Essay on Nutrition

Nutrition Term Papers

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Most people know that good nutrition is important for good health. Recommended

Dietary Allowances (RDA) are the daily amounts of essential nutrients that will prevent

deficiencies in most healthy people. But not many people realize the importance a healthy

diet can have on their health for years to come. To help us stay healthy a person should

eat a variety of foods, maintain ideal weight, avoid too much fat, and eat foods with

enough starch and fiber. A good diet helps children grow, develop, and do well in school.

It also helps young and older adults to work productively and feel their best. A healthy

diet can also lessen the risk factors for obesity and high blood pressure. For our benefit,

the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of

Agriculture has issued Dietary Guidelines. These guidelines are designed to help

Americans choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five

different food groups; Bread, Meat, Vegetable, Fruit, and Dairy. The Nutrition Facts

Label is made to help you buy foods that will meet the Dietary Guidelines. Most

processed foods now carry nutrition information.

People need energy and essential nutrients. These nutrients are essential because the

body cannot make them and has to get them from food. Energy needs vary by age. Adults

need less food than younger and more active individuals. People who are less active or are

trying to lose weight will eat less food and have problems meeting their nutrient needs.

Almost all Americans need to be more active, because an inactive lifestyle is unhealthy. In

order to stay at the same body weight, people need to balance the amount of energy in

food with the amount of energy the body uses. People need to put more energy into daily

activities. The pattern of eating is also important. Snacks provide a large amount of

calories for many Americans. Unless nutritious snacks are part of the daily diet, snacking

will cause weight gain. Also binge eating and fasting will add to weight problems.

Maintaining weight in older people is important because they usually lose weight as they

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age. Some of that weight is muscle. People need to exercise regularly to maintain muscle,

to feel better and to reduce the risk of falls and broken bones.

The quality and variety of food in the United States allow almost everyone to have a

nutritious diet. Nutrients are divided into five major groups; proteins, carbohydrates, fats,

vitamins and minerals. Each of these food components have a special function in the body,

and all of them together are needed for overall health. The body uses energy to function

and keep itself at a constant temperature. Scientists have been able to find out that the

body gets its fuel from carbohydrates, fats, and protein.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the most available foods in the world. Carbohydrates in foods, like

whole grain breads and cereals, provide calories and nutrients and also increase dietary

fiber. Dietary fiber, like lettuce, if eaten daily, can decrease the risk of colon cancer. If

there isn't enough carbohydrates in the body during exercise, the body tires faster.

Research has proven that a daily diet high in carbohydrates is helpful. Most sports

nutritionists recommend a meal high in carbohydrates 3 or 4 hours before an event.

Carbohydrates provide most of the energy in almost all people's diets. The best sources

for carbohydrates are grains, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits.

Fats

Everyone thinks that fat in the diet is bad, but really the body needs it. Fat provides

energy by giving calories to the body. They are the most concentrated source of energy in

the diet. People need to watch how much fat they eat, not do without it entirely. Because

fat sources have little water in them, they take up less room, so we eat more fat without

getting full. So that's why it is easy to get fat on a high-fat diet. Obesity increases the risk

for high blood pressure and eventually for stroke. It is also associated with heart disease.

There is evidence that certain kinds of cancer like colon, lung, and bladder cancer run in

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people who have high-fat diets. It is also known that breast and uterine cancer are more

common in obese women. Best sources of fat are margarine, vegetable/plant oils, nuts,

meats, cheese, and cream.

Protein

The main purpose of protein in the body is to build and repair tissues. Most of the

body's protein is located in the muscle tissue. Every cell in the body is partly made of

proteins. As a child grows, his muscles are built from proteins. A person with burns or

open sores need protein to heal these wounds. Also, if carbohydrates, starches, or fats are

unavailable, protein can be used to supply energy. Everyone needs some protein

everyday. How much is needed depends on body size, rate of growth, and each persons

healing requirements. The best sources of protein are eggs, milk, fish, meat, poultry, and

nuts.

Vitamins

Vitamins help your body use carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. In most cases, vitamins

cannot be made by the body and must be taken from food. Vitamins are necessary for

growth, healthy skin, teeth and eyes, and cell formation. They are also important in

digestion, mental alertness, and resistance to bacterial infections. All natural vitamins are

found only in living things, plants and animals. Good sources of vitamins are meat, fish,

poultry, milk, fruit, breads, and cereals. There are 13 known vitamins, 4 fat-soluble and 9

water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. The water-

soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the B-vitamin complex.

A lot of people think vitamins can replace food. They cannot. If you eat a variety of

nutritious foods, you shouldn't need vitamin supplements. Taking more nutrients than your

body needs won't give you any more energy, but will prevent nutritional deficiency

diseases like scurvy, beriberi, and rickets, although these diseases are rare in the United

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States. Taking vitamin and mineral supplements to prevent or give you more protection

against cancer has not been proven effective. It has been found that smoking slightly

increases the body's need for vitamin C, but not for nutrients over the 100% of the

Recommended Dietary Allowances. High-potency vitamin/mineral combinations could be

dangerous if taken in large amounts. Some side effects are fatigue, diarrhea, and hair loss.

More serious effects are kidney stones, liver or nerve damage, or even death. If

supplements are dangerous, why are they being sold? Our laws do not allow the United

States Food and Drug Administration to limit the amount of nutrients that go into a single

pill.

Water

You won't find water listed on nutrient charts, but everyone knows that we can't live

without it. While we can survive for long periods of time without many vitamins and

minerals, it...

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