The Composition of Foods
The Composition of Foods
The food you eat is the source of the energy you need to fuel the activity of every cell in your body. It also provides the nutrients required for physical growth and repair and enables the body to produce the variety of substances, such as hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters, that are essential for normal body functioning.
Ideas about food have changed in recent years. Not so long ago, it was widely believed that avoiding certain foods, such as fats, ensured a healthy diet. While reducing the excessive consumption of fats is still seen as important, greater emphasis is now placed on following a diet that contains a good balance of nutrient-rich foods.
When you buy food, think about which items are best for your health. For example, choose poultry and fish over red meat, because red meat contains more saturated fat. Use cold-pressed oils that contain beneficial monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, rather than butter or other solid fats, which contain saturated fats. Select low-fat dairy products whenever you can. If available, choose certified organic foods, which are grown without pesticides, antibiotics or growth-promoting hormones. Such foods are cultivated in ways that promote healthy growth and development, as well as disease resistance. Maximise nourishment by eating a high proportion of foods that have been processed as little as possible, such as whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Preserve the nutritional value of fresh foods by preparing them just before mealtimes. With organic foods, you should generally discard as little vegetable and fruit rind as possible. But if you eat nonorganic fruits and vegetables, remember that any traces of insecticides, fungicides or herbicides used by the grower are most likely to be found in the rind or outer leaves. Clean produce carefully. Cook fruits and vegetables lightly to retain vitamins and minerals. If you fry, do so quickly, without burning, using fresh oil each time.
This section, The Composition of Foods, is a continuation of the other two sections, ‘Health, Wellness, Nutrition’ and ‘Health and Nutrition Information’, where a complete breakdown of the vitamin and mineral composition of each food are presented:
- Papaya Nutrition
- Parsley Nutrition
- Parsnip
- Is Pasta Healthy?
- Peas Calories
- Peach Nutrition
- Peanut Nutrition
- Peanut Butter Nutrition Facts
- Pear Nutrition
- Pecans Nutrition
- Garden Peppers
- Chili Pepper
- Black and White Pepper
- Japanese Persimmon
- Pheasants
- Pickerel Fish
- Pickled Foods
- Pike Fish
- Pimiento
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