...The Effects of Food on the Body Do we eat to live or live to eat? Are we what we eat? Sitting down to a mouth watering breakfast of sizzling smoked Canadian bacon, extra cheesy omelet, garnished with crisp green lettuce leaves and red juicy tomatoes accompanied by warm toasted bread and a tall glass of refreshing apple juice does not only affect our senses but our body as well. Understanding the relationship between food and the body is a fascinating part of science known as Nutrition. Food is any nutritious substance, usually of plant or animal origin, that people eat or drink in order to sustain life (Mosby's Medical Dictionary). Our diet, which consists of the foods we habitually eat, plays a vital role in our well being (Oxford Dictionaries). In light of this fact, the nutritional value of our diet either has a healthy or unhealthy impact on the body. The nutrients found in our diets are essential for the development and maintenance of biological functions that are necessary for sustaining life. Nutrients are the fundamental elements or chemical substances that makeup the foods we eat and they are affected differently by the various biological processes in the body (Mosby's Medical Dictionary). Together, they give food theirs their distinct color, flavor and texture (Tull) There are six types of nutrients which are classified as: macronutrients, micronutrients and water. Macronutrients, as the term implies are large in size and are required in large quantities...
Words: 6606 - Pages: 27
...Food and Digestion A balanced diet contains all the types of food the body needs, in just the right amounts What is a balanced diet? A diet that contains the correct amounts of all the necessary nutrients required for healthy growth and activity. Our diet must include five groups of food substances – carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals and vitamins. Food is essential for life. The nutrients obtained from are used in many different ways by the body. Here we are going to look at the different kinds of food is broken down by the different kinds of food by the digestive system and absorbed into the blood. Three main reasons we need food for: * To supply us with a “fuel” for energy * To provide materials for growth and repair of tissues * To help fight disease and keep our bodies healthy. Minerals All the foods you have read about so far are made from just five chemical elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur. Our bodies contain many other elements which we get from our food. Some are present in large amounts in the body, for example calcium, which we used for making teeth and bones. Others are present in much smaller amounts, but still have essential jobs to do. For instance our bodies contain about 3g of iron, but without it our blood would not be able to carry oxygen. If a person doesn’t get enough of a mineral from their diet, they will show the symptoms of a mineral deficiency disease. For example a one year old needs t consume...
Words: 519 - Pages: 3
...Low-cal longevity questionedLimiting food intake in monkeys fails to extend survivalBy Nathan SeppaWeb edition : Wednesday, August 29th, 2012 Text SizeENLARGEIn a new study, rhesus monkeys on a calorie-restricted diet (such as the 27-year-old male at left) did not live longer than those consuming a more normal diet (like the male of the same age at right).National Institute on Aging/NIHDecades of research have linked low-calorie diets with extended survival, but a new report finds that rhesus monkeys on strict diets don’t live longer than their counterparts getting a standard diet.The findings, reported August 29 in Nature, run counter to a 2009 study from the University of Wisconsin–Madison that showed a clear survival advantage in a calorie-restricted group of similar rhesus monkeys. Scientists suspect that differences in the two studies’ designs might explain the discordant findings, leaving the question of longevity still dangling.Both research groups will need to wait another decade or more before all the monkeys live out their lives. But the authors of the new study, conducted at a National Institute on Aging laboratory in Baltimore, say their data are unlikely to change, since calculations show that the chance of a survival difference arising in the remaining monkeys is exceedingly low.“I don’t think one study overturns 75 years of research,” says Steven Austad, a bio-gerontologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, who isn’t part of either...
Words: 745 - Pages: 3
...Although choosing what food to eat it is not often viewed as more than an everyday mundane decision, the concept of food choice is ‘multifaceted, situational, dynamic, and complex’ (Sobal and Bisogni 2009, 38). We live in a society where the mass production of food has led to an extremely wide variety of choice in the foods we eat (Germov and Williams 2008, 10). Therefore, it is important that we understand the reasons for which we choose the food we eat, and to have an insight into the factors which dictate our food choices. There are three main factors which should be considered when making our food choices; biological determinants, economic and physical determinants and social determinants. These three broad factors will be discussed in relation to determining our personal food choice. The biological determinants include physiological factors of the food itself, as well as our own personal hunger. Humans need energy and nutrients in order to survive and therefore the body’s physiological processes create a sensation of hunger and a subsequent need for food. Satiation occurs as food is being eaten which leads to satiety where food is no longer needed to be consumed (Bellisle 2005, par 4-7). The different nutrients in our foods cause the satiation process to vary in effectiveness. ‘Fat has the lowest satiating power, carbohydrates have an intermediate effect and protein has been found to be the most satiating’ (Stubbs et al. 1996, 409). Hunger and satiety therefore play a...
