Nutrition for Kids

So, I've read through the children's books on nutrition.  Here are my notes.

Why Must I Eat Healthy Food?

Food is the fuel that gives you energy for everything you do.

To stay full of food fuel, your body needs three good meals a day - breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

There are six main kinds of nutrients - water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins.  Your body uses some to get energy, and others to make and mend cells.

Your body gets most of its energy from the two kinds of carbohydrate - sugars and starches.

The trouble with food that contains lots of fat and sugar is that it tastes so good.  If you eat too much, your body will store up fat, and you will put on weight.

Your body needs proteins to make everything from muscle and bone cells, to heart and lung cells.

Healthy eating means eating lots of different food, so you get lots of different nutrients.

The energy that keeps your body running comes from carbohydrates, fats, and protein.

It's easy to eat too many calories.  Your body stores leftover calories as body fat.

Every gram of carbohydrate has four calories.  So does every gram of protein.  But every gram of fat has nine calories.

Your weight is a balance between the calories you eat and the calories you use to live, move, and grow.

Your weight does not depend only on your height and shape, because some people have heavier bones than others.  The best way for you to keep your weight healthy is to eat a balanced diet and exercise.

Healthy food is delicious, so enjoy it!

The Food Pyramid

Food gives our bodies energy.

A food pyramid shows us what kinds of food we should eat each day.

The bottom of the pyramid shows what foods we should eat the most.

Fiber helps food move through our bodies.

[Fruits and vegetables] give our bodies quick energy.

The middle of the food pyramid shows foods that we should eat in smaller amounts.

The top of the food pyramid shows foods we should eat in very small amounts. 

On to "But I deserve this chocolate!"

Hugs,

Melinda