A History of Nutrition

Prehistory

From the very earliest days of civilization, nutrition has formed the backbone of healthcare. Obtaining and eating food consumed most of early human’s time, and food and herbs were our first medicine, used to treat a large number of conditions ranging from wounds and insect bites to infection. It became clear that food had powerful healing effects, and that a varied diet, rich in natural ingredients, was a prerequisite for good health. From that time, diet became a fundamental part of most therapies, and an integral element in almost all of the others.

18th Century

In the 18th century, English sailors were given lime or lemon juice in order to prevent scurvy, a disease caused by lack of vitamin C, which occurred as a result of long periods of time away at sea without fresh fruit or vegetables.

19th Century

In the late 19th century, naturopaths drew attention to the use of food and its nutritional elements as medicine, a concept that was not new, but which had not been acknowledged as a therapy in its own right until that time. Naturopaths used nutrition and fasting to cleanse the body, and to encourage its ability to heal itself. As knowledge about food, its makeup, and the effects it ahs on our body became greater with the development of biochemistry, the first nutritional specialists undertook to treat specific ailments and symptoms with the components of food.

20th century

By the middle of the 20th century, scientists had put together a profile of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, as well as vitamins and minerals, which were essential to life and to health. More than 40 nutrients were uncovered, including 13 vitamins. It was discovered that minerals were needed for body functions, and a new understanding of the body and its biochemistry fed the growing interest in the subject. In the 1960s, physicians began to treat patients with special diets and supplements, prescribed according to individual symptoms, problems, and needs, but while conventional medical physicians still discussed nutrition in terms of basic food groups, nutritionists were prescribing vitamins in megadoses. Other elements and compounds were soon identified as necessary to human life, and we are now able to purchase and take substances like amino acids; bee pollen; lipids, such as evening primrose oil and cod liver oil; and seaweeds, acidophilus (healthy bacteria), and dietary enzymes.

Animal Sources of Protein

Animal foods such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy foods supply the body with its best sources of high-quality or complete proteins. They contain all the essential amino acids needed by the body to create proteins that perform vital functions.

Dietary animal protein also provides the body with several vital nutrients, including vitamin B12, folate, biotin, and iron.

Some types of fish are excellent sources of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two essential fats that support brain function and normal growth and development.

Dairy foods including milk, yogurt, and cheese provide the body with key nutrients such as calcium, vitamins, phosphorus, and vitamin D.

Animal sources of protein, including fatty meats, whole-milk dairy products, and eggs, are energy-dense and provide a lot of calories in relatively small portions. They’re also high in fat – especially saturated fat – and cholesterol. Too much saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet promotes heart disease. Too many calories from any source can promote weight gain, which also contributes to increased disease risk.

Choosing appropriate amounts of meat, poultry, fish, milk, and other dairy foods in lean or low-ft forms as recommended by the USDA’s MyPyramid can help you reap the full nutritional benefits these foods provide and at the same time minimize harmful saturated ft and dietary cholesterol.

Complete proteins, also known as high-quality proteins, provide the body with enough of all the essential amino acids (amino acids that need to be provided by dietary sources) to meet the body’s needs; these amino acids are then used to make proteins that perform vital functions in the body.