Words: 1334 - Pages: 6
...11 P1- food groups The basic components of a healthy diet include the right amount of: * Protein- Proteins are nutrients that are essential to the building, maintenance, and repair of body tissue such as the skin, the internal organs, and muscles. Protein is found in fish, meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, nuts, and beans * Fat-fat is found in animal and dairy products, nuts, and oils. * Carbohydrates- Carbohydrates provide fuel for the body in the form of glucose. Carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, pasta, rice, grains, beans and other legumes, and sweets. * Vitamins-Vitamins help with chemical reactions in the body. In general, vitamins must come from the diet; the body doesn’t make them. There are 13 vitamins essential to the body. Vitamins needed such as vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K. * Minerals- only needed in small amounts to maintain good health, such as calcium, potassium, and iron. * Water- Although it has no food value, water is essential to our survival. It keeps the body adequately hydrated. Helps the bodies work faster. P2&M1- Dietary needs at different life stages: New born babies - first 6 months: Breast milk is the most natural food for new born babies and provides a "total food" for a baby for up to about the first 6 months of life. In the first 12 months of life a baby's energy requirement can be up to 3 times (200% greater) than the proportional - to size - needs of an a typical adult. Similarly, a young baby's...
Words: 3726 - Pages: 15
...Introduction A countries culture is displayed through the attitude of its people, dress, music, art and food. As Bahamians food plays an important and unique part in our social interactions and defining us as Bahamian. In fact, a popular Bahamian song insists that while visiting the Bahamas you must “try some conch, peas ‘n’ rice and guava duff” which are all delicious native delicacies. Even though it is great that we embrace and love this aspect of our culture this attitude has a negative effect on our eating habits. Eating habits are the way a person or group eats (Collins English, 2013). When looking at a person or groups eating habits one must consider what types of food are consumed, how the food is prepared, the quantities of the food eaten and when it is eaten. The Social Aspect of Eating To live and grow humans must eat daily. However, for Bahamians the consumption of food is not just a means for nourishment but an occasion. Regattas, holidays and family gatherings, like funerals and baby dedications, provide the opportunity to indulge in our eating. In fact, the “eats” after and during these occasions are anticipated and enjoyed more than the actual events. During social gatherings food is present and eaten in colossal amounts. A typical Bahamian Christmas dinner consists of baked ham, turkey with stuffing, peas ‘n’ rice, yam, sweet potato, baked macaroni and cheese, potato salad, coleslaw and desserts. Alcoholic beverages, sugary drinks (like switcha)...
Words: 1945 - Pages: 8
... | |Nutrition is the source of materials needed to feed the body. According to our text, “Nutrition is the science that links foods | |to health and disease. It includes the processes | |by which the human organism ingests, digests, absorbs, transports, and excretes food substances” (Wardlow, 2010). The impact on | |the body when optimal nutrition is not reached can lead to many different problems or ailments. Nutrients are the substances | |obtained from food and other sources that are vital for growth and maintenance of a healthy body throughout life (Wardlow, 2010).| |On a daily basis, it is what fuels the body; it is what keeps us going. | |What is the connection between nutrition and health? | | | |Nutrition is a lifestyle factor that is a key to developing and maintaining an optimal | |state of health for you. A poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle are known to be risk factors...
