How to understand our food II

There are many sources of nutritional information from the Western perspective and also sources of information from the Tradition Chinese Medicine perspective.  This ongoing series will look to bridge the two perspectives.

Before we dive into the subject, let’s layout the basics of nutrition from a Western point of view.  Here are the common categories you would find on a nutrition label in the grocery store:

Cholesterol

These days we are far too worried about eating too much cholesterol.  Recent researches indicate that there are no correlation between consuming cholesterol and having high body cholesterol (1). Cholesterol is a necessary component of body function because it is used for the production of hormones.  Not consuming enough will result in hormonal imbalance.

Sodium

Sodium (aka salt) is thought to be the enemy, causing high blood pressure and rigid blood vessels. However, sodium is required for proper body functions such as nerve conduction. Having too little sodium or excessive flushing of sodium and electrolytes can cause muscle fatigue and weakness. Sodium helps to retain water in the body, thus having enough is necessary for healthy body hydration.