“Our diet is composed of three main dietary compounds namely fats, carbohydrates and protein, depending on the recommended daily allowance based on the height, weight, age, body surface area, basal metabolic rate, activities and certain diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems and severe malnutrition. An adult’s caloric need per day does not fall below 1200 calories. A person can have below 1200 if he or she is undergoing a weight reduction program or one can have more than the recommended if he or she is on a weight-gaining program after suffering from severe malnutrition due to debilitating diseases unless recommended by health professionals.
An average American needs about 2000 calories daily and from these; the percentage of fats, carbohydrates and protein is computed. The US Recommended Daily Allowance or RDA states that on the average daily caloric need, 10-20 percent is allotted for proteins, 30 percent for fats, be it bad or good fats, and about 60 percent of it comes from carbohydrates.
Fats are organic substances which are insoluble in water that play vital roles in digestion, temperature regulation and metabolism. Aside from being a rich source of energy and a source providing lasting energy, it adds flavor to foods, gives a feeling of fullness and allows fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E and K to be in its absorbable form. However, in excess of the recommended intake, fats too can have serious life-threatening effects to our health. If your goal it to lose weight, then it is better to trim down fat in your diet and decrease about 500 calories in your daily consumption, along with an increase in the activity level.
It is also responsible for the formation of certain enzymes and antibodies. Pregnant women and children especially those who are undergoing rapid growth and development need as much as 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram compared to the adult requirement of 0.8 gram per kilogram. But an excess in protein consumption will only result to fat build-up in the body and into the blood.
The third component in our diet is carbohydrates. These are basically chemicals composed of sugar, starches and fibers that provide energy that enable us to perform the various activities of daily living, exercise and among others. Fatigue, poor mental and physical functioning is results of the absence or deficiency of this component. When broken down and converted into glucose, carbohydrates can be stored in the body for later use. Excessive amount will result in excessive blood sugar level which in turn also make us sleepy and contribute to weight gain.
Thus, a balance in everything is equally important. Since we live in a modern world where partying is also an extension of our workplace, eating and observing the right dietary practices is almost impossible to do. Because of this, it is important to burn excess and unwanted calories to achieve an optimum level of care by engaging in various activities such as going to the gym and enrolling in various weight reduction activities that will help trim down unwanted fat build-up.”