Words: 2360 - Pages: 10
...There are 2 worksheets in this – 1 crossword puzzle and 14 question answers. Worksheet 1: Food Choices and Nutrients Crossword Puzzle n Across | Down | 2. carbon containing and made by living things4. organic, essential nutrients required in small amounts by the body for health6. type of diet composed of purified ingredients of known chemical composition8. nonnutritive compounds found in plant-derived foods that have biological activity in the body10. nutrients a person must obtain from food because the body cannot make them for itself (or cannot make them fast enough) from other raw materials | 1. substances that the body can take in and assimilate that will enable it to stay alive and grow3. the science of foods and the nutrients and other substances they contain, and of their actions within the body5. any condition caused by excess or deficient food energy or nutrient intake or by an imbalance of nutrients7. units used to measure energy from foods9. the foods and beverages a person consumes | Type here your answers to crossword puzzle: Across: Down 2 Organic 1 foods 4 Vitamins 3 Nutrition 6 Elemental 5 Malnutrition 8 phytochemicals 7 Calories 10 Essential nutrition 9 Diet Worksheet 2: Dietary Reference Intakes and Food Composition Tables The Dietary Reference Intakes are a collection of 4 nutrient values used for different purposes. List below the definitions...
Words: 778 - Pages: 4
...can lead to obesity and low self-esteem. Losing weight can be a challenging, so many people look for the most effective way to lose weight through surgical procedures and weight lost programs. There are a variety of weight loss progams that offer extended support and dietary meal plans. Many weight loss programs provide the option of support, either through weekly excerise programs. These choices range from extreme workout methods, such as video games, such as the Nintendo WII fitness. Many people go to such extremes to lose weight that causes more damage to their bodies. However, even if you do like wht at you fine, consulting a doctor is even more important. With weight loss being in high, we forget that having a well-balanced diet, and exercise is healthier than bulimia and anorexia. People seem to not understand is that losing weight, can be a serious and obsessive problem if not done properly. Obesity and being weight are two of the problems that many people face. Excess fat can lead to differnt dieseases like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol which is not healthy for the body or health of an individual. Almost half of American are faced with this problem and, as a result, to lose...
Words: 1681 - Pages: 7
...of the challenges is developing and practicing standards for different minority groups that are culturally sensitive, competent and can adhere to the appropriate nursing care around the globe. The basis of the existence of any state is to maintain the health of everyone. The criteria for human health among minority groups are different, but all share the happiness and joy of life, which is the beginning of health and longevity. The Asian Americans represent one of the minority groups in the United States that has its own cultural, biological, socioeconomic, education and sociopolitical barriers to health. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2013), the population of Asians, including those of more than one race in 2011 was estimated at 18.2 million in the United States population. The three largest Asian groups in the United States in 2011 were Chinese with the estimate of 4 million people, Filipinos - 3.4 million people, and Asian Indians - 3.2 million people (CDC, 2013). The Census Bureau projects that by the year 2050, there will be more than 40.6 million Asians living in the United States, which will represent more than nine percent of the total U.S. population (CDC, 2013). Based on these numbers it is important for health care providers who are facing rapidly growing racially and ethnically diverse nation to be aware of the health status of a specific minority groups and challenges associated with it. The need for culturally competent health care...
Words: 1267 - Pages: 6
...are made up of various chemical substances in the food that makes up someone’s diet, they are essential for life and a great number of nutrients in the diet is necessary for providing energy, building and maintaining body organs, and for various metabolic processes. People depend on nutrients in their diet because the human body is not able to produce many of these nutrients. Nutrients are very important to the human diet but only if they meet these two characteristics, firstly, they must omit the nutrient from the diet leads to a nutritional deficiency and a decline in some aspect of health and if it is put back into the diet any symptoms of nutritional...
Words: 1445 - Pages: 6
...The Real Face of Overeating Restaurants, fast-foods, snack kiosks, and vending machines are on every corner offering all kinds of food. There are unlimited choices for people who like to spend their spare time enjoying a meal at a local sandwich shop, or for busy people who eat on the run, or for sports and movie fans who like to watch favorite shows surrounded by bags of chips and cans of soda. Food plays an important role in human life. People eat not only to satisfy physical needs, but also for pleasure. Eating at the restaurant is a great relief for a person after a busy, stressful week. Also, food provides important nutrients for the human body. A balanced food diet makes a great contribution to human’s health, but overeating can lead to devastating consequences. Why do people overeat? There are psychological, physiological and social causes and effects of excessive food consumption. Overeating and its consequences have become a twenty first century disaster in the United States and across the globe. One of the major causes of overeating is the psychological state of a person. Nowadays many factors influence human emotions. One of them is stress. Exposure to the constant stress of everyday life significantly disturbs people’s psychological health. It can cause light or deep depression, mood disorders, anxiety disorders as well as eating disorders. There are different ways of coping with stress, and often people turn to food as a relief from their problems. Harvard research...
