FUEL: March 2012

FOUND IN (SOCIAL MEDIA) SPACE

The "found in (social media) space" article is a new feature in 2012. We task a member of the geekdom to pay attention to the social-space and stringing together, in some fashion, some of the themes being bantered-about "out there in space" as they relate to the elements. Sometimes these will just be lists of interesting posts, sometimes there'll be some original content.....follow along and find out for yourself.

This month Lindsay Eisenhart reports on FUEL. You can follow Lindsay on twitter @lindsayGE or subscribe to her weekly blog Fuelin' Good

You’ve heard the terms “macronutrient” and “micronutrient”, but what exactly do they mean? By definition, a macronutrient is “a type of food required in large amounts by the human body” aka fats, carbohydrates and protein. We get the bulk of our energy from these substances. A micronutrient is a substance required by humans for normal growth and development, but only in trace or very small amounts (eg. vitamins and minerals primarily although some might argue phytochemicals and others too).

So with all the hype lately about micronutrients (get your antioxidants by eating a rainbow of foods!) are we losing sight of macronutrients? “Carbs” are bad, lots of protein is good, and avoid fat at all cost, right? Well.....maybe it's not that simple.

Here are some interesting resources we found this month:

Tweets:
- Lisa Balash @Fit_Nutrition: “Carbohydrates: How to fit carbs into a healthy diet”. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/carbohydrates/MY01458

- @NutriJourney: “Interesting points about #carbohydrates and their importance” http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Why-Are-Carbs-Important.htm?cmp=17-4-2167

- Dr. Mallika Marshall @mallikamarshall: “Eating a breakfast of complex #carbohydrates & #proteins will curb your hunger, fill you with energy & improve your mental sharpness.

- Heart Matters @HeartNewsOnline: “Some #fats are healthful, some are not” http://wapo.st/zsNKHX #health #diet #nutrition #hearthealth
Links & Stories:
- “Going low-carb? Pick the right proteins” This article discusses a study of nurses, their protein intake and sources of protein, along with a multi year follow up for evidence of heart disease. The gist? The more protein intake from plant sources, the “better bet for long term health”. http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/going-low-carb-pick-the-right-proteins

- “The Skinny on Fat: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats” A great article discussing how fat fits into a healthy diet; which to avoid and which to seek out. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats?page=2

- Is fat the sixth taste? “Researchers in Australia and the US have found that along with sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami there seems to be a sixth taste - ‘fatty’. http://ginews.blogspot.com.au/