9781422275900

Health& Nutrition

Food& Nutrition

Health& Nutrition

Fitness Food&Nutrition FoodSafety Health&Hygiene

HealthyDiet Malnutrition

Health& Nutrition

Food& Nutrition

MASON CREST PHILADELPHIA MIAMI

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2020 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4217-9

ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4219-3 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7590-0 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Interior and Cover Design: Jana Rade Copy Editor: Adirondack Editing Production: Michelle Luke

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CONTENTS Overview 6 Types Of Food . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Minerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Classification Of Nutrients . . . . . . 16 Carbohydrates . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Vitamins . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Fats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Proteins . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Dietary Fiber 33 Food Groups . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Nutrients From Plants 39 Nutrients FromAnimals . . . . . . . 42 Factors Influencing Diet Choices . . . 45 Malnutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Deficiency Of Essential Nutrients . . . 50 Culture And Diet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Diets For Diseases . . . . . . . . . 57 Varying Nutritional Requirements . . . 60 World Food Problems . . . . . . . . 63 Food Habits And Their Origins 66 Myths And Facts . . . . . . . . . . 69 Further Reading . . . . . . . . . . 76 Internet Resources . . . . . . . . . 77 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Photo Credits . . . . . . . . . . . 80

KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. SIDEBARS: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. RESEARCH PROJECTS: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. SERIES GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

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OVERVIEW Food and oxygen are basic requirements of humans. Food contains nutrients that are essential for human survival and health. These nutrients give us energy to perform our daily tasks and sustain our lives.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

DEFICIENCY: a lack of something  NUTRIENTS: a substance needed by an organism to survive  VEGAN: a person who does not consume or use any animal products 

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NUTRITION The field of nutrition involves the study of food nutrients, their use by the body, and the relationship between health, diet, and diseases. Proper nutrition is extremely

important for the smooth and healthy functioning of one’s body. It also helps keep a check on various diseases. A deficiency of nutrients can be problematic, as it may invite many diseases that harm the body.

ELEMENTS OF FOOD Food has a different meaning for every person. It can be a mere necessity for some people, while others, who are sometimes called “foodies,” spend a lot of time, energy, and money enjoying the best food they can. Food is a composition of various elements that jointly serve human nutritional requirements. These elements can be divided into vitamins, proteins, minerals, fats, and carbohydrates.

FOOD HABITS Food is consumed by all living organ- isms in some form or other. These food habits are broadly categorized into the following: vegetarian, nonveg- etarian, and vegan . A vegetarian diet includes food derived from plants, such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, and so on. People on a vegan diet reject any food derived from animals, such as dairy products or eggs. Most vegetarians, on the other hand, still eat dairy. Meanwhile, people on the nonvegetarian diets warmly welcome these animal products and they indeed form a major part of a nonvegetarian’s diet.

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MALNUTRITION Malnutrition is defined as the condition that develops when the body does not get the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients that it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ functioning. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described malnutrition as “the greatest single threat to the world’s public health.”

DID YOU KNOW?

• There are approximately 7.5 million vegetarians and 1 million vegans in the United States. Vegetarianism is much more common in other countries; overall, there are more than 375 million vegetarians in the world. • Vegans don’t all agree on the question of honey. Some say that since honey is the product of bees, it’s an animal product and shouldn’t be eaten. Others argue that the bees are not hurt by humans eating their honey, and therefore it should be allowed.

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TYPESOF FOOD Food can be divided into categories like comfort food, junk food, fast food, natural food, organic food, slow food, whole food, and many more.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

BENEFICIAL: favorable or helpful  ORGANIC: describes products that are created without chemical agents such as pesticides  UNPOLISHED: not processed 

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COMFORT FOOD This type of food is cooked by traditional methods; it’s usually associated with dishes that “Mom used to make.” What qualifies as comfort food varies according to different cuisines and cultures. It is generally easy to cook and is extremely rich in nutrients but also tends to be high in fat and sugar. American cuisine’s comfort food varies depending on the region, but often includes chicken soup, apple pie, macaroni and cheese, and red beans and rice. JUNK FOOD While enjoyable, junk food is not very beneficial to human health. Its nutritional values are extremely low, while the calorie content is high. Ingredients like sugar, fat, and salt can have an adverse

effect on health if eaten in large quantities. Some examples are candies, fried food, and carbon- ated beverages.