Words: 1446 - Pages: 6
...Who are the poor? The answer is what poverty is. WHAT IS POVERTY? In the most extreme definition, poverty manifests itself in the form of outright starvation and destitution because individuals or households do not possess the resources which give access to the basics for survival or which enable them to enjoy some minimum standard of living. (Christine Barrow; 2001) From a theoretical Perspective of Poverty. Culture of Poverty The underlying idea is that the lifestyle of the poor differs in many respects to that of the non poor in society. Similarities have been found in this poverty lifestyle even across different societies. This leads to the development of a sub culture, with its own norms and values, which can now be transmitted from one generation to the next. Technically, the culture of poverty is a subculture of poor people in ghettos, poor regions or social contexts where they develop a shared set of beliefs, values and norms for behaviour that are separate from but embedded in the culture of the main society. Once the culture of poverty has come into existence it tends to perpetuate itself. By the time slum children are six or seven they usually absorbed the basic attitudes and values of their subculture. Thereafter they are psychologically unready to take full advantage of changing conditions or improving opportunities that may develop in their lifetime. Oscar Lewis. Marxist Perspectives Conflict theorists posit that poverty results from the failure of the...
Words: 1598 - Pages: 7
...Vegan Detox Meal Plan By Monica Sethi Datta, eHow Contributor A vegan detox diet is designed to eliminate toxins from your body and help you lose weight. A vegan diet means eating no animal products or products that come from animals such as milk. The detox meal plan consists of fruits, vegetables, fresh juices and tea. A vegan detox plan is healthy, but can be low in protein and other vitamins. Vegan Detox Food Guideline 1. A vegan diet excludes all forms of animal products. A Guide to Eating Vegan Foods (see Resource 1) provides a detailed guideline of what foods you can eat while on a vegan diet. Meat: All meat, poultry and seafood is prohibited while on the vegan detox meal plan. Substitutes permitted include products made from bean curds, tofu, soybeans, grains or nuts. Plant products: Fruits and vegetables make up the majority of a vegan detox. Try to choose organic produce. You can eat the fruits and vegetables whole or have fresh fruit juices. Beans, nuts and legumes: All beans, nuts, and legumes are part of a vegan detox meal plan, including peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter or any other nut butter. Beans and legumes are crucial to a vegan diet to assure adequate protein intake. Dairy and Eggs: Since veganism goes beyond being vegetarian, vegans cannot consume dairy products because it comes from animals. Soy and rice milk are good substitutes for milk and margarine is a common substitute for butter as it is made from soybean or sunflower...
Words: 3352 - Pages: 14
...Holistic (multifaceted): approach to the study of human beings. Refers to an approach that studies many aspects of a multifaceted system. Cross-cultural: discovering general patterns about cultural traits Two broad classification of anthropology Biological (Physical) Seeks the emergence of humans & their later evolution (called human paleontology) and how & why contemporary human populations vary biologically (human variation) Study the fossils of human, prehumans & related animals Human genetics, population biology & epidemiology Cultural How & why cultures vary or are similar in the past & present Archaeology: study of past cultures Anthropological linguistics: study of language Ethnology: study of existing & recent cultures Archaeology Seek to reconstruct the daily life & customs of peoples who lived in the past but also to trace cultural changes & to offer possible explanations for those changes Deal with prehistory (time before written records) Historical archaeology: studies the remains of recent peoples who left written records Must used info from present & recent past in trying to understand the distant past Linguistics Study of languages Had to construct a dictionary & grammar, then could study the structure & history of language Study changes that have taken place over time Historical linguistics: study of how languages change over time & how they may be related Descriptive: focus of linguistics ...
Words: 3923 - Pages: 16
