"NUTRIENTS IN FOOD"

 I will begin each session with four true or false statements, okay? You will find the answers at the bottom of the page.  Number 1.  It is possible to have an appetite without being hungry.  2. Vitamins and minerals supply calories.  3. Healthy diets cost more than unhealthy diets. 4. Milk is such a perfect food that it alone can provide all of the nutrients a person needs.

Since I have laid down the foundation for good health in the last session, today I want to discuss 'The Nutrients In Food.  What is food?   Food is any nutritional substance that people eat or drink in order to sustain life.  Food causes your body to function, grow and repair itself. The food choices you make can affect the efficiency of these processes. 

What are nutrients?  Nutrients are substances obtained from food. They are used in the body to promote growth, maintenance and repair.  There are six classes of nutrients; carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals and water.  Essential Nutrients are nutrients that the body must get from food because the body cannot make it for itself.  Carbohydrates, protein and fat supply the energy that the body uses as fuel.  

In contrast, vitamins, minerals and water do not supply energy but perform other tasks, such as maintenance and repair.  Each gram of carbohydrate and protein consumed supplies your body with 4 calories. Each gram of fat provides 9 calories.  Energy is measured in calories, which measures how fattening foods are. If your body doesn't use or release the energy obtained from food - soon after you've eaten it - it stores that energy as body fat for later use.  If a person eats excess amounts of protein, fat or carbohydrate regularly, the stored fat builds up over time and leads to overweight and obesity.  

Unlike carbohydrate, fat and protein, vitamins and minerals do not supply energy or calories. Instead, they regulate the release of energy and other aspects of metabolism. There are 13 vitamins and each has a special role to play. Vitamins are divided into 2 classes–water-soluble (the B vitamins and vitamin C) and fat-soluble (A, D, E and K).

Your skeleton provides mobility, protection and support for the body. It also stores minerals and other nutrients. Though they appear hard and unyielding, your bones are actually constantly being reabsorbed and reformed by your body. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body and is found in your bones and blood. Along with the minerals phosphorus and magnesium, calcium gives your bones strength and density. This mineral also builds and maintains strong, healthy teeth. 

Often neglected but equally vital, Water is the medium in which all of the bodies processes take place. Some 60% of your body's weight consists of water, which carries materials to and from cells. Water also transports hormonal messages from place to place. Without water you can only live a few days.

The key to disease prevention and optimal health is not in eating or avoiding a certain food, but rather creating a lifestyle that includes time for preparing nutritious meals and enjoying regular physical activity.  Statistics prove that people who eat nutritional foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, have reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancers and other chronic diseases.  Your health deserves your conscientious attention.  I ate my way back to health.... So can you.

START NOW.... I want YOU to focus on eating a low calorie diet and PRACTICE calorie control!!                                  EXERCISE everyday.    

Answers: 1. True. 2. False, Only protein, carbohydrate and fat supply calories. 3 False, People can save money when eating healthy. Compare your healthy food bill to a typical visit to the doctor or the emergency room.  4. False,  Milk contains nutrients such as calcium and protein, but it has very small amounts of iron and several other essential nutrients.                                       *** See you next Monday.