WHOLE FOOD Food items that are used with very little

processing and refining are called whole foods. Ingredients like salts, carbohydrates, and fats are not added in this form of food. Nowadays, whole food is in great demand, especially cereal grains because of their high nutritional content. Some examples of whole food are unpolished grains, fruits, and vegetables.

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ORGANIC FOOD Organic food is produced without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Examples are mixed organically grown fruits and vegetables, and organic milk from cows raised without pesticides. Regulation of organic foods varies depending on the country; in the United States, foods labeled “organic” must meet the production standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). NATURAL FOOD If you visit a supermarket, you’ll see many products labeled as “all natural,” but it’s important to understand that “natural” doesn’t really mean very much. It is more of a marketing term than a scientific one. In theory, “natural” food requires very little processing or manufacturing and does not contain any artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients, or chemical preservatives. In most situations, however, companies can label anything they want as “natural” because the term is not regulated.

This clip explains the difference between the terms organic and natural.

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FAST FOOD Fast food can be cooked and served quickly. The word “fast” in this term holds much significance. This type of food is quite popular these days and is readily available at many outlets. Burgers, fries, and noodles are some examples.

SLOW FOOD As the name suggests, slow food is strikingly different from fast food. Slow food aims to preserve traditional agriculture and cuisine, as well as the nutritional value of food.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Potatoes, in the form of french fries, are the most popular vegetable in America.

• China is the largest producer of garlic.

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MINERALS Minerals are those nutrients that are essential for our body’s growth and maintenance. These nutrients are not found in large quantities in plant or animal products. They are formed through natural geological processes, and only some minerals are present naturally in some food products. The nutrients

required by our body are easily processed and refined for human usage. The study of minerals is known as mineralogy.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

ANEMIA: a condition involving a lack of red blood cells  METABOLISM: the chemical processes that occur in the body  NOURISHMENT: the process of supplying the body with healthy food sources 

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BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MINERALS Every mineral has some basic properties or characteristics, which help us in identifying them. These properties may be either physical or chemical in nature. Some of the basic properties of minerals are their attractive colors, density, texture, sheen, hardness, and shape. They are generally found in six basic shapes. All the above- mentioned properties vary in different minerals.

TYPES OF MINERALS There are primarily two types of minerals: macrominerals and trace minerals. Although the body needs a variety of minerals, 14 minerals have been considered to be essential for humans: calcium, phos- phorus, copper, zinc, potas- sium, sodium, magnesium, iron, chloride, manganese, sulfur, iodine, fluoride, and selenium. MACROMINERALS As the name suggests, macro refers to something that is

relatively large in size or quantity. Hence, macrominerals can easily be understood as those minerals that are required in relatively larger quantities than other essential minerals. Seven minerals are grouped under the category of macrominerals. They are calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. These minerals perform various functions in our body. Calcium is the most important macromineral, as it is very important for the health of our bones and teeth. The other macrominerals help in regulating many other systems and parts of the body. Sources include dairy products, green leafy vegetables, cereals, tofu.

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TRACE MINERALS The minerals that are required in smaller quantities by the body are known as trace minerals. Though required in smaller quantities, they are nevertheless important for health. Seven minerals are included in the category of trace minerals: copper, manganese, fluoride, iodine, iron, zinc, and selenium. They help in maintaining a healthy body by protecting it from various diseases. Sources include eggplant, kale, pineapple, sunflower seeds, salt. IMPORTANCE OF MINERALS Our body needs different nutrients in varying quantities for nourishment . Minerals are important for regulating the food conversion and other chemical processes of our body. They are required by people of all age groups but in different quantities. The major functions of minerals include building bones and teeth, clotting blood, transporting oxygen, and regulating metabolism . Any deficiency of these minerals may lead to a variety of conditions including anemia, poor digestion, or problems with bones and muscles.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Ninety-nine percent of the body’s calcium content is stored in the bones and teeth.

• Dark chocolate is a good source of magnesium.

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CLASSIFICATION OF NUTRIENTS

Nutrients are the basic substances or chemicals essential for sustaining human life. They are important for both life and growth. They are converted into energy and used to build and repair tissues. All living organisms, including plants and animals, need nutrients for survival. However, the requirement of nutrients may vary in different

organisms. Plants take nutrients directly from the atmosphere or earth. On the other hand, all animals and human beings use their food to supplement their nutrient requirements.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

ABUNDANT: something that is available in huge quantities  CARBON: a basic element that is a component of all living things  SUPPLEMENT: adding something to complete or enhance something else 

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