Nutrients to track?

Caperfae
Caperfae Posts: 433
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
What are the best Nutrients to track?
Calories are required

Here's what I'm tracking, but are there better ones to be keeping track of:

Carbs
Fat
Protein
Sodium
Fibre

Are they good choices?

Replies

  • myukniewicz
    myukniewicz Posts: 906 Member
    those are the exact same ones that i track :D
  • Disciplined74
    Disciplined74 Posts: 298 Member
    I ONLY track calories.

    All of this is so confusing anyway without driving me crazy too. If I was low in calories, it was high in salt. If it was high in protein it was high in carbs. I was driving myself crazy and still feeling like a failure.

    So my suggestions is unless you have High Blood Pressure (then watch your sodium), Diabetes (then watch your sugar), or are trying to bulk up (watch your protein), then just try to get in your calories. And try to get your calories in through fruits and veggies and lean meats.

    Listen to your body on what it needs.

    Good luck in finding what works for you.

    Eva
  • mem50
    mem50 Posts: 1,384 Member
    Same as me. :bigsmile: Most all my friends track the same too.
  • Bermudabarbie
    Bermudabarbie Posts: 568 Member
    I know some people feel they don't eat any sugar because they only get their sugars in fruit and veggies. However, I would add sugar -- perhaps in lieu of fiber. There are hidden sugars in so many things. I think that's an important one to add.
  • VickieMW
    VickieMW Posts: 285 Member
    I agree add sugar. I was amazed at how much sugar is in everything. Red Peppers! Ouch! Best of Luck
  • myukniewicz
    myukniewicz Posts: 906 Member
    i always seem to go over on sugar!!! i don't get it :(
  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
    I track the same as you do, except instead of Fiber, I track Iron because I have had a problem with anemia in the past.

    I track the Sodium & Protein because I have to eat reduced amounts of both due to kidney stones. I follow the AHA recommended Sodium limit of 1500 mg.
  • oldbutgold
    oldbutgold Posts: 4
    Hi - as a dietitian, I leave out the carbs and track calcium instead because many females do not have sufficient intake. If you track pro and fat then the rest of your calories are carbs so it makes no sense to track this as it's a given. Fiber and sodium are very important as fiber is beneficial in disease prevention and the dietary guidelines for sodium have drastically decreased and americans consume way too much sodium. Less than 1 tsp per day in ALL foods is now recommended which is impossible to do unless you use no salt in cooking and eating and avoid most processed foods

    Reading labels is a good thing. The microwavable rice that comes in a soft package has over 700 mg per serving except the Uncle Bens brown rice only has 15 mg per serving which is a huge difference. Good luck
  • UpToAnyCool
    UpToAnyCool Posts: 1,673
    Just my two cents, but it's a highly personal choice - I track calcium and iron, since osteroarthritis and borderline anemia run in my family or my own health history. I do acknowledge that fiber, sodium and sugar are also good to track. I keep a mental note of where I should be for those items and when I want to check, I click on the orange button (bottom lefthand) from the Food Diary page and do a quick check over the week.

    I'm almost always over in the Sugar and Fiber categories, usually due to the amount of fruit that I eat. I figure it's okay since I just had fasting bloodwork done and they said my bloodsugar reading was fine. But clearly one would track that if their family has a history of diabetes...

    Good luck!
  • Caperfae
    Caperfae Posts: 433
    Thanks for the great info.
    I`m fine in the sugar dept.
    Salt is usually under 900 .. which seems high?
    Calcium may be a good option to track.
  • virginiagomes
    virginiagomes Posts: 110 Member
    Protein
    Fiber
    Carbs
    Sodium
    Sugar
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