They are the most important source of energy. The digestive system converts carbohydrates into glucose used by our cells, tissues, and organs. Because the human body is wise and cautious, it stores the extra sugar we eat in the liver and muscles for when we need it. Also, much scientific evidence suggests that whole grains and dietary fibre may help reduce cardiovascular risk. And although carbohydrates “are not essential, since we can synthesize what we need, if we exclude them from the diet we can trigger acidosis, [a metabolic state] that can cause serious health problems and organ failure,” he warns Marhuenda.
Between carbophobia and the ingestion of poor quality carbohydrates, there is a perfect middle ground. Healthy sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, milk, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. To get the most benefit, these foods should always be eaten whole and whole.
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Lipids, a debate between good and bad
The food industry has given them a bad name through low-fat, 0%, light products, and to top it all, they are constantly surrounded by a healthy (and cheating) halo. But lipids, better known as fats, are necessary for our survival. Of course, do not think that eating the bacon from the stew is a matter of life and death.
“Fats are an important source of energy, and they help the body to absorb some vitamins and minerals, to build cell membranes and the sheaths that surround nerves. They are essential for blood clotting, muscle movement and inflammation”, listed on a Harvard University website. But the secret of its use is knowing how to distinguish between the good and the bad. The American academic institution says that the good ones are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated and that the bad ones include trans fats, industrially manufactured, and saturated zones, which occupy an intermediate place.
Among the polyunsaturated fats, the famous omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are of vital importance. “Their precursors, alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids, are considered essential fatty acids because the body requires them for normal functioning, and they cannot be synthesized endogenously. These can only be acquired through food,” says a group of Spanish scientists in the Offarm magazine. Being essential, we need them to survive. Where to find them? Marhuenda clarifies it: “in bluefish, extra virgin olive oil, avocado or nuts.”
Taking care of our mental health is as important as taking care of our body, and the two are closely related. Mental discomfort can affect our health in pain and worsen the diagnosis of other diseases by worsening our self-care. In turn, physical discomfort or poor nutrition can affect the health of our brain.
The importance of nutrition in psychiatry has been analyzed and studied for several years, becoming part of some treatments for diseases in this field. Of course, these treatments must always be controlled by a doctor and in no case should you leave a medication prescribed by a specialist to replace it on your own with a diet or similar.
These are the foods that are associated with an increased risk of depression, according to Harvard experts.
In Vitónica
These are the foods that are associated with an increased risk of depression, according to Harvard experts.
However, we do know today that there are some essential nutrients for the maintenance of mental health.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3 in particular, play an essential role in maintaining neuronal structure and function and intervening in some aspects of the body’s inflammatory response. For that reason, it appears that getting enough omega-3s is beneficial in treating and managing the symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
This type of fatty acids can be found in nuts, seeds, and fish such as salmon or sardines.
B vitamins
The group of B vitamins intervenes in a wide variety of processes necessary for maintaining the health of our cells and in metabolic processes. They are also necessary for the production of different cells that make up our brain.
Specifically, vitamin B9 deficiency, also called folate, often occurs in people with depression who do not respond well to antidepressants.
Gives. Several studies have evaluated the antidepressant effect of folic acid (the synthetic form of folate) in combination with antidepressants, and some have shown that the response improves when taking both.
Your weekly diet with Vitónica (CXXV): with more folic acid
In Vitónica
Your weekly diet with Vitónica (CXXV): with more folic acid
Foods such as unprocessed meats, milk and dairy, whole grains and nuts are generally the richest in the range of B vitamins, which should also be taken together as they work together. In particular, green leafy vegetables and legumes are rich in vitamin B9.
Amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are made up of many of the chemicals and substances necessary for the proper functioning of the brain. Some amino acids are the precursors of substances that affect our mood, such as tryptophan, in turn, necessary for the formation of serotonin or cysteine, an amino acid that is converted into glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that is generated in our body.
Seven anti-stress foods (and tons of recipes to enjoy them)
In Vitónica
Seven anti-stress foods (and tons of recipes to enjoy them)
There is evidence that these amino acids converted to glutathione can help treat schizophrenia, bipolarity, and some addictive disorders. They can be found in the primary sources of protein: meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, legumes and nuts.
Minerals like zinc, magnesium, and iron
Some minerals, such as zinc, magnesium, and iron, are crucial for proper brain function.
Zinc is involved in many of the chemical reactions that occur in our brain. It is also an essential element for the proper functioning of the immune system. Its lack is associated with an increase in the symptoms of depression; there is evidence of good results when medication with antidepressants is combined with taking zinc supplements in the treatment of this disease.
Top 11 foods rich in zinc
In Vitónica
Top 11 foods rich in zinc
Magnesium also plays a role in many of these chemical reactions, and its deficiency is linked to symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Iron is also involved in much of the brain’s activity, among other things contributing to the transport of oxygen to your cells, and when it is absent, it is related to symptoms of depression and developmental problems.
Zinc can be found in lean meats, oysters, whole grains, nuts, pumpkin seeds, and magnesium in nuts, legumes, cereals, green leafy vegetables, and soybeans. Iron is found mainly in raw meats and offal, such as liver and, to a lesser extent, in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach.
