Getting what we need… the natural way
Things change. Even the nutritional needs of our bodies vary and change throughout our lives, and it’s essential from infancy to the later stages of our lives that we look after our bodies for health and happiness.
Is there one food we should be eating that can give us all our dietary needs? In short, the answer is ‘no’; no single food contains all the nutrients we need for good health. The simplest way to a healthy lifestyle is to eat a variety of different foods.
Eating up to 500g of cooked red meat per week can be a key part of a healthy and balanced diet.
Red meat like porc is nutrient dense, which means it contains a wide variety of essential vitamins and minerals within a relatively small portion of food.
Porc is naturally rich in protein and contains essential amino acids. Protein is essential for growth and repair of the body and maintenance of good health – it helps you recover after physical exercise and feel energised, as well as build and maintain muscle mass.
The B vitamins found in porc, including B3 (Niacin), B6 and B12, keep the nervous system healthy and are linked to vitality and general good health. Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in foods of animal origin.
Porc is also much lower in fat than you might think. Did you know that fully trimmed lean cuts of porc, such as boneless loin steak, can contain as little as 4% fat?
Porc contains all of these natural goodies:
- Iron, helping the production of red blood cells which combat tiredness.
- Protein, vital for growth and repair.
- Zinc, keeping our immune system healthy and supporting bone health.
- Thiamin or Vitamin B1, which is needed for the continuous release of energy from carbohydrates and for keeping the nervous system healthy. Thiamin is not stored in the body as it is a water-soluble vitamin so it needs regular replenishing.
- Riboflavin or Vitamin B2, required for growth and healthy skin, eyes and the nervous system. It also helps our body release energy from food.
- Niacin or Vitamin B3, which helps us utilise food energy – associated with vitality and energy levels – as well as helping keep the nervous system and skin healthy.
- Vitamin B6, playing an important part in the formation of haemoglobin in blood which carries oxygen around the body. It also allows the body to use and store energy from protein and carbohydrates in our food.
- Vitamin B12, helping to make red blood cells, maintaining a healthy nervous system and releasing energy from the food we eat.
- Selenium, which has antioxidant properties, supports our immune system and helps prevent damage to cells and tissue.
So if you make the time and effort to live a healthy and active life by taking regular exercise and looking after yourself, isn’t it good to know that your food is pulling its weight too?