Transcript Food and Your Body

Food and Your Body
Why do we eat?
 To survive.
 To have energy.
 For enjoyment.
 To give our body the things it needs to perform
all the jobs it does.
Seven Nutrient Categories
 Carbohydrates
 Fat
 Protein
 Fiber
 Water
 Vitamins & Minerals
I keep hearing carbs are bad…
What are Carbohydrates (CHO)?
 Carbohydrates are found in food like starches,
fruit and milk.
 CHO help store & transport energy.
 When we eat the foods listed above, the CHO
they contain break down into blood sugar, called
glucose—our body’s main source of energy.
 Insulin helps that glucose get into our tissues where our
body uses it as energy (like gas in a car).
Carbohydrates are very important, but we don’t want…
TOO MUCH!!
Isn’t fat bad?
What is fat?
 Part of food that provides energy, helps us absorb
fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, D, and K), and helps
keep our skin & hair healthy.
 Fat is found in animal products like meat, cheese,
and milk; in some plant products like olives,
avocado, and nuts; and other things like butter,
margarine, chocolate, mayonnaise, etc.
 Once in our body, fat is an important insulator
and protector of our organs.
 Fat is also a storage form of energy that our body
can use during the times between meals or when
exercising.
 When we eat fat, it is broken down into fatty acids in
our body.
 If we eat too much fat, it can build up in our arteries
and cause heart disease.
Fat is very important, but we don’t want…
TOO MUCH!!
What’s up with protein?
What is protein?
 Protein helps with lots of things in our body:
immune function, metabolism, muscles, other
tissues, etc.
 Protein is found many animal foods like meat,
cheese, and dairy, but also in many plant foods
like beans, nuts, seeds, and grains.
 When we eat foods that contain protein, they break
down in to amino acids, which are the building
blocks that perform the previously-mentioned tasks.
 Our body can make some amino acids on its own,
but not all of them, so we must eat protein.
Protein is very important, but we don’t want…
TOO MUCH!!
Fiber? Isn’t that the stuff that
makes you…?
What is fiber?
 Fiber is the part of food that our body cannot digest.
 Fiber travels through our system, absorbing water,
fat & cholesterol, which helps us go to the bathroom
& helps us keep our blood levels of cholesterol under
control.
 Fiber is found in plant foods like fruits, vegetables,
grains (cereals, breads), nuts, seeds, and beans.
Water is so boring.
Why do we need water?
 About 70% of our body is water.
 To function properly, the body needs 2-3 liters
(69-100 ounces) of water per day (depending on
activity level, temperature, humidity, etc.).
 Symptoms of dehydration are headache,
decreased blood pressure, dizziness or fainting.
I take my vitamins every morning…
Vitamins & Minerals
 Think food!!
 Fruits, vegetables and whole grains
 Most foods have some vitamins and minerals
except for highly refined foods (white bread,
sweets, chips, etc.)
 Fortified/enriched
Red
 Benefits
 Heart health
 Memory function
 A lower risk for some cancers
 Urinary tract health
 Nutrients
 Potassium: may help maintain healthy blood pressure
 Vitamin A: keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect
against infections
 Vitamin C: helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and
gums healthy
Orange
 Benefits
 Heart health
 Vision health
 A healthy immune system
 A lower risk of some cancers
 Nutrients
 Potassium: may help maintain healthy blood pressure
 Vitamin A: keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect
against infections
 Vitamin C: helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and
gums healthy
Yellow
 Benefits
 Heart health
 Vision health
 A healthy immune system
 A lower risk of some cancers
 Nutrients
 Vitamin A: keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect
against infections
 Vitamin C: helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and
gums healthy
 Carotenoids & Bioflavonoids: benefits still under investigation
Green
 Benefits
 A lower risk of some cancers
 Vision health
 Strong bones and teeth
 Nutrients
 Folate: may reduce brain or spinal cord defects in pregnant
women
 Potassium: may help maintain healthy blood pressure
 Vitamin A: keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect
against infections
 Calcium: strong bones and teeth
Blue
 Benefits
 A lower risk of some cancers
 Urinary tract health
 Memory function
 Healthy aging
 Nutrients
 Vitamin A: keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect
against infections
 Vitamin C: helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and
gums healthy
 Phytochemicals: being studied for their anti-oxidant, anti-aging
properties
Purple
 Benefits
 A lower risk of some cancers
 Urinary tract health
 Memory function
 Healthy aging
 Nutrients
 Potassium: may help maintain healthy blood pressure
 Vitamin A: keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect
against infections
 Vitamin C: helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and
gums healthy
White
 Benefits
 Heart health
 Helps maintain cholesterol levels that are already at a healthy
level
 A lower risk of some cancers
 Nutrients
 Potassium: may help maintain healthy blood pressure
 Phytochemicals: being studied for their anti-oxidant, anti-aging
properties