Quality Vs Quantity

NH Episode 10

In previous posts, we have touched some very important foods we need for energy supply to the body. These are Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats and Oils. Even though they are needed by the body in our daily diets, there should be considerable care in how they are consumed, especially when there is deficiency in a person’s health. The proper administration of food to a patient or convalescent has a positive synergistic effect on the overall recovery and health of the patient. More of this will be covered properly in our Therapeutic nutrition series, where we’ll cover recommended nutrition and dietary requirements for some medical conditions. However, in this post we will be talking on general application of quality and quantity of food in a general sense.

Over the course of my counselling clients, I got to understand that one major misconception many people have with food is that they believe that calorie (food quality) intake is always directly proportional to the quantity of food intake. So I get to consult people who actually eat a lot(sometimes) and still have problems gaining weight, and also still have people who claim to eat less and still have problems losing weight. There are many factors that come to play in these situations, however, the most important one is first the quality of what they ate before we even consider the quantity. What I am trying to say is that what you eat is more important than how much you eat.

To further explain this, the average daily calorie needed by an adult is 2000 for women and 2,500 for men and the average daily food intake for an adult is about 1.5kg. So, for instance, when you eat 1.5kg of vegetables for instance, your stomach is full and yet you barely reach or exceed your daily caloric intake. On the other side, when you eat 1.5kg of cakes for a day, your stomach may not be full, but you would have been way past your daily caloric intake. This is a because cakes are often rich in Sugar (carbohydrate) and fat which delivers energy in large doses, while vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers and contains a low to moderate amount of carbohydrates, which keeps you full and in turn greatly reduce your calorie intake. Simply put, this explains why a vegan diet is usually recommended for weight loss.

Secondly, two more very Important factors to consider are the Glycemic Index and the Glycemic Load. They allow us to know the amount of energy released per time in any type of food we eat. These factors are more important when conducting therapeutic nutrition program for special conditions like diabetes for instance, these two factors help in determining the type and quantity of food they should eat. There will be further explanation of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load in subsequent posts. These two factors points out to why some foods even though they contain high calorie, they would still not be sufficient enough to quickly raise sugar levels.

To find out about foods that would suit your daily needs with respect to quantity and quality, I will recommend you talk with your Dietitian/Nutritionist. They can help you with a guide on how and what to eat. Especially if you are managing a health condition, either food related or not.