Nutrition

ave you ever dreamed of owning a ripped stature that would make every chick in a nine-mile radius pass out? Have you ever wanted to go to bed without having to, for an entire halfhour, go through the elaborate process of emitting Carbon dioxide and Hydrogen sulfide from all sorts of orifices on the wasteland you call your body? Have you ever wanted to free yourself from that feeling of angst and that weight sitting on your chest? Have you ever wanted to better abide to the doctrines of Islam? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then please proceed, as this is for people just like you. Otherwise, get your filthy hands off my work and go eat junk food while playing Silk Road somewhere else, you fat fag!

Simply, it is more to a man than gas is to a car: not only is it the energy source on which we operate, it is also the building block with which our bodies build and replenish themselves. Consequently, it is one of the main factors that play a role in determining how we feel and act, both physically and psychologically. That alone is enough to provoke us to be cautious as to how we fuel our own bodies: a mistake there is a mistake everywhere. However, before trying to plan a healthy, balanced diet, you should have at least some working knowledge about the different kinds of nutrients and how the body processes them. Failing to do so would make your job next to impossible. So, please bear with me here and do not whine (Get it? Bear and whine? No, you shut up!):

the main source of energy (ATP) in the body, fructose a sugar found in milk, and sucrose tea sugar. Complex carbohydrates include starch a sugar found in cereal, cellulose the cell wall of plant cells, and glycogen the form of carbohydrates the body stores for later use. Another kind of carbohydrates is fibers, which cannot be digested by humans but are nonetheless essential. They help prevent diarrhea and constipation by softening feces and increasing its size and help regularize the rhythm of intestinal motion. They are also linked to a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. Carbohydrates are plentiful in rice, bread, cereal, pasta and the like. Despite their importance, however, sugars, starches, and fructose can have a deleterious effect on ones health if consumed in large quantities. Thats why one needs to limit his intake of Carbohydrates to when he needs energy. One method of organizing carbohydrates according to how abruptly they affect blood sugar levels is the glycemic index. It, for example, shows that out of apples and watermelons, youd be better off eating the former when you do not want to boost your blood sugar levels too much, whereas the latter would be more appropriate after an exercise session.

Carbohydrates
Basically speaking, there are six main types of nutrients, each of which the body obtains and uses differently. Those are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and water. Carbohydrates are organic compounds in which the amount of hydrogen is always twice as much as that of oxygen. These are further classified into two types: simple carbohydrates, which are made up of no more than two monomers connected together and complex ones, which are made up of more than that. Simple carbohydrates include glucose

Fact: 63% of Americas population is overweight. Yes, you read that correctly! More people in America are fat than not. This is ugly, like, totally ugly, and must stop immediately! It should go without saying that food is by far one of the most important aspects of human life. In fact, it is an absolutely essential component to any creatures wellbeing, without which that creature would usually be bound to death!

Lipids
Lipids are nonpolar organic compounds which dont dissolve in water. Made up of mul-

tiple fatty acid chains linked to glycerol, they form the bigger part of the cell membrane, help with digestion and signaling, make up some hormones, form waxes, store energy for later use, and, wait for it, make up 60% of the brain. They can be either saturated or unsaturated, with the former having no double bonds between Carbon atoms. Generally solid at room temperature, saturated fats are less healthy and are primarily found in animal sources. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are usually healthier and come mainly from plant sources. They are generally liquid at room temperature Trans-isomer fats are very rare in nature but are processed industrially by hydrogenating unsaturated fats. Avoid them! Really. You might wonder why not avoid lipids completely anyway? You do not want to get fat, do you? Well, this is one of those instances in which language actually causes confusion rather than culminate communication. You see, contrary to the commonly held opinion, research has shown that the amount of lipids intaken has nothing to do with obesity or diabetes. In other words, more fat could make you less fat if done in the appropriate fashion!

