Explain how food acts as a fuel for our body.
Answers
Answer:
If you’re looking to make a change and get healthier, working out is an important step in the right direction. But for overall health, and for weight maintenance or weight loss, what you eat is much more important than how or how often you work out.
Experts often put the impact of food on health at 80 percent, with exercise at 20 percent. So you’ll give yourself a huge boost toward your health goals if you pay attention to what you eat, as well as how you exercise. Here are the basics:
We need all three macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) for optimum health.
Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel for most cells in the body. Our main energy source, carbs are important for fueling the body and brain, protecting our muscles and feeding the bacteria in the gut.
Carbohydrate-rich foods include starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro), breads, pasta, rice and other grains, legumes, and dairy.
Healthier carbohydrates are in whole, unprocessed versions of these foods: veggies and fruit; and whole grains rather than white, processed ones.
Proteins are important “building blocks” for our bodies. Proteins are in every one of our cells, where they’re used to build and repair tissues; to make enzymes and hormones; and to build muscle, bone, cartilage, skin and blood.
Protein-rich foods include meat, chicken and fish; tofu; eggs; dairy products; nuts; and beans and other legumes.
Healthier protein foods are the above foods in their most whole, natural forms.
Fats are also necessary for every cell in our bodies. They help us absorb some vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) and help regulate hormones. Fats provide energy and build energy reserves, and they protect and insulate our organs.
Fats are found in meat, fish, chicken and dairy; oils; spreads; and nuts and seeds.
Healthier fats are olive, avocado and seed oils; nuts; seeds; and some dairy.
We also need some micronutrients from our food. The World Health Organization calls micronutrients “magic wands that enable the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances essential for proper growth and development.”
Here are some of the important ones:
Iron helps transport oxygen throughout the body. If we don’t have enough, we’re likely to have lowered immunity and can become anaemic. Iron is found in red meat (the best source), chicken and fish; grains; vegetables and legumes; nuts; and eggs.
Vitamin A is important for vision, the immune system, skin and growth in children. Vitamin A is found in liver, oily fish, milk, egg yolk and cheese.
Iodine is necessary to make thyroid hormones, which control the body’s metabolism and are responsible for bone and brain development during pregnancy and infancy. Iodine is found in fish and seafood; seaweed (e.g., nori and kelp); small quantities in dairy foods, vegetables and meat; and fortified foods such as salt and bread in some countries.
Vitamin C is essential for keeping gums, teeth and bones healthy; helping wounds heal; helping the body resist infection; helping the body absorb iron; and forming collagen to build bones and blood vessels. Vitamin C is found in colorful fruits and vegetables.
Calcium is essential to build and maintain bones. It enables the blood to clot and muscles to contract and helps regulate blood pressure. Calcium is found in dairy (the best source), especially milk, cheese and yogurt. It also can be found in fortified nondairy milks, sesame seeds, nuts, prawns, sardines and dark green vegetables.