According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a healthy diet as one which focuses on:
But do you know exactly what minerals and nutrients are great for our health and well-being? Our Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar experts suggest that you take these nutrient-dense foods when you are searching to improve your vitamin and mineral intake.
Vitamin A is needed for exceptional eyesight and optimal functioning of the immune system. Cod liver oil, dairy products, sweet potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables are all incredible natural food sources of vitamin A says our Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar experts.
Vitamin B1, also known as thiamin, is crucial to the body’s ability to process carbohydrates. Our Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar experts suggest that you eat whole grain breads, cereals and pastas have high amounts of thiamin.
Riboflavin, or B2, can be discovered in fortified cereals, almonds, asparagus, eggs, and meat. It’s used in a variety of body processes, including converting food into energy and the production of red blood cells.
Niacin, also known as B3, can be found in lean chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour, peanuts, and fortified cereals. It aids in digestion and also plays a key role in converting food into energy.
Vitamin B6 can be found in fortified cereals, fortified soy-based meat substitutes, baked potatoes with skin, bananas, light-meat chicken and turkey, eggs, and spinach. It’s vital for a healthy nervous system, and helps break down proteins and stored sugars.
Vitamin B12 is needed for creating red blood cells, and can be found in beef, clams, mussels, crabs, salmon, poultry, and soybeans.
Citrus fruits, red berries, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, red and green bell peppers, cabbage, and spinach are all loaded with vitamin C, which is vital to promoting a healthy immune system, and making chemical messengers in the brain.
Vitamin D can be found in fortified milk, cheese, and cereals; egg yolks; salmon; but can also be made by the body from sunlight exposure. Our Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar experts suggest that you use it to process calcium and maintain the health of bones and teeth.
Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant and is essential to your skin’s good health. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, almonds, hazelnuts, and vegetable oils like sunflower, canola, and soybean to get this vital nutrient.
Folic acid can be found in fortified cereals and grain products; lima, lentil, and garbanzo beans; and dark leafy vegetables. It’s vital for cell development, prevents birth defects, promotes heart health, and helps red blood cells form.
Pregnant women need to take special care to ensure they are getting enough of this for themselves and their developing baby.
Dairy products, broccoli, dark leafy greens like spinach and rhubarb, and fortified products, such as orange juice, soy milk, and tofu are all loaded with calcium. Like vitamin D, it’s very important in helping to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
Organ meats, oysters, clams, crabs, cashews, sunflower seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole-grain products, and cocoa products are all high in copper, which aids in metabolism of iron and red cell formation. In addition, it also assists in the production of energy for cells.
Iron can be found in leafy green vegetables, beans, shellfish, red meat, poultry, soy foods, and some fortified foods. It’s needed to transport oxygen to all parts of the body via the red blood cells.
Potassium can be found in foods like Broccoli, potatoes (with the skins on), prune juice, orange juice, leafy green vegetables, bananas, raisins, and tomatoes. It aids in nervous system and muscle function and also helps maintain a healthy balance of water in the blood and body tissues.
Red meat, fortified cereals, oysters, almonds, peanuts, chickpeas, soy foods, and dairy products are great dietary sources of zinc. Zinc supports the body’s immune function, reproduction capabilities, and the nervous systems.
Protein is the main component of muscles, organs, and glands. Every living cell and all body fluids, except bile and urine, contain protein. The cells of muscles, tendons, and ligaments are maintained with protein. Children and adolescents require protein for growth and development, and adults need it to maintain cell integrity. It can be found in foods like beans, milk and meat.
The main function of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body, especially the brain and the nervous system. Complex carbohydrates are the best selection for a stable blood sugar level. Whole grain breads and cereals, legumes, and starchy vegetables are all good complex carbohydrate sources.
Essential fatty acids play a part in many metabolic processes, and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential fatty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in a number of illnesses. Exceptional sources are fish and shellfish, flaxseed, canola oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts.
Though this list is far from complete, it gives a good base of knowledge on which to build a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Researchers at the University of the Basque Country in Spain studied olive, sunflower and flaxseed oils for their aldehyde content after slowly heating all the oils to 190℃. The conclusion once again debunked the myth that frying with Olive Oil is unsafe.
It is believed that frying food in vegetable oil can be unhealthy because of the toxic chemicals (called aldehydes) created in the process. Aldehydes are organic compounds containing a carbon-oxygen double bond, which are developed naturally in the human body in small amounts. Consuming an excess amount of aldehydes is thought to contribute to the symptoms of diseases such as diabetes.
The results also displayed that the polyunsaturated (sunflower and flaxseed) oils developed higher amounts of aldehydes at a faster rate than monounsaturated (olive) oil. In addition, the Olive Oil created less aldehydes and also at a later stage of the heating process.
The reason for this is thought to be because polyunsaturated oils contain more regions for chemical reaction compared to monounsaturated oil. Comparing the results, it is safe to say that Olive Oil is actually the best option for frying.
Nonetheless, it is essential to note that we know little about what a too high dose of aldehydes in humans constitutes. Thus far, conclusions have only been drawn from animal studies, and there is a lack of data from human studies that can be drawn upon to support these actual theories.
Experts argue that the potential risk also heavily depends on the quality and freshness of the oil, and how much it is actually heated. It can only be said that frying foods in shallow amounts of Olive Oil for short periods is unlikely to lead to exposure to aldehydes that is in far larger amounts than what the body would usually produce and it doesn’t pose a greater risk than frying with other oils.
Furthermore, it has been recommended that Olive Oil’s high antioxidant content may even help reduce the amount of possibly harmful chemicals created during heating.
Any oil that is heated beyond its smoke point will contain harmful chemicals. However, this type of heating (or burning) will also drastically affect the taste and smell of the oil. Frying foods usually does not get the oil to that point.
Frying foods, in general, is known to be the least healthy method of preparation, however using Olive Oilmay be safer than using other vegetable oils.
