New Kidronite Dietary Guidelines: Nutrients
Typical Nutrient Recommendations
The following table summarizes the NKDG Typical Nutrient Recommendations (TNR) I developed, as well as the recommendations of the Perfect Health Diet and the US' Institute of Medicine, from which the NKDG TNR is derived.[1] The TNR is generalized and only reflects the typical recommendation for adult male New Kidronites on an approximately 1,900 calorie (8,000 kJ) diet; adjustment is necessary for each person based on age, gender, genetics, current health, time of year, level of activity, etc.
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | NKDG TNR | PHD Optimum | US EAR | US RDA | UL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FATS | 105g | 113g | [n/a] | 42–74g | [n/a] |
| Saturated and Monounsaturated Fats | 100g | 105g | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] |
| Polyunsaturated Fats | 5g | 8.5g | [n/a] | 18.6g | 12g (PHD) |
| ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fats | 1g | 1.5g | [n/a] | 1.6g | 3g (PHD) |
| ω-6 Polyunsaturated Fats | 4g | 7g | [n/a] | 17g | 9g (PHD) |
| PROTEINS | 75g | 75g | [n/a] | 56g | 150g (PHD) |
| CARBOHYDRATES | 170g | 150g | [n/a] | 130g | [n/a] |
| Fructose | 20g | >10g | [n/a] | [n/a] | 25g (PHD) |
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
| Nutrient | NKDG TNR | PHD Optimum | US EAR | US RDA | UL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 1mg (retinol) / 10mg (β-carotene) | 10,000IU (all sources) | 625μg | 900μg | 3mg (retinol; US) / 10,000IU (all sources; PHD) |
| Vitamin D | 40ng/ml in vivo / ≤100μg in winter | 40ng/ml | 10μg | 15μg | 100μg (PHD) / 50μg (US) |
| Vitamin E | >10mg | [n/a] | 12mg | 15mg | 267mg (PHD) / 1g (US) |
| Vitamin K | >300μg K1 / >100μg K2 | >100μg K2 | [n/a] | 120μg | [n/a] |
Water-Soluble Vitamins
| Nutrient | NKDG TNR | PHD Optimum | US EAR | US RDA | UL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1.2mg | [n/a] | 1mg | 1.2mg | [n/a] |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1.3mg | [n/a] | 1.1mg | 1.3mg | [n/a] |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) | 16mg | 30mg | 12mg | 16mg | 35mg (US) |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | 5mg | [n/a] | [n/a] | 5mg | [n/a] |
| Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxal-Phosphate) | 1.3mg | [n/a] | 1.1mg | 1.3mg | 100mg (US) |
| Vitamin B7 (Biotin) | 30μg | [n/a] | [n/a] | 30μg | [n/a] |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 400μg | 300–400μg | 320μg | 400μg | 1mg (US) |
| Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) | 2.4μg | [n/a] | 2μg | 2.4μg | [n/a] |
| Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) | >500mg | [n/a] | 75mg | 90mg | 2g (potential GI discomfort; US) |
| Choline | 550mg | [n/a] | [n/a] | 550mg | 3.5g (US) |
Macrominerals
| Nutrient | NKDG TNR | PHD Optimum | US EAR | US RDA | UL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium (Ca) | 800mg | 700–900mg | 800mg | 1g | 1.2g (PHD) / 2.5g (US) |
| Chlorine (Cl) | 2.3g | [n/a] | [n/a] | 2.3g | 3.6g (US) |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 500mg | 400–600mg | 330mg | 400mg | 2g (PHD) / 350mg (potential GI discomfort; US) |
| Phosphorus (P) | 700mg | [n/a] | 580mg | 700mg | 4g (US) |
| Potassium (K) | 4.7g | [n/a] | [n/a] | 4.7g | [n/a] |
| Sodium (Na) | 1.5g | To Taste | [n/a] | 1.5g | 2.3g (US) |
| Sulphur (S) | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] |
Microminerals
| Nutrient | NKDG TNR | PHD Optimum | US EAR | US RDA | UL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boron (B) | 500μg | >400μg | [n/a] | [n/a] | 20mg (US) |
| Chromium (Cr) | 100μg | >50μg | [n/a] | 35μg | [n/a] |
| Cobalt (Co) | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] |
| Copper (Cu) | 3mg | 2–4mg | 700μg | 900μg | 10mg (US) |
| Germanium (Ge) | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] |
| Iodine (I) | >300μg | >225μg | 95μg | 150μg | 50mg (PHD) / 1.1mg (US) |
| Iron (Fe) | 8mg | [n/a] | 6mg | 8mg | 45mg (US) |
| Lithium (Li) | <2mg | >2.5mg | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] |
| Manganese (Mn) | <5mg | [n/a] | [n/a] | 2.3mg | 5mg (PHD) / 11mg (US) |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 45μg | >20μg | 34μg | 45μg | 2mg (US) |
| Nickel (Ni) | <1mg | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | 1mg (US) |
| Selenium (Se) | 300μg | 200–400μg | 45μg | 55μg | 400μg (US) |
| Silicon (Si) | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] |
| Vanadium (V) | <1.5mg | [n/a] | [n/a] | [n/a] | 1.8mg (US) |
| Zinc (Zn) | 20mg | 15–30mg | 9.4mg | 11mg | 40mg (US) |
Other Nutrients
The nutrients listed above are not exhaustive. There are many more nutrients, some which are not essential but recommended, and some which are largely or totally unknown. Therefore, I can only reiterate this principle: eat a varied diet and do not use only one cooking method for a food. This should help ensure that, if there are important nutrients that are not listed in the TNR, you may get some amount of them.