and skin. Most hormones, enzymes, and antibodies are also all kinds of proteins. Proteins are the actors in the cellthat is, most other components of the cell just stand still while proteins do their thing. There is even more to it. When the body lacks enough carbohydrates or lipids, it might turn to proteins for energy; consuming proteins as the main energy source is advised against, however, since as you can see, proteins are needed in many other places in the body; theyre the second most abundant substance in the body, for Gods sake, only second to water. Recent scientific research has also proven proteins to be frigging awesome! Notwithstanding, proteins contain nitrogen; our body cannot use atmospheric nitrogen on its own to obtain proteins. Moreover, unlike carbohydrates and lipids, proteins arent stored: excess proteins are either converted into glucose or disposed of through urine. Thats why you must and absolutely have to provide your body with a constant supply of amino acids. Such a diet becomes even more radical during development, pregnancy, lactation, and injury. As much as one would be tempted to think otherwise, more isnt always merrier when it comes to food, proteins being no exception. Overeating proteins can induce an increase in the bodys acidity, which the body treats by using calcium that would normally occupy bones.

Proteins are most abundant in meat, since theyre the building material of animals bodies. But, theyre also available in some plants, most notably legumes (e.g. beans) and grains (e.g. wheat). It is often necessary to combine those to get all essential amino acids, however.

Dietary Minerals
Any element that is needed by the body and isnt C, H, O, or N is a mineral. There are at least sixteen of those. Take for the sake of example the iron ion, which red blood cells require to function properly. Some minerals are needed in larger quantities than others. For instance, the daily quota of calcium, chloride, sodium, and sulfur is greater than 200mg/day, whereas that of copper, iron, nickel, and molybdenum is less. Some dietitians suggest that one obtain minerals from sources in which they occur as ions, building on the premise that they are easier to absorb that way. Minerals can be found naturally in some foods, like calcium in milk, or added to them industrially, like iodine on table salt. Some can even be found in inorganic sources, like calcium in oyster shells. Not consuming enough of a certain mineral can cause a variety of diseases with the potential for being fatal, from the infamous anemia to hyponatremia (Fancy-pants-ese for little

Proteins
Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are organic acids containing the amine group. Those are the building material of a variety of tissues in the body, including muscles

Sodium). Consuming too much of a certain mineral can cause trouble as well, as is the case with iron overload and hypernatremia. Im not saying you must meticulously calculate the amount of milligrams you take in of each, Im just saying be moderate about their consumption; your body should take care of the rest, for Allaah have created our wonderful bodies so that they can adjust themselves to a variety of undesirable conditions.

amounts of vitamins. Worry not, though, as it rarely happens that somebody merely eats too much of a vitamin; Vitamin supplements are where the real problem lies. Be wary whenever using them!

healthy kidney, the former is by far more likely, especially during hot weather or exercise. So, during such circumstances, drink plentifully, but remember not to exaggerate either. If you drink eight bottles in one sip, you probably need to take it down a notch.

Water
Quick: How many cups of water does one need to drink in a day? If you said eight, Im afraid you have no research to cite. However, it is true that we totally need to drink it, and we need it bad! Estimations of how much water one needs varies from source to another, however, but there seems to be consensus on that it increases during a womans pregnancy and lactation. Generally, drinking 2-3 liters of water a day should suffice. Increase that a little bit when pregnant or lactating, more so with the latter. Why do we need water in the first place? Well, as it turns out, water is the medium in which most biological reactions take place. It is easier for reactants to go through a chemical reaction if theyre ionized, and water provides them with a solvent in which they can do that. It also helps with regularizing the bodys temperature and expelling waste products. As you probably know, more than 70% of the human body is made up of water; its that way for a reason. Like other nutrients, you can drink too little or too much water, but for somebody with a

Why Eat Healthy

If you really read all what I wrote in here up to this point, you probably realize this is a reasonable question to ask. Why go through all this fuss just to be that jerk who disrespectfully declares he is on a diet whenever somebody offers him food out of pure niceness? Well, Id say it has something to do with not being the jerk waking up a surgeon at 3 AM just to undergo surgery because of complications of obesity/underweight. If you just said So what? Im going to have to die one way or another anyway, then, I repeat, please get your filthy hands off my work and go play Silk Road somewhere else! Dont say I didnt warn you!

