Calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat: how much do I need?

Types of carbohydrates:
• Complex: these come from vegetables, grains (such as bread, pasta, cereal) and legumes (like beans and lentils)
• Nutrient-poor simple: sugars
• Nutrient-rich simple: fruit, milk
• Fibre: whole grains, vegetables, fruit and legumes

For an optimal diet, limit your intake of nutrient-poor simple carbohydrates and choose more fibre-rich carbohydrates. Fibre is a non-digestible carbohydrate, which means that our body does not break it down. Instead, the fibre creates intestinal bulk and helps keep our bowels moving regularly. Aim for 25-35 grams of fibre each day.

Fat
The average 1,800-calorie diet should have between 40 and 65 grams of fat per day (20 to 35 per cent of calories). The type of fat you eat is very important.

Bad fat: Saturated fat, found in full-fat dairy products and meat, should account for no more than 10 per cent of your total calories (that equals no more than 20 grams each day for an 1,800 calorie diet). Your intake of trans fat, which is found in processed foods made with partially hydrogenated oil, should be close to zero. High intakes of bad fat can increase your cholesterol levels and raise your risk of heart disease.

Good fat: The main sources of your dietary fat should be oils, nuts, seeds and fatty fish. The Canada Food Guide recommends a small amount – about 2 to 3 tablespoons – of unsaturated fat each day. Unsaturated fats are found in oils (like olive, canola, sunflower and peanut) and products made from oil, such as non-hydrogenated margarine and salad dressing. Eating unsaturated fat instead of saturated or trans fat can help lower your cholesterol levels and decrease your risk of heart disease.

Since fat is essential in the diet, it's important to include good fats every day. It's also vital to meet your daily need for essential omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Omega-6 fat is easy to get since it's found in virtually all types of oil. Omega-3 fats are harder to find. For women to meet the daily recommended intake of 1.1 grams, their diet should contain fatty fish, canola oil, flax, walnuts and omega-3 enriched products like milk, cheese, eggs.

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