Antinutrients
Just as important as nutrients are antinutrients: chemicals that block absorption of actual nutrients. The food groups that contain antinutrients are all plant-based, and the worst offenders are from four groups: starches, beans and legumes, leafy greens, and nuts and seeds. Despite antinutrients being a large topic, I don't believe I need to create an exclusive part of the NKDG just for them: I've already classified foods in another part of the NKDG and proper preparation and cooking should help alleviate most concerns. Instead, there are only two antinutrients that I want to bring your attention to: phytic acid and oxalic acid.
Phytic Acid
Phytic acid (also called phytate when it is bound with a mineral) is probably the most well-known antinutrient. It binds to minerals (chiefly phosphorus, but also calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, etc.) and allows plants to safely store them. Unfortunately, it also prevents the human body from using them! Phytic acid is found mostly in starches (especially the bran or hulls of grains), beans and legumes, and nuts and seeds. Traditional cultures had ways of dealing with this, though: they would remove the bran and mill starches (and soak, sprout, and/or ferment them); they would soak, sprout, and/or ferment beans and legumes; and they would generally use nuts and seeds sparingly. These methods limited their exposure to phytic acid (not to mention other antinutrients), but today, especially in commercially-prepared foods, these techniques are seldom used. Most breads are made without sourdough fermentation and whole grains are becoming wildly popular, despite the fact that—even in Biblical times—fine (i.e., finely-ground white) flour was recognized as the best and required for use in the Israelites' sacrifices. Instead of thoroughly soaking and rinsing beans, most canned varieties are quickly heated and sealed; this destroys the phytase (an enzyme that breaks down phytates) and prevents the phytic acid from releasing its grip on the minerals it is bound to. The nutritional facts become almost irrelevant for some of these minerals: regardless of what a label says you're consuming, your body cannot absorb it.
Thankfully, there are a few simple ways to deal with phytic acid. When it comes to starches, the first step is to pick the right ones: choose quality, unbleached, unenriched white grains that have a large amount of the enzyme phytase (e.g., wheat or barley) or starches that have little to no phytic acid in the first place (e.g., potatoes and white rice). Then, prepare them carefully: a long sourdough fermentation is a great way to deal with milled grains and reduces the levels of phytates (as well as gluten and other antinutrients) significantly. Soaking and sprouting are other options. And while cooking will finally deactivate the phytase, this is an important step: cooking will help destroy other antinutrients and make the starches more digestible. Once the phytase has finished its work, it is no longer necessary. Beans and legumes are also easy to prepare: a long (perhaps 24-hour) soaking followed by thorough rinsing and cooking should steeply reduce phytates (and lectins, oligosaccharides, etc.) and improve digestibility. Most of the same methods can be used for nuts and seeds, but I do not recommend eating many foods from this group; it is extremely difficult to measure up to the TNR when you consume nuts and seeds, even if you only have 1 serving! There is one more method that works to reduce phytates in all the food groups mentioned, even if they have been improperly prepared: eat the foods with vitamin C. The vitamin C will help your body to absorb more minerals, even if the phytic acid levels are high.
Of course, phytic acid isn't always a bad thing: while it blocks absorption of minerals that are fairly difficult to get (e.g., phosphorus and zinc), it also blocks minerals that are harmful in excess (e.g., iron and manganese). Thus, I did not design the NKDG to completely eliminate all phytic acid. It can be used as a tool to help reduce the levels of other, less desirable nutrients.
Oxalic Acid
Oxalic acid is another fairly common antinutrient and deserves special attention because of where it is found: leafy greens are full of it, but so are some starches, fruits, vegetables, and herbs, spices, and condiments. These are all kinds of food which are touted by modern experts as healthy but, like whole grains, have a dark side. What does oxalic acid do? It bonds to minerals like phytic acid does, primarily calcium. Calcium oxalate is the main consituent of kidney stones and, when in raphide form (as found in agave and some other plants) as needle-like crystals, it can irritate skin or tear up the digestive tract. Calcium oxalate raphides can be immobilized by cooking them in starch, so I believe that most of the starchy plants should be safe if prepared and cooked properly. The free oxalic acid found in other plant-based foods, especially the leafy greens, is a bit more difficult to deal with. The two options I have found are to increase the amount of calcium in the meal or simmer and drain the food. This means that salads, if eaten, should be consumed with cheese or other dairy products; the extra calcium can bind with the oxalic acid and still allow some of the minerals to be absorbed. The safer method seems to be simmering and draining: this is the traditional way of cooking greens in many cultures, and probably for good reason!
