NUTRITION 101 | Beginner's Guide to Healthy Eating

Summary

In this informative video, holistic nutritionist Megan dives into the basics of nutrition and healthy eating, perfect for beginners or those seeking a refresher. She explains macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—and their roles in energy and bodily functions. Megan also introduces the plate method for balanced meals and emphasizes the importance of micronutrients for overall health. She discusses the impact of food processing on nutrition and advocates for mindful eating to improve one's relationship with food, all while partnering with iHerb, a leading online health food store.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Megan is a certified holistic nutritionist sharing the basics of nutrition and healthy eating.
• 🥔 Macronutrients are the main components of food for energy and bodily maintenance, including carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
• 🍠 Starchy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and whole grains are great for energy, while non-starchy carbs provide fiber and nutrients.
• 🥚 Protein is essential for building and repairing cells and helps with satiety and hunger hormone reduction.
• 🥑 Healthy fats are satiating and aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, with unsaturated fats being preferable.
• 🥗 The plate method suggests a balanced diet with half non-starchy carbs, a quarter starchy carbs, a quarter protein, and a small amount of fats.
• 🌈 Micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, are best obtained through a varied and colorful diet.
• 🍞 Different levels of food processing exist, from unprocessed to minimally processed, and even ultra-processed foods which are less healthy.
• 🚫 Avoiding calorie counting and focusing on the nutritional value of food is recommended for sustainable nourishment.
• 🧘‍♀️ Mindful eating, which involves tuning into hunger and fullness cues, can improve the eating experience and food choices.
• 🔄 Regularly reassessing hunger levels and meal content throughout the day can prevent overeating and promote a healthier relationship with food.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Megan's video?

The main focus of Megan's video is to discuss the basics of nutrition and healthy eating, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and the importance of a balanced diet.

What are the three main macronutrients discussed in the video?

The three main macronutrients discussed in the video are carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Why are carbohydrates important for the brain?

Carbohydrates are important for the brain because they are the brain's primary source of fuel, providing energy for cognitive functions.

What are some examples of starchy carbohydrates that Megan mentions in the video?

Some examples of starchy carbohydrates Megan mentions are sweet potato, squash, whole grain brown rice, and whole grain pastas.

How does protein contribute to satiety and hunger regulation?

Protein contributes to satiety by making meals more filling and reducing the hunger hormone ghrelin, which helps you feel satisfied for a longer period of time.

What are some of Megan's favorite sources of protein?

Some of Megan's favorite sources of protein include hemp seeds, legumes, lentils, chickpeas, red lentils, chickpea pasta, fish, eggs, and poultry.

Why are fats important in our diet, according to the video?

Fats are important in our diet because they are satiating macronutrients that slow down the rate of sugar digestion, help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and provide energy.

What is the plate method and how does it help with balancing macronutrients?

The plate method is a visual tool that helps balance macronutrients by dividing the plate into sections: half for non-starchy carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables), a quarter for starchy carbohydrates, a quarter for protein, and a small portion for fats.

What are micronutrients and why are they important in our diet?

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals found in the foods we eat. They are important for maintaining various bodily functions and ensuring overall health.

How does Megan define unprocessed foods and minimally processed foods in the video?

Unprocessed foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains that are unadulterated. Minimally processed foods are those that have undergone processes like pasteurization or fermentation.

What is the significance of mindful eating and how does it impact our relationship with food?

Mindful eating involves tuning into your hunger and fullness levels and making conscious food choices based on bodily cues. It can improve the experience with food and help make more balanced dietary choices.

Outlines

00:00

🍎 Introduction to Nutrition Basics

Megan, a certified holistic nutritionist, welcomes viewers to her channel and introduces the topic of nutrition fundamentals and healthy eating. She emphasizes the video's relevance for those new to improving dietary habits or seeking a refresher on basic nutrition. Megan also announces her partnership with iHerb, a global online health food store, and mentions the variety of natural health products they offer, including their own exclusive brands. She provides links to the grocery items she will discuss in the video, which she has sourced from iHerb.

