Importance of Breakfast

When we go to sleep we are without food for atleast 7 hours. During that time our body is fasting; which is the process of  going without food. Breakfast therefore, is the meal that breaks the fast in the morning.
When students skip breakfast their school performance is negatively affected. Students that skip breakfast score lower grades and are absent for school more often. Having breakfast also affects our mood. Without breakfast we can fell irritable and exhausted all day.

• For breakfast you should have protein. Eggs are a great example of protein, however you should limit egg yolks to four times a weel. You can also have low fat, cheese and low fat peanut butter sandwich.
• You should limit the intake of fat such as bacon, sausages, and especially doughnits and fried potatoes.
• You should also limit the intake of salt, and cut down foods like ham and bacon that contain a lot of salt in them.
• Limit the amount of sugar you eat, especially cereal that contains high amount of sugar.
• Always include fruits and vegetables in your breakfast. You can have orange juice and grapefruit that contain vitamin C. Have bananas for potassium and adding green peppers and tomatoes to an omlet or a sandwich is always a healthy choice.

Photograph: Healthy Breakfast. Web. 16. Dec 2011.http://www.esteemfitness.com/fitness-tips/nutrition/healthy-breakfast-is-one-of-the-easiest-top-ten-nutritional-tips-to-lose-weight/

Important Dietary Guidelines

Every person age two years and above should follow the dietray guidelines in order to have a healthy life in the future. Those guidlelines consist of ten different points that are fundamental in carrying a healthy lifestyle.

1) Aim for a Healthy Weight: people that are overweight have a higher risk of deadly diseases, such as heart disease and some types of cancer.
2) Be Physically Active Each Day: being physically active helps maintain a healthy heart and also contributes to burning excess calories.
3)Follow the Food Guide Pyramid: because it will serve as a guide to help you choose the variety of healthy food you need to eat each day.
4)Choose a Variety of Grains Daily, Especially Whole Grains: grain products are low in fat and they contribute in having healtheir weight. Eating fiber also contributes in a daily bowel movement which also helps in preventing colon cancer.
5)Keep Food Safe to Eat: make sure that the food you are eating is prepared safely and cleanly as it will prevent foodborne illness.
6) Choose a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables: fruits and vegetables are low in fat, and they help in maintaining a healthy weight. They also contain vitamins C, E, and A that help prevent heart diseases.
7) Choose a Diet that is Low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol and moderate in total Fat: saturated fat is found in diary products and meat. While cholesterol is a fatty substance made by the body which comes from eating diary and animal products. You should consume such products in moderation in order to have a halthy weight.
8) Beverages and Foods that contain sugar should be consumed in moderation: sugars found in cakes, soda, candy.. contain carbohydrates and not a lot of vitamins and minerals. Consuming a lot of sugar will cause tooth decay and incease the possibility of having an unhealthy weight.
9) Choose and Prepare Foods with Less Salt: on average youn need 1/4 teaspoon of salt a day. One should cut down on salty foods such as popcorn, and pretzels. A diet low in salt helps maintain a normal blood pressure.
10) Do not Drink Alchool: drinking alchool can cause weight gain. It harms brain cells, and the liver.

Photograph: How to get more exercise. Web. 16. Dec 2011. http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/execrise-after-being-sick.html/exercise

The Eatwell Plate Episode

Nutrients & The Food Pyramid

There are six types of nutrients that should be consumed on a daily basis.
1)Proteins: are needed for growth and for reparing body cells. Hair, nails, skin, and muscles are all made of proteins. Fish, chicken, egg, red meat, and milk are examples of food that contain protein.
2)Fats: are important as they provide energy and store vitamins. Butter, meats, ice cream, and whole milk are examples of food that contain fats.
3)Carbohydrates: are the main source of energy for the body. Cereal, rice, potatoes, rice, and bread are examples of food that contain carbohydrates.
4)Vitamins: are nutrients that help they body use the carbohydrates. Green vegetables, diary products,citrus fruits, yeast, fish, and whole grains,  are examples of food that contain vitamins.
5) Minerals: are important in making the muscles and nerves function in our body. They are fundamental for building bones and teeth. Milk, cheese, whole grain cereals, iodized salt and clams and examples of food that contain minerals.
6) Water: is a nutrient that makes up blood, helps the process of food digestions, waste removal from our body, keeping our body temprature at an apporpitae level, and they serve as cushions for the spinal cord and joints. One should drink between 6-8 glasses of water per day.
     
       All those nutrients can be found in the food pyramid below, that will help us better understand what we should eat on a daily basis.


       A food guide pyramid is a triangular or pyramid-shaped nutrition guide divided into sections to show the recommended intake for each food group. 

The food pyramid shows you how many portions and serving are needed from each food group each day.The number of portions you need depend on your age, sex, and body size.Foods that should be eaten least are at the top of the pyramid and those at the bottom of the pyramid should be eaten most.  

Welcome

Welcome to our virtual Nutrition class. In this blog you will find many interesting and helpful information regarding dietary and eating habits. The aim of this blog is to inform and bring awareness of the basic nutritional guidelines that will lead you to a healthier lifestyle.

Enjoy :)

Zulfa Jamal

Citation:

Photograph. Health and Weight Loss.  Web. 25 Oct 2011. <http://healthweightloss.typepad.com/.a/6a0148c82d424a970c01538e71ff21970b-800wi>.