Carnegie Mellon

Stay Healthy: Nutrients to Know

Good food choices do contribute to good health, when you are busy and stressed out.  The nutrients listed below will keep your body working efficiently by helping your immune system functioning effectively, and maintaining your ability to concentrate for your studies. While you are here at Carnegie Mellon University, we want you to stay healthy by following a few nutrition guidelines.

Complex Carbohydrates

Our body's primary source of energy comes from carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Fifty to sixty percent of your total daily calories should come from carbohydrates. Good choices include:

• Grains: rice, oats, barley, and millet
• Whole grain breads: whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel
• Pasta: including whole wheat pasta
• Starchy vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips

Dietary Fiber

A high fiber diet has been shown to help control digestion disorders such as constipation, irritable bowl syndrome, and diverticulosis. It may also help prevent colon cancer. Dietary fiber is also important in the treatment of diabetes, and may help in the prevention of diseases such as heart disease. Aim for 20-30 grams of dietary fiber per day and be sure to drink plenty of fluids when eating high fiber foods. For more information download the SHS Fiber Brochure. Your best high fiber foods are:

Wheat bran cereals	Cooked dried beans, peas, and lentils
Whole wheat bread	Whole wheat pasta
Oat bran	Barley

Protein

Protein is the building block of life. Our muscles, antibodies, organs, some hormones, and all enzymes (compounds responsible for all cellular chemical reactions) are made up largely of protein.  Most students do not have a problem meeting protein needs. Choose low-fat protein sources like:

Lean meat	Tofu or Soy products
Fish	Dried beans, peas, and lentils
Chicken/turkey breast (skinless)	Low or non-fat dairy products

Vitamins A (as carotenoids)

The best know of all the carotenoids, beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that may help protect the body against cancer. The body also converts beta-carotene into Vitamin A, which is essential for promoting good vision, and for maintaining healthy skin, mucous membranes, teeth, skeletal and soft tissues. Foods high in beta-carotene are also high in the other emerging, important antioxidants, like lycopene, alpha-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and B-cryto-xanthin. Aim for 5 or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables that are dark green, yellow orange, or red in color.

Carrots	Apricots
Cantaloupe	Sweet potatoes
Pumpkin	Red peppers
Tomatoes & tomato sauce	Watermelon
Greens: spinach, kale, collard & mustard

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant that may be useful in protecting us from environmental stress. Vitamin C also helps in wound healing and in iron absorption. Good sources are:

Greens: spinach, kale	Red bell peppers
Broccoli	Brussel sprouts
Cauliflower	Papaya
Strawberries	Citrus fruits & fruit juices

Vitamin E

Vitamin E (α- tocopherol) is also an antioxidant that is lacking in some college student’s diets. Its antioxidant activity also may help reduce the risk of other health problems, such as some types of cancer.  You should get your Vitamin E from food and not take large doses of vitamin E as a dietary supplement. Good sources are:

Sunflower seeds	Sunflower oil,   cottonseed oil
Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts	Safflower oil, canola oil, olive oil
Peanut butter, peanut oil	Spinach, raw
Wheat germ	Tomato sauces

Folic Acid

Recent research has shown that folic acid is helpful in reducing certain birth defects, protecting against cervical cancer, and preventing heart disease. It also acts with vitamin B12 to produce red blood cells. Your best sources are:

Orange juice	Broccoli
Greens: spinach, mustard	Lentils, pinto beans, and chickpeas
Romaine lettuce	Okra

Calcium

The main function of calcium is to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. It also aids in muscle contraction and the regulation of your heart beat. Good calcium sources are:

Skim or low-fat milk	Low-fat, plain or fruited yogurt
Low-fat or part-skim cheeses	Sardines or salmon with bones
Fortified orange juice	Fortified breakfast cereals

Iron

Iron is critical for the proper development of red blood cells. Women of childbearing age should pay special attention to their iron intake. For additional information download the SHS "Iron Brochure. Good iron sources include:

Lean cuts of meat	Chicken & turkey breast (skinless)
Fish	Tofu
Cooked dried beans, peas	Lentils
Grains: oats, barley, millet	Whole wheat bread

Potassium

Potassium is critical for muscle contraction and for nerve impulses. Research indicates that a high potassium diet can help reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of stroke. Good sources include:

Bananas	Orange juice
Dried fruit: raisins, prunes, figs, apricots	Spinach

Zinc

You need zinc for the proper functioning of your immune system, for tissue repair, and in the replication of RNA and DNA. Good zinc sources are:

Lean cuts of beef	Eggs
Skim or low-fat milk	Oysters (cooked)
Whole wheat bread	Brewer's yeast
Nuts: pecans, cashews, almonds	Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower

Putting it all together

Making food choices that are high in complex carbohydrates, adequate in low-fat protein foods, low in saturated fats and simple sugars, and that include plenty of fruits and vegetables will go a long way in helping you obtain these power nutrients for good health. Here's to variety and adventurous eating!

Source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005.

Multivitamins, Supplements & Nutrients

Getting all the health promoting nutrients we need from food is ideal - but not always possible. Consider taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement as added insurance against a hectic lifestyle that doesn't always leave time for the best food choices. If you choose to take a vitamin and mineral supplement, keep these important points in mind.

Select a multivitamin and mineral that contains about 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). Mega dosing is not necessary, and may be harmful.

Avoid taking individual vitamins and minerals, unless recommended by a health professional. (An additional calcium supplement may be an exception.) Vitamins and minerals interact with each other in a delicate balance. Overloading on one or two individual vitamins or minerals can interfere with the body's ability to use other vitamins and minerals.

Save your money - high priced supplements can be a rip-off. Large chain store brands, like Target, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, and Eckerd, are often among the highest quality supplements available.

Take your multivitamin and mineral supplements with meals to increase absorption.

A multivitamin and mineral supplement cannot replace the disease-fighting properties found in fruits and vegetables, or turn an unhealthy eating pattern into a healthy one. You still need to make wise food choices most of the time.

Resources:

Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Tufts University Diet and Nutrition News Letter
Nutrition Action Health letter
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient Database
Supplement Watch