DIETARY ANALYSIS

A dietary analysis with specific reference to carbohydrates, fats and proteins



A dietary analysis with specific reference to carbohydrates, fats and proteins

Introduction

The importance of diet in maintaining health and preventing disease, including cancers of many anatomic sites, has been recognized for millennia. Most of the tens of thousands of scientific papers on the subject support the role of diet and nutrition in causing cancer or affecting survival. After tobacco, diet and diet-related factors (such as body weight) may be the most important determinants of cancer risk. In the U.K, the most common dietary supplement can be defined as a product that is intended to supplement the diet; contains one or more dietary ingredients (including vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and other substances) or their constituents; is intended to be taken by mouth as a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid and is labeled as a dietary supplement. This research gives an overview of the dietary analysis aspect of healthcare; enumerates critical reviews and details regulations of dietary supplements; and identifies trends in dietary supplement consumption (Jacques, 2001, pp.2).

Discussion and Analysis

The most commonly dietary supplements used to maintain or restore heath are vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, and other substances. They are described briefly here. Vitamins are organic compounds required in small amounts to maintain the normal physiological functions and to restore health. On the basis of their solubility, vitamins are classified as fat-soluble vitamins—A, D, E, K—and water-soluble vitamins—thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, panthothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, cobalamine, and vitamin C. Vitamins are not synthesized in our body in an amount adequate to meet the normal physiological need; however, they are naturally present in foods, and therefore, a well-balanced diet plan that includes a variety of foods should meet the daily requirements for various vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body if consumed in excess and can cause toxicity, whereas water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, and the excess is generally excreted in the urine (Briefel, 2007, pp.165).

Similar to vitamins, minerals are not made by the body and must be obtained through the diet or supplements. Minerals are inorganic molecules that are essential for health and the maintenance of body functions. Minerals required by adults in excess of 100 mg/day are known as macrominerals—calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfur, whereas minerals for which less than 100 mg/day is required are known as microminerals or trace elements—iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, manganese, fluoride, molybdenum, copper, chromium, cobalt, and boron. Minerals constitute about 4-5 % of total body weight (Briefel, 2007, pp.167).

In addition to vitamins and minerals, herbal supplements, also known as botanicals, are widely used as health supplements. Herbal supplements are plants or plant parts (e.g., leaves, flowers, seeds, bark, etc.) valued for their medicinal properties, flavor, and scent. These supplements may contain a single herb or mixtures of herbs. Commonly used herbal supplements include echinacea, ginseng, gingko biloba, garlic, ginger, flaxseeds, and St. John's wort. Other products, such as protein powder, fish oils, amino ...