Vitamins
Obtained from a variety of sources, vitamins are similar to minerals in that they are needed in relatively small amounts and cannot be made in the body. Unlike them, however, vitamins are organic compounds rather than elements. Even before the discovery of vitamins, many ancient civilizations knew that some diseases were caused by the lack of a certain type of food. It wasnt until 1910, however, that the first vitamin was discovered. Most vitamins needed by man (there are thirteen of them.) are hosted by animal products, which makes sense, since we are after all, in some sense, animals. Others are found in green leafy plants. Vitamin C can be found in citrus and most fresh fruits. Again like minerals, both vitamin deficiency and overdose are not in any way cool. Scurvy, beriberi, pellagra, and rickets are all examples of diseases caused by not having adequate

Medically
On a more serious note though, you seriously do not want to be obese. You see, obesity has been linked to type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, depression, low back pain, and even certain types of cancer. No, Im not finished yet. Infertility. Now Im finished. Thats not to say thats all what obesity can get you, its just that

youd probably be too terrified to continue reading anyway, so why would I continue writing? Again, no, you cannot just stop eating at all just in case, either. Being underweight weakens the immune system and causes hair loss, amenorrhea, osteoporosis, and anemia. Thats why you want to eat healthy. Thats whya mistake there is a mistake everywhere.

body must endure day in and day out. However, it isnt infinitely elastic: there is a limit beyond which our little friend just cries Aw, that hurts! You know what? Youre on your own! That limit is surpassed when you get fat more quickly than your skin stretches, resulting in stretch marks. Acanthosis nigricans are another example of skin deformation due to being obese. Those are areas of hyperpigmentation of the skin which appear in body folds. OK, lets not judge a book but its cover here: let us judge it by its content. Lose the gynecomastia! Let us leave it at that.

and less energetic body, since more blood would be engaged in digestion. We Muslims are supposed to act as if we are guests to this lower form of lifehow you ever heard of a guest eating until obesity? Take the Prophet as an example. People describing his manner of eating and diet said he used to eat with three fingers, prohibited from eating while leaning, used to speak while eating, and ordered people to group together for eating. His house could sometimes be out of food. He also said:

Socially
Not to mention social stigma. Overweight people are mocked by society, and were this way in different places of the world throughout history. Its not about society being superficial or whatever; its that most people dont get fat overnight. If youre so so fat, its probably because youre a little too laid-back: you hardly exert any effort in repressing your basal urges and thats why you are what you are. Youre the guy who keeps laughing for no apparent reason and spends the whole day doing nothing of importance, all while mistaking that for a legitimate lifestyle. But we all know there is another reason youre not the guy in class whose jokes everybody feigns laughing about:

How do I do it
All right, I get it. Eating healthily is rad! But, you seem to have forgotten to mention one thing, namely, how to achieve that. Sohow to achieve that? Im so glad you asked. To be frank, not completely glad, since that means another entire section that I have to write (sigh). Anyway, to answer your question: here is what you should basically do:

Religiously
Not convinced? Even Islam itself warns us off malnutrition. The Holy Quran says:

)(
The Prophet is also reported to have said:

and

How Much of Each Nutrient

Carbohydrates (Rice, pasta, bread, cereal, sweets, potatoes, and so on) are mainly energy sources, and as such, should only be consumed in large quantities to replenish energy lose during laborious activities or to reduce hypoglycemia. Otherwise, they should be limitedly in-

Cosmetically
Dont even get me started on that one. Now, our skin is elastic; it sort of ought to be, given the harsh conditions the outer wrapping of our

