Nutrition Basics

If they are from the right sources, carbohydrates are not bad for you and you do not have to limit your intake. Reframe your mindset towards carbs by thinking of them in terms of fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and healthy grains like quinoa and millet. Stop thinking about carbs in terms of sugary candy bars and French fries, such things are not real food and are unquestionably detrimental to your health.

Why are carbs so important? Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred energy source. While “low carb” diets might be effective for short-term weight loss, they are extremely unhealthy (even in the short term) and unsustainable. For example, I consume approximately 70% of my daily calories from carbs, most of which come from fresh fruits and vegetables. I eat as much as I want when I am hungry and I stop when I am full. It is almost impossible to overeat (and therefore almost impossible to gain weight) when you are consuming a large portion of your calories from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Despite the hype of “healthy fats,” fats do not need to be consumed in excess. Research suggests that low fat diets (approximately 10% of total daily calories from fat) are the healthiest. Your body does need dietary fat to function optimally, and prefers monounsaturated fats (found in olives, avocados, various seeds and nuts, and various vegetable oils, etc.) and polyunsaturated fats (found in salmon, seaweed, soy, walnuts, flaxseed oil, etc.). Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are the two types of polyunsaturated fats, are vital to consume because your body cannot produce them.

When consumed in moderation, saturated fats from healthy sources like coconut oil are okay, but the problem is that most saturated fat, from animal sources, are known to cause heart disease and other health problems. Trans fats increase one’s risk of heart disease, sudden death, and diabetes; they should never be consumed. While cholesterol is a vital substance, your body produces all that it needs. Dietary cholesterol is not healthy and like trans fat, should be completely avoided.

Protein is vital for many body functions and must be consumed daily as your body cannot store protein for future use like it does with carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) and fat. Unfortunately, most people in developed countries consume far too much protein and choose harmful sources, which are known to cause deadly diseases. I understand it is a highly controversial topic, but all of my research and personal experimentation has led me to believe that a plant-based (vegan) diet provides all of one’s protein needs from the healthiest sources available. Yes, plants have protein!

Your body requires a wide array of vitamins and minerals to function properly. The simplest way to meet your vitamin and mineral needs is to consume as many vegetables and fruits as possible (the broader the plant color spectrum, the better), drink non-fluorinated, filtered, fresh spring water (not from a store bought bottle!), and getting adequate sun exposure every day. Vitamin and mineral supplementation is generally unnecessary, but can promote health if the right supplements and dosages are used. For example, I take 2500mcg Vitamin B12 weekly, 2000 units Vitamin D3 daily (because unfortunately I usually don't spend enough time outdoors everyday), and 200-300mg DHA/EPA daily. However, I’m always hesitant to make supplement recommendations as the “right” supplements and dosages are slightly different for everyone and might be unnecessary altogether. The basis of good health comes from food, not supplements.

That’s it for the brief overview. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the preferred source of any nutrient is organic, unprocessed, whole food. The way you introduce nutrients into your body has a profound impact on how well they are utilized. True health does not come from a multivitamin or other synthetic compounds.

Furthermore, if you want true health, don’t base your nutritional approach on outliers. There will always be someone wanting to tell you about a guy they know who lived to one hundred on a steak and eggs diet with a daily cigar and glass of Scotch. While the occasional glass of wine or slice of cake can fit into a healthy diet, choosing the “F%&# it” approach to your health will inevitably backfire.

Okay, let's begin!

To make this article easy to navigate, I listed all of the nutrition terms covered in our guide below. If you are only curious about a specific term, click on the hyperlinked word to jump to their specific section. If I missed any nutrition information you think is important, please contact us, and I'll be sure to include it in my list! Thanks and enjoy!

• Calories are energy for your body! You need calories, but not all calories are the same! Choose nutrient-dense calories. 
• Macronutrients include carbohydrates, fat, and protein. The ratios of these 3 macronutrients in your diet has a profound impact on the way you look and feel.
• Carbohydrates are your bodies preferred energy source! You need carbohydrates and they should comprise the majority of your diet.
• Sugar alcohol is found naturally in small quantities within many fruits and vegetables. However, synthetic sugar alcohols are used widely as thickeners and sweeteners in processed food products. While some argue their minimal effect on blood glucose makes them a useful sugar substitute for diabetics, synthetic sugar alcohols should be avoided.
• Insulin regulates the use and storage of glucose in your body. Type I diabetics produce very little to no insulin and Type II diabetics cannot use insulin effectively. Both types cannot store or process glucose properly.
• Fiber helps maintain a healthy weight by making you feel full faster, aids in digestion and toxin removal, lowers "bad" cholesterol, and protects against stroke and diabetes.
• Dietary fat should be consumed in moderation from healthy sources such as nuts, seeds, and avocados.
• Saturated fat, found within all animal products and a few plant foods like coconut, should be consumed in extreme moderation. 
• Unsaturated fat is predominantly found in plant foods such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. There are two types of unsaturated fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, which both decrease your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Omega-3s and omega-6s, the two types of polyunsaturated fats, are vital for maintaining health and must be obtained through diet because your body cannot produce them.
• Trans fat is the worst type of dietary fat and should never be consumed.
• Protein serves many vital functions in our bodies, but should not be consumed in excess.
• Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are eight essential amino acids that you must eat for your body to effectively utilize protein.
• Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in every cell in your body that comes from two sources: your body and food. Cholesterol itself is not bad, but you should never consume it. Your body produces all of the cholesterol it needs to produce cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that help you digest fat.
• Essential nutrients include the macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) and vitamins and minerals that your body cannot produce and must obtain through diet.
• Vitamins are organic compounds that are crucial to maintaining one's health. Your body much prefers healthy, vitamin-rich foods to synthetic vitamins from your local pharmacy. Eat whole, minimally-processed plant foods and don't rely on isolated, synthetic vitamins.
• Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic solids that your body requires in small doses. As with vitamins, focus on consuming whole, minimally-processed plant foods to meet your body's mineral requirements.
• Antioxidants protect your cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of different substances that act as antioxidants. These substances, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, glutathione, coenzyme Q10, and lipoic acid, are found primarily in fruits and vegetables.
• Probiotics are good bacteria that promote a healthy digestive system and a healthy immune system.
• Phytochemicals are a large group of plant-derived compounds found in fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and plant-based beverages such as tea and wine that have been linked to reductions in the risk of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, IBD, MS, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.