Proteins and Carbs and Fats, Oh My!

---

Nutrient extraction begins in the mouth. Mechanical chewing, and chemical enzymes supplied by saliva, breakdown food into smaller, manageable parts.  The stomach, liver, and pancreas add powerful components to further the conversion of bulk food stuff into the tiny molecules that are capable of passing from the gut and into the blood stream. These molecules are eventually converted into the pure energy our bodies need.

A Balanced Diet?

What is that in today's world? 

We can try to choose quality, nutritious food at the grocery store, but too often we fill the cart with processed, conveniently packaged, unhealthy choices.

Good News!  Simply add our nutrient rich snacks to your daily food intake and give your body a little of the good stuff.

At Manna Mania we believe physical HEALTH is a personal experience. One that begins within the body by eating nutritional foods, but will eventually spread to all aspects of your being. Body, Mind and Spirit

Like Oxygen, a simple molecule we can't live without, Water too is a simple molecule much needed by our bodies to function.   Water serves as a lubricant, it makes up saliva and the fluids surrounding our joints. 

Many of us might agree  we  could benefit from monitoring or increasing our daily intake amounts of this life giving fluid.

Feed and Water your body every day to aid in digestion, absorption and transportation of food nutrients. 

This natural approach to health is the basis of our work here at Manna Mania

Carbohydrates, whether simple (candy) or complex (pasta) are easily reduced to glucose (aka sugar). Glucose is a readily available molecule and the first to fire up your metabolism. 

But glucose isn't stored for any length of time within the body, with the exception of a small amount if glycogen within the liver. Stored energy, to be used in time of famine, is found within the body's fat cells.

These complex molecular chains are present in many types of foods, both animal and vegetable. Large protein molecules are worked upon throughout the stomach and small intestine until they become smaller units of amino acids. These amino acids are then reorganized to form new proteins needed for healthy functioning of our bodies.

There are 20 different amino acids used in the human body, and we can make 12 of them ourselves. 

But the remaining 8 Essential Amino Acids must be consumed in our diet.  Unlike Carbs and Fats, Amino Acids are not stored in the body.  It is imperative that we eat untarnished sources of natural proteins everyday.  Our health and well being depend on it.

Fat cells (lipids) are a body's main energy storage molecule. We eat them as part of our varied diets...they can be delicious.  There is nothing our bodies would like more than store all those extra calories away inside our own fat cells. Right?

But getting fats into the body is tricky, they don't like water. Emulsification from 

bile salts in the liver and Lipase, an enzyme produced in the pancreas are responsible for the reduction of these long fat chains into shorter chains of free fatty acids. 

 Important fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins A,D.E and K are carried along with these lipids and are stored for later use. 

And none of that goes on if your gut isn't getting what it needs to break it all down and put it all to work.