05:01

🥗 Understanding Macronutrients for Balanced Diets

The video delves into the concept of macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—which are essential for energy and maintaining bodily functions. Megan explains the role of carbohydrates as the brain's primary fuel source and highlights starchy and non-starchy options. Proteins are discussed as vital for cell structure and satiety, with Megan sharing her favorite sources like hemp seeds, legumes, and chickpea pasta. Fats are presented as satiating nutrients that aid in nutrient absorption, with a focus on unsaturated fats from sources like avocado oil and seeds. The paragraph also introduces the plate method for visualizing a balanced meal composition.

10:01

🌟 The Importance of Micronutrients and Mindful Eating

Megan transitions to micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, and stresses the importance of dietary variety to ensure a wide range of these nutrients. She encourages trying new foods and emphasizes the benefits of colorful produce for antioxidants and polyphenols. The video also touches on the differences between unprocessed, minimally processed, and ultra-processed foods, advocating for a diet rich in the former and limited in the latter. Megan critiques calorie-counting as an unsustainable method, suggesting instead to consider the overall nutritional value of foods. She concludes with an introduction to mindful eating, which involves tuning into hunger and fullness cues to enhance the eating experience and make better food choices.

🍪 Balancing Pleasure with Nutritional Awareness

In this final paragraph, Megan addresses the common misconceptions around processed foods, explaining that not all processed foods are unhealthy and that it's the ultra-processed ones that should be consumed sparingly. She emphasizes the importance of not depriving oneself of enjoyable foods but encourages making informed decisions based on a food's nutritional content rather than just its calorie count. Megan also discusses the practice of mindful eating, suggesting that being overly hungry can impair decision-making around food, and the importance of regular meals to prevent overeating. She wraps up the video by thanking viewers and iHerb for their support and provides links to the mentioned grocery items for further exploration.

Keywords

💡Holistic Nutritionist

A holistic nutritionist is a professional who practices a comprehensive approach to nutrition, considering the whole person rather than focusing on isolated symptoms or conditions. In the video, Megan, the host, identifies herself as a certified holistic nutritionist, emphasizing her expertise in providing well-rounded advice on nutrition and healthy eating.

💡Macronutrients

Macronutrients are the primary nutrients that the body needs in relatively large amounts for energy and growth. They include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The video discusses the role of macronutrients in providing energy and maintaining bodily functions, with examples such as sweet potatoes and whole grains for carbohydrates, hemp seeds and chickpeas for protein, and avocado oil for fats.

💡Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a key macronutrient that serves as the primary source of energy for the body, particularly for the brain. In the script, Megan distinguishes between starchy and non-starchy carbohydrates, with starchy carbs like sweet potatoes and whole-grain rice being highlighted for their energy-providing properties.

💡Protein

Protein is essential for the body as it is the building block of every cell and helps with satiety. The video mentions that protein sources like hemp seeds, legumes, and animal proteins are vital for reducing the hunger hormone ghrelin and contributing to a filling meal.

💡Fat

Fat is another macronutrient that aids in satiety and is necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. The script emphasizes the importance of unsaturated fats, such as those found in nuts, seeds, and avocado oil, for their role in reducing inflammation and supporting cardiovascular health.

💡Plate Method

The plate method is a visual tool for portion control and balanced nutrition. It suggests dividing a plate into sections for different food groups: half for non-starchy carbohydrates, a quarter for starchy carbohydrates, a quarter for protein, and a small portion for fats. The video uses this method to illustrate a balanced meal.

💡Micronutrients

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed by the body in smaller amounts than macronutrients. They are crucial for various bodily functions. The video stresses the importance of a varied diet rich in different micronutrients, mentioning vitamins like vitamin C and minerals such as calcium and iron.

💡Unprocessed Foods

Unprocessed foods refer to those that are in their natural state or have undergone minimal processing. The script encourages the consumption of unprocessed foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, which are typically more nutrient-dense.