Indeed, not only is overeating a blatant form of debauchery, it can also lead to a less acute mind

taken when a spike in blood sugar levels is not desired. Obtain them from whole unprocessed sources whenever possible: eat brown rice instead of white rice, for example, and avoid excessively eating sweets and the like. Be sure to also take in enough fibers as they are not manufactured in the body. Then there are lipids. Lipids are very important, but aim at getting most of them in unsaturated form. If you love you some walnuts or pistachios, add them to your diet. If youre the seafood kind of guy, well, good news: fish is a really good source for unsaturated fats. If you worry about mercury poisoning, dont, for for an adult, the benefits of eating two serving a week outweigh the risks according to Dr. Eric Rimm. Most oils are unsaturated too, with the notable exception of palm oil, and thats why we Mediterranean folks generally have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. One unsaturated fat many people eat less than needed from is Omega-3. It is found in walnuts and cold-water fish. Since it neutralizes the effect of the much-more-common Omega-6, it is linked to a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Again, dress your salad with them rather than cook with them, as cooking reduces the positive effect and increases the negative one. Finally, you might ask: If saturated fats are more plentiful in animals, and we are animals, wouldnt that mean we need more of it? False! You see, when we consume unsaturated fats, our body uses them to construct all the saturated fats it

needs. So, no, you dont have to eat more saturated acids. Generally, make fats constitute 2035% of your calorie intake. As to cholesterol, 300mg a day would be just fine. Our next stop would have to beproteins. Proteins. Are. Abso. Lutely. Necessary. Exclamation Point! To get taller, eat protein. To get more muscular, eat protein. To be a better mother(-to-be), eat protein. They can make you feel fuller, and can make you loss fat. Eating a lot of them can cause trouble, however, so dont go crazy. You might think you cannot go crazy when it comes to proteins, but, believe it or not, most people in so-called developed societies do. Out of the twenty amino acids our body uses to construct different proteins, only eight cannot be manufactured by the body itself. So, while it is true you must consume proteins in adequate quantities, and must do so on a daily basis, in this context, adequate expressed in grams is generally four fifths your weight (mass) expressed in kg. So, if you weigh 100kg, you should need about 80g of proteins a day. Let me do the Math for you: thats less than 100g. Not less than 100g meat, less than 100g all proteins. Remember, however, that this isnt the rule rule kind of rule, a little bit more or a little bit less isnt that fatal. It should only give you a very basic idea.

less hunger as good reasons to do that, but frequent eating has also been linked to cancer. So, again, be moderate. Three or four meals a day should do fine. One meal you should make sure you dont skip, however, is breakfast; with it you obtain the energy you need to go through with the day, which, in turn, could make you work more efficiently; you get more time to wake up and get set; and, dont forget you also improve your awful awful breath. Another thing youd probably want to do is eat more fruits and veggies, as they make you feel full more quickly, and contain fibers, minerals, and vitamins. Also, drink water before meals, so as to get your daily quota of water and at the same time feed more full while eating less food.

What Not to Do
Cut off on caffeine or, better yet, drink green tea instead of coffee or red tea. Avoid transfats, saturated fats, processed sweets, artificially sweetened beverages,

Being Lean Doesnt Equal Being Mean

Another important thing to do is to devour the less healthy foods you adore every once in a while. Dont overkill yourself, thats not how humans work. You can eat hamburgers every couple of weeks, you can eat cake every couple of fortnights, you can eat pizza every couple of months, just dont make it the norm. Also, diversify your diet: in addition to making eating healthily a lot more bearable, it also helps keep

How to divide them

Many dietitians suggest that one eat smaller meals more frequently rather than one or two larger meals citing increased metabolism and

your metabolism efficient by not making it used to something specific.

Common Myths
Written by: Karimi Muhammad, 10V Supervised by: Mr. Wail Taha