Lesson 1: The importance of nutrition Unit 4: Nutrition for Health

Why Nutrition Matters The food you eat plays a significant role in your total health. To make healthful food choices, you must first learn about nutrition, the process by which your body takes in and uses food. Your body relies on food to provide it with nutrients, substances in food that your body needs to grow, to repair itself, and to supply you with energy.

Why Nutrition Matters The energy your body receives from food is measured in calories, a unit of heat used to measure the energy your body uses and the energy it receives from food. The calories in the food you eat provide the energy your body needs for activities such as walking, doing chores, and playing sports. During your teens years, choosing the right foods in the right amounts will give your body the nutrients it needs for healthy growth and development.

What Influences Your Food Choices? Hunger and appetite Food and emotions Hunger is the natural physical drive to eat, prompted by the body’s need for food. When you’re hungry, you may feel tired or lightheaded. Appetite is the psychological desire for food. Sometimes people eat in response to an emotional need, like when they feel stressed, frustrated, lonely, or sad. Some people engage in “mindless eating”, which is snacking continuously while absorbed in another activity.

What Influences Your Food Choices? Food and your environment Family and Culture. If your family eats most meals at home, this will influence what you eat. Friends. If your friends always go for pizza after school, you’ll probably eat pizza too. Time and money. People with busy schedules may choose foods that are quick and easy to prepare, such as convenience foods and microwavable meals. Advertising. Advertisers try to influence your decisions about food.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Video http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Jamie-Olivers-Mission-to-Change-Americas-Eating-Habits-Video What influences the food choices of students in your cafeteria? Take a close look at the cafeteria environment. Are there brightly lit vending machines prompting unhealthful food choices? Are students required to wait in long lines to get their school lunch, leaving them with little time to eat?