💡Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations that contain little or no whole food and are typically high in sugars, fats, and salt. The video warns against a diet high in ultra-processed foods like sugary drinks and candies, which are lower in fiber and nutrients.

💡Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is the practice of paying full attention to the experience of eating, which includes listening to the body's hunger and fullness cues. The script discusses the importance of mindful eating for making better food choices and improving the overall experience with food.

💡Calorie Counting

Calorie counting is the practice of tracking the amount of energy consumed and expended in food and physical activity. The video critiques calorie counting as an unsustainable method for nourishment, as it can lead to stress and an imbalanced focus on energy intake rather than nutritional value.

Highlights

Introduction to the basics of nutrition and healthy eating for beginners and as a refresher.

Partnership with iHerb, a global online health food store, for product recommendations.

Explanation of macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats as the main components of food for energy and bodily functions.

Carbohydrates as the brain's primary fuel source, with starchy and non-starchy options for energy and fiber.

Importance of protein for cell composition, satiety, and hunger hormone reduction.

Fat as a satiating macronutrient aiding in digestion and nutrient absorption.

Visual tool of the plate method for a balanced macronutrient intake.

Micronutrients like vitamins and minerals are essential for overall health.

The significance of eating a variety of foods for a diverse range of micronutrients.

Differentiation between unprocessed, minimally processed, and ultra-processed foods.

The pitfalls of calorie counting and the focus on nutritional value instead.

Mindful eating and its impact on hunger and fullness levels for better food choices.

The importance of not under-eating or depriving oneself of certain foods to prevent overeating.

Resources for intuitive eating and improving the relationship with food.

Summary of the video's content on the fundamentals of nutrition and healthy eating.

Acknowledgment of iHerb's sponsorship and links to mentioned grocery items.

