Nutrition

Everyone eats food. Some people eat lots of fruit and vegetables, others may eat more or less meat, and some people may eat healthy, but others do not. All of it is related to nutrition. Nutrition is the process of how people get the food that is needed to grow strong and healthy along with obtaining the necessary vitamins and nutrients to help bodies grow and function.

For children, good nutrition is especially important and it is necessary to eat healthy foods because kids are constantly growing. Good nutrition will lead to healthy bones and muscles, and without receiving the correct vitamins and nutrients while growing, a child will not grow as tall and as strong as they could be.

There are many aspects of nutrition including knowing about the different food groups, understanding calories, and learning about the different vitamins, nutrients, and minerals a body needs, and what to avoid.

There are five main food groups that should be eaten each day. Eating a variety of foods in each group will lead to receiving most important nutrients to remain strong and healthy. The first food group includes grains such as breads, cereals, pasta, and rice. The second food group is dairy, which includes milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products. Apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, and much more are a part of the third food group, fruits. Of course, vegetables is in its own food group as well. There are many, many vegetables available to eat including beans, broccoli, peas, carrots, corn, and others. Finally, the fifth and final food group is protein, which can be found in beef, chicken, eggs, nuts, fish, and pork.

The portion size of each food group is not the same. For example, it is recommended that a person eat slightly more vegetables and grains than fruit and protein for each meal. There are also other guidelines on how to eat healthier, some of which includes drinking skim milk instead of whole milk, water instead of sugary drinks, and eating wheat bread instead of white bread.

Calories are a measure of the amount of energy in food items. Calories are necessary to eat to get the energy needed to play, work, and move around. The calories get burned off during movement, so eating will replenish them. But if a person eats more calories than they burn, the excess is stored as fat. There are also some foods that contain empty calories, meaning they have very little nutritional value such as solid fats and sugars.

There are many healthy foods to eat in order to receive the vitamins and minerals needed. For example, vitamin A is found in milk and helps keep the immune system healthy; Vitamin C is found in oranges and other vegetables, which is good for blood vessels, teeth, healing, and the brain. Vitamin D and calcium is great for healthy bones and can be found in milk. Iron is needed for the blood and is available in red meat, poultry, fish, and leafy vegetables. These are just a few of the minerals and vitamins that keep a person heathy.

In summary, good nutrition leads to good health. When a person wants to lose weight, it can be done by eating healthier and exercising regularly. Nearly all foods contain some of the vitamins and minerals needed for the body, but it is also important to eat the right amount of foods from the five food groups: grains, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and protein.