestine, but when eating refined sugars, the absorption occurs in the first part of the small intestine only (it happens too fast)– increasing the chances they’ll be stored as fat tissue.

Protein Digestion and AssimilationBegins in the stomach. Ingested proteins

are first split into smaller fragments by pepsin (enzyme) in the stomach or by trypsin or chymotrypsin (enzymes) from the pancreas. These proteins are then further broken down in the small intestine (middle 1/3) one amino acid at a time. The free amino acids released into the digestive system are then absorbed through the walls of the 2nd and 3rd parts of the small intestine into the blood stream where they are then resynthesized into new tissue proteins (muscle, skin, hair, nails, etc.) or are broken down for energy or for fragments for further tissue building.

Protein Digestion and Assimilation

BOTTOM LINE:The process of breaking down and using protein requires:1. Lots of water2. Lots of time3. A healthy gut and pancreas to

produce proper enzymes

Lipid Digestion and AssimilationVery unique process. Just putting

fat into your mouth triggers the release of salivary lipase – an enzyme that signals the brain and body that fat is coming.

This is due to the high energy value of fats◦CHO = 4 calories/gram◦Protein = 4 calories/gram◦Fats = 9 calories/gram

Lipid Digestion and AssimilationFat digestion doesn’t begin until

the first part of the small intestine when the liver/gall bladder release bile salts that emulsify or breakdown fat into smaller and smaller pieces. These smaller pieces can then be dissolved into triglycerides by enzymes released from the pancreas (pancreatic lipase). THIS PROCESS REQUIRES A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER OR IT WILL NOT TAKE PLACE PROPERLY.

Why Do We Need to Know This?The body’s cells energy/nutrient

needs are diverse at different times

Giving the body only one Macronutrient at a time “feeds” some cells while it “starves” others

In an effort to “get to the next Macro” which is needed, the body increases the speed at which the food moves through the GI tract

Fast digestion results in poor assimilation

Why Do We Need to Know This?Fast digestion results in sharp

rise in blood sugarAs a result, Insulin levels rise

quickly to high levelsWhen insulin levels are high the

body goes into “storage mode” – you store calories present as fat rather than using them as energy

Macronutrient EatingBy combining all 3 Macronutrients at EVERY meal and snack the following

can occur:Increased food mixing with water

leads to greater amount of successful chemical reactions

Slower progression of food through the GI tract ensures the body has enough time to breakdown these foods and extract every last bit of nutrition from them

Greater stretching of the GI tract “Fuller” longer – less prone to overeat

Increases ease of nutrient assimilation

Reduced colorectal cancer riskStabilizes blood sugar and insulin

levels Less fat storage Improves utilization of both CHO and

FatsAllows us to access these nutrients

for longer periods of time (when they are needed during the day).

Some Important Concepts We Should All Be Aware Of

Glycemic Index of FoodsTypes of Dietary Fats and Their Effect on Cholesterols

Vitamin D

Glycemic Index (GI)Refers to how quickly blood sugar

levels rise in response to eating a particular food

Scale of 0-100 with pure glucose at the top of the list

Eating foods lower (below 50) on the GI prevents spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels

Combing fat and protein with carbs has same effect

Understanding CholesterolCholesterol is ESSENTIAL

◦Backbone of ALL Hormones in the body

◦Cell membrane integrity◦Cellular communication

2 main types◦Exogenous – dietary (what we eat)◦Endogenous – what our body

produces

Lots of bad information out there

Understanding Cholesterol LDL vs. HDL

LDL – Low Density Lipoprotein◦A molecule made of fat and protein◦Fat is less dense than protein◦Large molecules that can “clog up” blood

vessels◦Function to deliver fats to our cells◦Too many can be detrimental

HDL – High-density Lipoprotein◦More protein than fat◦Smaller molecules◦Remove unused fat from blood and brings it

back to the liver

Understanding CholesterolTotal Cholesterol # can be

unimportant if there are 2 or less risk factors for CVD present◦Diabetes◦Obesity◦Smoking◦Family history of CVD◦Alcohol consumption

Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio is the key factor in determining CVD risk◦Optimal is 3.5 or below

Understanding CholesterolExercise and consuming Mono-

unsaturated (Omega-3) fats INCREASE HDL levels

Consuming saturated (Omega-9) and poly-unsaturated (Omega-6) fats can INCREASE LDL levels

Vitamin DRecent research has shown that

Vitamin D’s importance goes well beyond teeth and bones

“Usher” of fats and Carbs from blood into cells

Too few ushers = increased levels of fat and sugar in the blood

Elevated blood pressure Increased risk of diabetes and many

types of cardiovascular disease

Parting ThoughtsFood ain’t what it used to be

◦Farming practices◦Food safety protocols◦Synthetic ingredients

Macronutrient intake at every meal and snack◦Maximizes the efficiency of your GI

tract◦Regulates insulin levels◦Helps inhibit overeating

Thank you for your time.

Be sure to write down any questions you may have, along

with your email address, and I will answer them to the best of my

ability.