Transcripts

hello everyone out there how's it going

welcome back to my channel my name is

megan if you're new here i'm a certified

holistic nutritionist and if you're not

new here then as always super happy to

have you with me here today today i am

going to be talking all about the basics

of nutrition and healthy eating this

video is for you if you are maybe new to

the world of improving your eating

habits or if you just want to learn more

about the fundamentals of nutrition

but even if you do know a thing or two

this can definitely act as a bit of a

refresher for you i'm also so happy to

be partnering up again with iherb for

today's video i've partnered up with

them many times on my channel iherb is

one of the world's largest online health

food stores they carry over 30 000

natural health products from grocery

items to supplements to skin care

including their own line of exclusive

brands that they produce in house they

also shipped over 180 different

countries from climate-controlled

distribution centers to ensure the

quality of their products remain by the

time they get to you and they also have

24 7 customer support i will be leaving

links below in the description box to

the different grocery items that i

recently picked up from them that i will

be mentioning throughout today's video

and let's dive in

so let's start by taking things right

back to the very basics and let's talk

about macronutrients macronutrients are

the major components of food that we use

for energy and for maintaining our

bodily structures and systems and this

includes carbohydrates protein and fat

so carbohydrates are our brain's primary

source of fuel some of my favorite

starchy carbohydrates that are

particularly great for energy are things

like sweet potato and squash and whole

grain brown rice or whole grain pastas i

always like to have a bag of rice on

hand because i use it quite a bit for

um you know as a side dish or even

adding into stews and things like that

there's also non-starchy carbohydrates

which we'll talk a little bit more about

in a moment that aren't so much for

energy but more for fiber and vitamins

and minerals next up is protein and

protein makes up every single cell in

your body and it's super important to

get throughout the day and with your

meals because of the way that it helps

to improve satiety it helps to make a

meal much more filling it also helps to

reduce the hunger hormone ghrelin which

is one of the reasons why having protein

especially in the morning like with

breakfast is really helpful just to help

you feeling satisfied for a longer

period of time some of my favorite

protein sources are things like hemp

seeds i love hemp seeds i always have a

bag of manitoba harvest hemp seeds in my

kitchen

i also love things like legumes and

lentils i especially love chickpeas i

love making chickpea salads pretty

regularly and red lentils have such a

nice peppery flavor they're great in

soups i also love this pasta made by

chicopee it's their

basically chickpea pasta it's made

exclusively from chickpeas and lentils

and it supplies 23 grams of protein per

serving it's just a great way to add a

little bit more of that satiating

protein to a pasta dish as well as fish

and eggs and poultry and other kinds of

animal proteins are of course a great

source of protein and lastly we have fat

so fat is another one of those satiating

macro nutrients it slows down the rate

in which we digest sugar helps us

feeling more full when we eat it with

our meals but also certain fat soluble

vitamins require adequate fat in the

diet in order to be better absorbed like

vitamins a and d

and e and vitamin k so generally

speaking unsaturated fats are better for

us to get more of in our diet this

includes your mono and your

polyunsaturated fats from foods like

nuts and seeds or avocado

or things like avocado oil which i love

this is a great cooking oil i really

like primal kitchen's avocado oil i have

that one in my pantry olive oil is

another fantastic one too as well as

things like hemp seeds and chia seeds

and flax seeds which i love to have

often individually just stocked up in my

pantry but i also love the three seed

blend by california gold nutrition which

has them all combined it's just like a

three in one so it's really convenient i

like to take a spoonful of that and

throw it in my smoothies or sprinkle it

on toast a great source of your omega-3

fatty acids which is a type of

polyunsaturated fat

really good for reducing inflammation in

the body great for cardiovascular health

let's move on and talk about how we can

kind of balance out our macronutrients

through the day now while i am

definitely not one for counting or

tracking there is a really simple visual

tool that you can use to get just a good

idea of approximately how much uh

certain types of foods should look on

your plate and this is known as the

plate method basically what you're

looking at here is half of your plate

should have your non-starchy

carbohydrates also known as your fruits

and your veggies things like leafy

greens spinach maybe broccoli carrots

zucchini cucumber bell peppers a quarter

of your plate should be starchy

carbohydrates those energizing carbs so

things like potato or pasta or rice

another quarter of your plate should be

protein so again this could be animal

proteins or

beans tempeh or tofu or eggs

and lastly what i like to include here

is a nice you know splash or a sprinkle

or a handful

of fat a fat source so this could be

diced avocado or it could be a drizzle

of olive oil or an oil-based salad

dressing or a handful of some mixed nuts

and seeds now i want to emphasize here

that it is definitely not about being

perfect with this plate method this kind

of visual tool it's really just to give

you a general idea of approximately how

much of these foods would be on your

plate

so now that we've talked about

macronutrients let's talk about

micronutrients so these are the vitamins

and the minerals that are found in the

foods that we eat including the ones

that we just talked about think things

like vitamin c and b vitamins

or your minerals like calcium iron

magnesium and zinc and the best way to

ensure that we get a variety of

micronutrients into our diet is to make

sure that we're eating a variety of

foods and not eating the same things

