APRIL 20239IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A PLANT-BASED DIET & ACTIVE NUTRIENTS IN THEMWith so many health benefits it is good to include these 'Nutri-cereals' with a variety of other grains on a daily basis to get the benefit from all. ICMR recommends 1/3rd of the cereal intake can be these healthy millets. Proteins have a wider range of functions in the body. Recommendations as per ICMR are to consume 0.6-0.83 gram/kg body weight of proteins. Including vegetarian protein sources such as pulses, beans, soy, milk and milk products and nuts and seeds and also combining cereals with pulses complements proteins and ensures adequate intake.Fats and oils are an essential component of a balanced diet providing the essential fatty acids besides helping in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins - Vitamin A, D, E and K. The fat consumption of 25-40g (5-6 teaspoons) per person/day of visible fat such as oils, ghee, butter and related depends on the energy requirement. It is recommended to decrease the consumption of Saturated fats to less than 8-10 percent of the energy obtained from animal products, coconut and palm oil and include monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fats (in the ratio of 1.3:1 respectively) from nuts, avocados, seeds, and oils of olive, safflower, sunflower, corn and oil, safflower, canola in the right proportion.An adult should ideally maintain a 5-10:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 PUFA for all the essential functions in the body. Omega -3 is known to support heart health, improve mental well-being and reduce depression and is important during pregnancy being critical building blocks of the fetal brain and retina. Vegetarians should include nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, and vegetable oils of soy, and canola in their day's diet to get their required omega 3. Trans fatty acids (TFA), produced by partial hydrogenation of vegetable fat (Vanaspati ghee or margarine) are also found in processed, fried foods and are responsible for adverse effects on serum lipids. They are associated with increased levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and decreased levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and hence, are worse than saturated fats for heart health. It is recommended that the intake of TFA should be less than 1 percent of total energy intake, which is less than 2.2 g/day for a 2,000-calorie diet.Multi-source cooking oils combine the potency of two or more edible oils which improves the oxidative and thermal stability of oils and improves the balance of fatty acids and introduces phytonutrients to the blend. Consuming fats as blends is a viable option to get the benefit of both the oils used in blends and lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Studies have shown that a blend of rice bran oil and safflower oil (70:30) with added antioxidants showed improvement in blood lipid levels and inflammatory markers. The mainstay of Good Health is a lifestyle change and a continued commitment. Consuming a balanced diet with adequate macronutrients comprising of complex carbohydrates from whole grains oats, millets, adequate plant-based proteins from pulses, beans, milk and milk products and nuts and seeds with adequate fruits and vegetables and healthy fats in the right proportion coupled with good exercise regime is the mantra to good health.
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