Healthy_Eating

Healthy Diet By: David Arnold SCI/241 11/19/2010 Kelechi Mezu Page 1 Introduction It is important that we eat healthily. To do this we have to have what is called “a diet.” This is the food we eat and the drinks we drink. To have a healthy diet, we have to make sure we eat the right kinds of foods. Nutritious foods are very good for us. The nutrients help us to grow, keep our bodies in good repair, and help us to stay fit and active. I will be preparing my healthy eating plan in this paper. I try to pay attention to my eating habits but I don’t think I do a good job. I like to eat a lot of fried food, white bread, fast food, cookies, cake, and more unhealthy food. I have some non-healthy eating habits that I am sure will cause me some problems in the future if I do not change my eating habits. If I can start a healthy eating plan at my age right now I am sure it will help me in the future when I am older. I will be listing a few items below that I will be eating to begin my healthy diet. Page 2 Breakfast items : Fruit, Whole wheat bread, honey nut cheerios, and oatmeal. I chose fruit at the beginning of the day Fruit has a very positive effect on the brains just like carrots and a person need energy in the brain to start the day. Fruit stimulate the brain so we can think faster and recall information more quickly. The human body can live on fruit alone. I chose to eat whole wheat bread because it’s healthier because of the fiber that it contains. Fiber is necessary for a healthy digestive system. It also absorbs some of the cholesterol and fat so that your body doesn't retain them. Whole grain breads contain more protein so I will feel more energized and have more stamina for longer periods of time. White bread is stripped of most of its nutrients by removing the wheat germ. The wheat germ contains the majority of the fiber and nutrients. Each slice of whole wheat bread is 70 calories. I chose Honey Nut Cheerios because it maintains much of the same health appeal of the original Cheerios because of its soluble fiber. Package nutritional information explains that "three grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Honey Nut Cheerios, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. I think it’s very important to take care of the human heart because it’s the most important part of the human body to keep us motivated. 110 calories I chose oatmeal because it contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and is a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates and iron. Oatmeal may help lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, and oatmeal can help you control your weight. The soluble fiber in oatmeal absorbs a considerable amount of water which significantly slows down your digestive process. This result is that I will feel full longer. 160 calories Page 3 Lunch items: Turkey sandwiches, ravioli, vegetable soups. I chose turkey sandwiches because when done well, it’s a delicious and satisfying lunch mainstay. In fact, it's one that I rely on as a dietary staple. If I don’t eat a homemade sandwich, I will eat a healthy subway sandwich. Subway is known for it's healthy-low calorie menu items, and Subway has a great nutrition section on their website where you can find out everything you need to know about trans fat, calories, diet, toppings, etc. The white meat of turkey is generally considered healthier than dark meat because of its lower fat content, but the nutritional differences are small. I chose ravioli because consuming too many carbohydrates can be fattening, but pasta itself is not fattening; cooked pasta has only about 200 calories per cup. I will make homemade pasta because this pasta usually does not contain eggs or oil but is made from 100% semolina flour and is quite firm when cooked. Homemade and dried pasta contain plenty of B vitamins, folic acid and iron. I found out that those who eat whole grain, high fiber foods, such as 100% whole-wheat pasta, weigh less than those who don't. Page 4 Dinner items: Liver, Green Beans, Brown Rice I chose liver because its an excellent source of important vitamins. It’s loaded with B vitamins, being a particularly good source of vitamin B12, a compound needed for red blood cell production and for maintaining a healthy immune system. Calf’s liver is also one of the best sources of protein around with twenty-two grams of this body building nutrient in a single four ounce serving. At only 160 calories for a single serving, it provides a significant source of body building protein without packing on the calories. I chose brown rice because it has more fiber than white rice. One cup of brown rice has 3 1/2 grams of fiber while the same amount of white rice has less than one gram of fiber. We all need from 25 to 38 grams of fiber in our diet everyday. Brown rice also contains nutrients like magnesium, manganese, and zinc. White rice has reduced levels of these nutrients, but is often fortified with iron, and some B vitamins. Since I am a young male the fiber in brown rice can also help to protect me against colon cancer since fiber binds to cancer-causing chemicals, keeping them away from the cells lining the colon, plus it can help normalize bowel function, reducing constipation. Rice is one of the most important foods in the world, supplying as much as half of the daily calories for half of the world's population. I chose green beans because they are an excellent source of manganese, vitamin K and vitamin C. They are very good source of dietary fiber, potassium, iron, foliate, and vitamin A. They are a good source of calcium, protein, magnesium, riboflavin, niacin, and copper. Green beans and other green vegetables are a very good source of vitamin K, which plays an important role in bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis. Green Beans are a very important part of the human diet. Page 5 Beverages: Milk, Green Tea, and Water. I chose Tea because drinking tea as part of a healthy diet and life style can help maintain a healthy body including a healthy heart. The value of tea may be due, in part, to its antioxidants. Antioxidants in the diet may help the body in its management of free radicals – highly reactive substances capable of causing damage to body cells. I chose milk because It is a nutritionally complete food and is a natural source that contains a variety of vitamins and minerals needed for good health. Milk provides a whole range of nutrients essential to growth and development and contains no artificial preservatives or colourings. Milk makes a significant contribution to our diets through the provision of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. I will drink 2 percent milk because it is very healthy to drink a cup milk everyday and the 2 percent milk has the upside of less fat but still contains calcium. You need calcium to maintian a healthy body and bones and milk is an excellent source of calicum. Two percent is a better choice than whole milk. I chose water because without water, your body would stop working properly. Water makes up more than half of your body weight and a person can't survive for more than a few days without it. Water is the key component for all living beings and the most common substance on the Earth. Water plays an important role in our lives and is vital for maintaining various bodily functions and activities, like food assimilation and digestion, excretion, cellular reaction and body temperature regulation. I think water is the most important part of a diet. Page 6 I believe that eating healthy provides your body with the nutrients and energy it needs to function properly. Nutrients provide the necessary energy to keep your brain active, your heart working properly and for your muscles to function. They also assist in building strong bones and body tissue and to regulate breathing, the circulatory system and other body functions. The pyramid explains that I do not eat healthy so I will make this diet persuasive for myself and family.