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What's More Important In an Emergency: Calories or Nutrition?

By: Ben Tanner

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When it comes to freeze-dried food storage and one's diet there are many different opinions as to which is most beneficial to emphasize: nutritional value or calories? Ideally, you want to consider both in your food storage plan. Many food storage kits emphasize calories and ignore proper nutrition to sustain life over extended periods. Sugars, that are made up of empty calories should be kept to a minimum. A great many of these products give you mostly powdered fruit drinks, potatoes and other sugars. Just like in your daily diet, you should have a balanced food storage diet that includes: vegetables, fruits, protein and carbohydrates. Make sure you know how to use your food storage. A bucket of wheat might make you feel good, but if you don't know how to use it, it most likely will not be used.

Nutrition is the science of foods and the nutrients they contain. This includes how nutrients act within the body. For example ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism and excretion. There are seven major types of nutrients which are: carbohydrates, fats, fiber, minerals, protein, vitamins, and water. Fats, carbohydrates, and proteins provide energy but minerals, fiber, vitamins, and water do not. However they are vital for other reasons that promote health.

A calorie is a unit of energy that, when applied to food, gives us an indication of the potential energy that food possesses. 1 gram of fat = 9 calories and 1 gram of protein = 4 calories. When it comes to the amount of calories an individual needs to stay healthy the requirement changes according the individual's gender, age, weight, genetic predisposition, and also level of activity.

The types of food storage that would be best to sustain one's self or family in an emergency situation, even though having been stored for an extended period of time, should provide the highest amount nutrients possible. The amount of fuel provided is important, but if the bulk of the calories lack protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables you're just taking in empty calories which are not easily digested and don't provide your body with nutrients. In addition, most emergency situations sanitation decreases in a big way. In addition to this, if a person is dealing with extra activity, high stress, and less sleep they will need nutritious meals to provide their bodies with the health and energy needed to overcome and continue through the circumstances they face.

Basically, for food storage as well as a regular everyday diet, the emphasis should not be based on the quantity of food consumed, but on the quality. You should store nutritious, quality meals. You can always add extra calories if needed. One way is by adding high calorie emergency food bars. They are compact, lightweight, require no cooking and are easy to use and eat. They are designed for high intensity, survival situations and are non-thirst provoking. You may want to consider adding a few of these food bars to your food storage if you feel more calories are necessary.

The bottom line is that you need to balance your calories with nutrition. Food Storage doesn't just have to be there to help you survive, but also to maintain your health in stressful emergency situations.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Get a balance of calories and nutrition in your food storage by visiting www.thereadystore.com/

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