Life Essentials

 Ever wondered what nutrients your body needs and where to get them? Heres your answer:

	Why?	Quantities needed	Excellent sources
Carbohydrates (Simple or complex)	It is the body’s preferred source of energy. Fiber helps move waste through the digestive system.	55-65% of your daily calories (mainly from complex carbohydrates)	Simple: Fruits, some vegetables, & milk Complex: Grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, & tubers
Protein (complete or incomplete)	Help build and maintain body tissues. Nearly all important structures are made from protein.	15-20% of your daily calories	Complete: animal products and soybean products. Incomplete: various seeds
Fat (saturated and unsaturated)	The most concentrated form of energy in the body. Can provide twice the energy of carbohydrates per gram.	30-35% of your daily calories	Saturated: Animal fats, tropical oils. Unsaturated: fish oils (omega-3), various other oils
Vitamins (water-soluble & fat-soluble	Helps speed up reactions in the body, some of which produce energy. Every vitamin has varying effects.	Varies widely by type.	C: citrus fruits B1: Whole-grain B2: Milk, cheese, spinach, eggs Folic Acid: Nuts, green vegetables B12: Animal products Pantothenic Acid: whole-grain, milk, poultry. A: Dairy products, green vegetables D: eggs, sardines, salmon. Produced by skin when exposed to UV radiation. E: Widely distributed in foods K: Spinach, eggs, broccoli. Produced by intestinal bacteria.
Minerals	Helps regulate many vital body processes. Effects and uses vary.	Varies widely by type.	Iron: meat, shellfish, egg yolk. Calcium: dairy products, leafy vegetables. Phosphorus: milk, peas, liver, meat, fish Magnesium: whole grains, milk, dark green leafy vegetables Sodium: table salt, prepared sauces, milk Potassium: legumes, potatoes, bananas Sulfur: table salt, milk, meat, fish, egg whites Iodine: iodized salt, saltwater fish Zinc: shellfish, meat, milk, eggs Selenium: grain products, milk, eggs, kidney, liver, seafood Copper: beans, brazil nuts, whole-meal flour, seafood Fluoride: fluoridated water, fish with edible bones Manganese: whole-grain products, nuts, green leafy vegetables, kidney, liver
Water	Carries nutrients to cells and transports waste. Lubricates joints. Aids in digestion, waste removal, and nutrient absorption.	6-8 cups a day.	Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, juice, milk, and water itself.

 . . . long chart, eh?