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Nutrition

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...