Ronald B. Coleman, Jr.
Nutritionists throughout the United States recommend children eat 2 ½ cups to 6 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables a day, 2-3 ounces of whole grains, and 1,500-2,300 mg of sodium each day. Currently, children eat less than recommended amount of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. At the same time, they eat more than 2,300 mg of sodium
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. Calories from added sugars often come from soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, pizza, and whole milk. Yes, french fries come from baked potatoe, but it is the combination of fat carbohydrates, and chemicals put in processed foods that "pollute" our diets
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Cholesterol & Fat
Cholesterol is a tricky subject. Fun fact: about 25% of the cholesterol in the human body comes from meat and eggs
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. The liver makes cholesterol from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. We need cholesterol to support the cells in our body and digest fats. However, too much cholesterol can block arteries and prevent blood from flowing to the heart and brain
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. Therefore, high blood cholesterol is one of the biggest risk factors for long-term health problems, especially heart disease.
Water
Water is made of two hydrogen molecules and one oxygen molecule. Water is the most important part of human diet. Water helps carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells. It helps convert food to energy, cushions and protects vital organs in the human body, and helps the intestines digest and absorb nutrients into the body. Water is also involved in removing waste from the body. It regulates body temperature and helps our muscles maintain strength and grow in size. Not only does water compose 75% of the human brain, but it also makes up roughly 80% of blood in the body and more than 20% of bones. Without sufficient hydration, our body does not perform at peak physical or mental capacity. Both children and adults need water to live a healthy lifestyle.
Food and the Brain
We can compare food to gasoline. Food is to human beings as gasoline is to automobiles. "Just as premium gasoline make for a smoother-running car, brain-friendly foods can make for a smoother mood," says Oregon-based dietitian Elizabeth Somer
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. For example, tomatoes and other foods that contain lots of cartenoids may prevent depression and slow memory loss and dementia in older adults
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. The National Institute on Aging recommends one serving (about a cup) of fresh tomatoes or natural tomato juice a day to see the full nutritional benefits of its cartenoids
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Whole grains and other carbohydrates promote the sustained release of insulin, rather than a sudden spike
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. Insulin is the hormone in the human body that stimulates the production of serotonin. Whole grains are preferred to processed starches because they carry less simple sugars. Whole-grain graham crackers or two cups of air-popped popcorn are highly recommended foods that have the ability to enhance a person's mood
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. Dark chocolate, or any chocolate that contains at least 60 percent cocoa, has also been linked to increased serotonin levels and mental alertness
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Calories
A calorie is the unit of energy used to measure how much substance food has. Think about a calorie as the amount of fuel a car gets from gas. Denser foods have more calories and provide more energy just as diesel gas gets better engine mileage than regular unleaded. While our body needs calories to exercise, function, and ultimately survive, it is important not to overeat. Calories that are not consumed by muscles to rebuild or that are not burned off in the form of energy are stored in the body as fat
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. Student must understand the following concepts if nothing else: people gain weight if they consume more calories than they use on a daily basis and people lose weight if they consume less calories than they use on a daily basis. With proper exercise, the body first burns un-stored calories in the form of carbohydrates and fats. Next, it turns to stored fats for energy. The last resort is muscle fibers. Some literature suggests that a pound of fat is worth 3,500 unused calories
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. Eating fewer calories alone will not make you lose fat, since some of the weight loss may come from muscle. Limiting sodium intake to 2,000 milligrams per days is also recommended to avoid fluctuations in water weight and high blood pressure.
Net Calories = Calories Consumed – Calories Burned
Basal Metabolic Rate
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories the body uses to "run" its normal functions. BMR can be calculated using the following formulas. People who want to gain healthy weight and muscle mass should multiple their calculated BMR by 1.2 to find the number of calories to eat per day alongside a proper workout routine. People who want to lose healthy weight should decrease their net calorie intake by approximately 500 calories per day
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. The following formulas were adapted from Beilenson's
Pocket Carlorie Counter.
Women:
BMR = 655 + (4.4 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)
Men:
BMR = 66 + (6.2 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) – (6.7 x age in years)
Healthy Food Choices
Unhealthy Food Choices