In my previous post, I mentioned about plants' characteristics and benefits which contains almost the same nutrients, but differ in names and appearance. I also mentioned that so many information about the nutrition of each plant, the nutritional value when combined in a recipe, and the natural remedy when ingested, etc.
I believe in those information, but how do I know if the benefit of that certain plant which is the same with the other plant works the same way too in the body system of a person to person. I am really confused and I will continue to find out why until the answer that I want will satisfy my curiosity.
I read from one of the articles about supplements that our body is composed of trillions of cells, and each group of cells has different function to make our body system work. Each group of cells has its own group of nutrients needed to work properly. The DNA in the cells of a body is the storage of information about how cells of a person differ from one another. Maybe this can answer partially the questions that I'm asking myself.
In the book: "Human Vitamin and Mineral Requirements", a joint report of FAO and WHO, I think I found some of the answer to my questions that I now share to you all...in case some of you did not see this yet, or is not familiar yet.
Dietary patterns have varied overtime depending on the agricultural practices, and the climatic, ecologic, cultural and socio-economic factors, which determine available foods. Nowadays, almost all of the dietary patters sufficiently satisfy or even exceed the nutritional needs of population groups. However, there is an exception where socio-economic conditions limit the capacity to produce and purchase food, or it may be cultural practices that restrict the choice of goods. Micronutrient density of the diet should be included in the current practice of evaluating nutritive value of diets that includes energy and protein adequacy.
A healthy diet can be attained in one way because of the variety of foods, which can be combined, but this process makes it difficult to define the ranges for a specific food which is important to be included in a given combination to comply with nutritional adequacy. In practice, the set of food combinations which is compatible with nutritional adequacy is restricted by the level of food production sustainable in a given ecologic and population setting. In addition, there are economic constraints which limit food supply at household level. The development of food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) by the Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes this and now focuses on the combination of foods that can meet the requirements provided in adequate amounts.
The first step in the process of setting dietary guidelines is defining the significant diet-related public health problems in a community. Once these are defined, the adequacy of the diet is evaluated by comparing the information available on dietary intake with recommended nutrient intake (RNIs). Nutrient intake goals under this situation are specific for a given ecologic setting, and their purpose is to promote overall health, control specific nutritional diseases (whether they are induced by an excess or deficiency of nutrient intake) and reduce the risk of diet-related multi-factorial diseases. They take into account the customary dietary pattern and indicate what aspects should be modified. They consider the ecologic setting, socio-economic and cultural factors, and biologic and physical environment in which the population lives.
The alternative approach to defining nutritional adequacy of diet is based on the biochemical and physiological basis of human nutritional requirements in health and disease. The quantitative definition on nutrient needs and its expression as RNIs have been important instruments of food and nutrition policy in many countries and have focused the attention of international bodies. The nutrient-based approach has served many purposes but has not always fostered the establishment of nutritional and dietary priorities consistent with the broad public health priorities at the national and international levels. It has permitted a more precise definition of requirements for essential nutrients when establishing RNIs but unfortunately has often been narrowly focused, concentrating on the precise nutrient requirement amount and not on solving the nutritional problem of the world. In contrast to RNIs, FBDGs are based on the fact that people eat food, not nutrients.
Advice for a healthy diet should provide both a quantitative and qualitative description of the diet for it to be understood by individuals who should be given information on both size and number of servings per day. The quantitative aspects include the estimation of the amount of nutrients in foods and their bio-adequacy for most availability in the form they are actually consumed. Unfortunately, available food composition data for most foods currently consumed in the world are incomplete, outdated, or insufficient for evaluating true bio-availability. The qualitative aspects relate to the biologic utilization of nutrients in the good as consumed by human and explore the potential for interaction among nutrients. Such an interaction may enhance, or inhibit the bio-availability of a nutrient from a given source.
Including foods in the diet, which have micro-nutrient density - such as pulses or legumes, vegetables (including green leafy vegetables) and fruits - is the preferred way of ensuring optimal nutrition including micro-nutrient for most population groups. Most population groups afflicted by micro-nutrient deficiency largely subsist on refined cereal grain or tube-based diet, which provide energy and protein (with proper amino acid balance) but are insufficient in micro-nutrients.
Addition of a variety of foods to the basic 4 diets namely; white rice, corn tortilla, refined couscous, and potato can increase the nutrient density of a cereal or tube-based diet. There is a need for broadening the food-base and diversification of diet. Much can be gained from adding reasonable amounts of these foods, which will add micronutrient density of the staple diet.
The recent interest in the role of phyto-chemicals and antioxidants on health and their presence in plant foods lend further support to the recommendation for increasing and fruits consumed in the diet. The need for dietary diversification is supported by the knowledge of the interrelationships of food components which may enhance the nutritional value of foods and prevent undesirable imbalances, which may limit the utilization of some nutrients. For example, fruits rich in ascorbic acid will enhance the absorption of ionic iron.
If energy intake is low, for example in the case of young children, sedentary women, or the elderly, the diet may not provide vitamin and mineral intakes sufficient to meet the RNIs. This situation may be of special relevance to the elderly, who are inactive, have decreased lean body mass, and typically decrease their energy intake. Young children, pregnant women, and lactating women, who have greater micro-nutrient needs relative to their energy needs, will also require increased micronutrient density.
The household is the basic unit for food consumption under most settings, and if there is sufficient food, individual members of the household consume a diet with the recommended nutrient densities and meet their specific RNIs. However, appropriate food distribution within the family must be considered to ensure that children and women receive adequate food with high micronutrient density. Household food distribution must be considered when establishing general dietary guidelines and addressing the needs of vulnerable groups in the community. In addition, education detailing the appropriate storage and processing of foods to prevent micronutrient losses at the household level is important.
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