Understanding Nutrition And Your Food Pyramid

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Understanding Nutrition And Your Food Pyramid

Food is any material consumed in order to give nutrition to an organism. Generally, food is of vegetable, animal, or fungi origin, and usually contains certain essential nutrients, like proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or minerals, which the body requires in order to maintain its normal functions. Some foods are considered complete dietary proteins, whereas others are known as complete food groups. Foods that are considered complete food groups are a few hundred grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat each day, although some foods may be categorized in more than one of these categories. The fat that is consumed is generally required for the body’s development and maintenance.

Vegetable and fruit vegetables are the first food groups, containing mostly protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Common vegetable ingredients are: carrots, spinach, lettuce, radishes, squash, onions, green beans, peas, potatoes, and tomatoes. Fruits are fruits that include apples, apricots, oranges, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi, pineapple, kiwi fruit, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, and watermelons. The main food sources of carbohydrates consist of pasta, rice, bread, cereals, potatoes and refined sugar. Some vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, but they are not considered complete food groups because they lack one or more essential nutrients.

Food components that are considered complete food groups are complex carbohydrates, including pasta; grains; cereals; vegetables; fruits; nuts; legumes; and legume foods. Complex carbohydrates are found in beans, peas, nuts, whole grains, and other legume products. Vegetable and fruit oils, including coconut oil and soybean oil, are also complete dietary proteins. Macronutrients are food components that are needed in order to maintain normal body processes. Examples of macronutrients include carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Overall, the best approach to a healthy diet is to first decide what your individual nutritional needs are and then to choose a diet that contains the most nutritious food groups in each category.