over and over and over again really

switching things up and kind of

diversifying what it is that we are

eating trying new foods switching out

the type of grains we eat switching out

the type of leafy green we're eating the

different veggies and fruits that kind

of thing so variety but also

color the more colorful the better and

not only is this going to ensure that

you're getting different kinds of

vitamins and minerals but it's also

going to ensure that you're getting

adequate antioxidants in your diet as

well and polyphenols that are so

important for supporting your body at a

cellular level

a lot of times we can get pretty

confused about

you know what's healthy versus unhealthy

when it comes to processed foods or we

you know are told we need to cut out all

processed foods but this isn't actually

the case the thing is that there's

different kinds of food processing but

let's talk a little bit about what this

really means so your unprocessed foods

include your fresh fruits and veggies

and nuts and seeds and legumes and whole

grains and things that we've kind of

already talked about in this video foods

that have been unadulterated minimally

or lightly processed foods are foods

that have undergone things like

pasteurization or fermentation there are

also processed culinary ingredients that

have undergone some level of you know

milling or grinding or pressing so foods

like olive oil or flowers or pastas made

from whole grains or some spices i

definitely always love to have some

herbs and spices in my pantry but also

flowers i love things like almond flour

spelt flour as well buckwheat flour some

other kinds of processed foods that can

still be very nutritious choices are

things like tomato sauces

canned fish or canned beans now it's

ultra processed foods that usually

contain little or no intact whole food

component so things like sugary drinks

or cookies

or

certain kinds of crackers or candy

things like this

and they tend to be much lower in fiber

and in nutrients and that's the reason

why they should make up a much smaller

part of your diet but that's not to say

that you should never have any of these

things it's just you don't want that to

be the bulk of your diet as a general

guideline the more unprocessed foods or

minimally processed foods that you eat

and the less ultra processed foods that

you eat the better for your health

in the world of nutrition it can be easy

to get swept up in things like calorie

counting or tracking but calories are

just a unit of energy and

tracking them or tracking any component

of food for that matter tends to be a

pretty unsustainable method of trying to

nourish ourselves and there's a few

reasons for that it can add stress and

even obsession when it comes to the

foods that we are eating it's pretty

impractical to be doing day to day

and it also tends to overlook the

nutritional value of foods when we are

just focusing on calories exclusively so

for example an avocado and three oreo

cookies contain about 150 calories but

it doesn't mean that they are the same

cookies contain energy from

carbohydrates and from sugar and this is

one of the reasons why foods like that

tend to make you feel very hungry pretty

shortly after because they're not very

satiating now that is not to say that

you should not eat a cookie please do

enjoy a cookie

eating foods for the purpose of fun and

flavor is still an important part of

nourishing our well-being just know that

because a food is merely high or low in

calories doesn't really tell us much

nutritionally speaking a better question

to ask besides just how many calories

are in a food is what else does this

food contain does it contain protein

does it contain fiber does it contain

different kinds of vitamins and minerals

that will help you make a much more

well-rounded choice when it comes to the

foods that you are eating and

additionally i invite you to

become more familiar with mindful eating

and that's what i want to talk about

next

what i want to kind of hone in on here

is really tuning into your hunger and

fullness levels kind of your bodily cues

and how doing so can really

impact the experience that you have with

food and even sometimes your food

choices so the thing is that when we are

really really hungry it is so much

harder to make you know sensible

moderate or conscious choices around

food and that is because we are ravenous

it is just so much harder and this is

one of the reasons why it's so important

not to under eat throughout the day or

to go too long between your meals and

especially why it's important not to get

into the habit

or any kind of cycle of depriving

yourself of certain kinds of foods or

food in general whether that's you know

by telling yourself that you can't or

you shouldn't have particular foods

beyond medical reasons

or you know really restricting your

portion sizes especially if you're still

hungry this is really guaranteed to fuel

a primal drive to overeat but also can

lead to things like binge eating and

that kind of thing as well later on in

the day so throughout the day you can

ask yourself things like am i hungry

right now how does my body feel right

now you can also ask yourself when did i

last eat or what did i last eat have i

gotten enough carbohydrates and protein

and fat in my meals today and midway

through a meal as well you can also tune

into your fullness levels by asking

yourself things like am i still hungry

or am i starting to feel full is my

stomach comfortably satisfied or am i

starting to eat beyond comfortable

fullness am i starting to feel stuffed

all of this takes time it's not

something that you can you know

get the hang of immediately overnight or

anything like that but if you do want to

learn more about some things like

intuitive eating or improving your

relationship with food i'll leave some

resources for you below so that's it for

today's video thank you so much for

watching we covered a lot of ground here

but i hope that you feel like you got a

good grasp of some of the fundamentals

of nutrition and healthy eating and

thank you again to iherb for sponsoring

today's video again i will leave links

below to all of the grocery items that i

mentioned in today's video if you want

to check them out and that's it for

today i'll see you all in the next one

bye

[Music]