Vegetables: Nutrition and Food

Vegetables A vegetable is a part of a plant consumed by humans that is generally savory but is not sweet. A vegetable is not considered a grain, fruit, nut, spice, or herb. For example, the stem, root, flower, etc. , may be eaten as vegetables. Vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals; however, different vegetables contain different spreads, so it is important to eat a wide variety of types. For example, green vegetables typically contain vitamin A, dark orange and dark green vegetables contain vitamin C,and vegetables like broccoli and related plants contain iron and calcium.

Vegetables are very low in fats and calories, but ingredients added in preparation can often add these. [edit]Fruits In terms of food (rather than botany), fruits are the sweet-tasting seed-bearing parts of plants, or occasionally sweet parts of plants which do not bear seeds. These include apples, oranges, plums, bananas, etc. Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of natural sugars, fiber and vitamins. Processing fruits when canning or making into juices may add sugars and remove nutrients. The fruit food group is sometimes combined with the vegetable food group.

Note that many foods considered fruits in botany because they bear seeds are not considered fruits in cuisine because they lack the characteristic sweet taste, e. g. , tomatos or avocados. [edit]Oils The food pyramid advises that fats be consumed sparingly. Butter and oils are examples of fats. Healthy sources of fat can be found in fish, nuts, and certain fruits and vegetables, such as avocados. [edit]Dairy Dairy products are produced from the milk of mammals, most usually but not exclusively cattle. They include milk, yogurt and cheese.

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Milk and its derivative products are a rich source of dietary calcium, but also provide protein, phosphorus, vitamin A, and vitamin D. However, many dairy products are high in saturated fat and cholesterol compared to vegetables, fruits and whole grains, which is why skimmed products are available as an alternative. For adults, three cups of dairy products are recommended per day. [8][9] [edit]Meat and beans Meat is the tissue – usually muscle – of an animal consumed by humans. Since most parts of many animals are edible, there is a vast variety of meats.

Meat is a major source of protein, as well as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Meats, poultry, and fish include beef, chicken, pork, salmon, tuna, shrimp, and eggs. The meat group is one of the major compacted food groups in the food guide pyramid. Many of the same nutrients found in meat can also be found in foods like eggs, dry beans, and nuts, such foods are typically placed in the same category as meats, as meat alternatives. These include tofu, products that resemble meat or fish but are made with soy, eggs, and cheeses.

For those who do not consume meat or animal products (see Vegetarianism, veganism and Taboo food and drink), meat analogs, tofu, beans, lentils, chick peas, nuts and other high-protein vegetables are also included in this group. The food guide pyramid suggests that adults eat 2–3 servings per day. One serving of meat is 4 oz (110 g), about the size of a deck of cards. 1. Natural appetite suppressant In case you are wondering if this means you should replace your regular meals with gallons of water, no.

When our bodies are dehydrated, it can sometimes misinterpret thirst for hunger. In the stressful office environment that we work in, we will usually reach out for a cup of coffee or grab anything sugary so it can both give us a quick boost in energy and at the same time curb what we believe is hunger. Since what our body is truly looking to be hydrated instead of being fed, this false signal of hunger will soon come back resulting in you indulging in a lot of unnecessary snacking. We all know what the outcome of that is going to be.

When you have a bottle of water at your desk, you have a higher tendency to drink it than if you had to constantly get it from the pantry. So at the start of the work day, keep a one liter bottle of water at your desk and aim to finish everything by lunchtime. After lunch, replenish that bottle and aim to finish it before you finish for the day. For all you coffee drinkers, don't think for a second that all those coffee you drink is enough to hydrate your body. Caffeine is a diuretic that actually dehydrate you. So coffee drinkers should actually drink more water instead. . Improves Fat Metabolism Our liver is an amazing organ that is responsible for metabolizing fat amongst many other important functions such as cleansing your body of toxins, breaking down alcohol, etc. Metabolizing fat basically means converting fat to be used as energy. Drinking water helps weight loss by ensuring your liver is metabolizing fat properly. When your body is dehydrated, your kidney functions are affected. If your kidneys cannot perform properly, the liver steps up to take on its duties and hence becomes overloaded.

When that happens the liver won't be able to help you burn fat effectively. If you exercise and don't drink enough water, this will negate the fat burning benefits of your workouts altogether. Never wait till you are thirsty to drink water. When your body has to signal thirst to you, that means you are already on the verge of dehydration and your liver is about to work overtime and in the process affecting your fat burning effectiveness. 3. Improve exercise performance Everyone knows that maintaining proper hydration is crucial before, during and after exercise.

If you do not drink sufficient water, your blood thickens and it becomes harder for your body to transport oxygen and nutrients to your muscles to effectively perform your workouts. If you can't get the most out of your workouts, how are you going to burn fat efficiently? Furthermore, as your exercise, your body heats up. Without proper hydration, your body clings on to whatever little water it has. This means you will not be able to perspire and cool your body down during exercise resulting in your body overheating and in severe cases, leading to heat stroke.

Before your exercise, aim to drink at least a tall glass of water. Keep a large bottle of water handy and drink it constantly during your exercise to keep yourself hydrated throughout the workout session. 4. Burn extra calories Drinking water helps weight loss by helping your burn extra calories as well. Scientists in Germany discovered that drinking at least 500 ml of water in one sitting increased our metabolic rate by 30% in 10 minutes. This increased metabolism will sustain for up to 40 minutes and during this time, 100 extra calories are burned.

Aim to drink at least 2 liters of water when you are in the office to burn up to 400 extra calories a day. At the beginning, don't worry if you are suddenly visiting the washroom more often due to your increased water intake. This just means that your body is now able to release water that it has been keeping in your body. As you continue to drink more water, your body will recognize that it doesn't have store water anymore and will now allowing for a better regulation of fluid within your body. We all know that water is life. It's no coincidence that drinking more water is always the advice we get whenever we are not feeling well.

So before you reach out for the next "state-of-the-art" fat loss pill for the quickest way to lose weight, give drinking more water a try. And the answer to the commonly asked question, "Can drinking water help weight loss? " will be very pleasingly evident to you. If you work in an office and can't seem to find time to lose weight, there are more great weight loss tips to show you how to get slim and the quickest way to lose weight. Also, you can get your hands on the free fat loss starter kit that has helped many others lose up to 5 lbs in the first week.

Visit corporatefatlossplan. com now! What is a healthy diet? | Hunter-gatherers living on their traditional diets are virtually free of heart, cancer and other degenerative diseases common in the western world. | | Since this article deals with healthy eating habits, a question remains to be answered: what constitutes a healthy diet? Unfortunately, there are more opinions about this than there are health experts. To further complicate the matter, dietary concepts change over time, leaving most people confused and uncertain about what or whom to trust.

One solution to this problem is to become sufficiently knowledgeable about the relevant subjects and rely on reason to draw basic conclusions. Along with personal experimentation, such approach will enable you to establish healthy eating habits that work especially well for your body. This takes time and requires discipline, but considering the long lasting benefits healthy eating can provide, the effort is more then well worth it. In order to determine the minimal basic requirements of a healthy diet, I concluded that it is safe to start with the following two objectives: 1. xamine human diet over time - the foods humans consumed since the arrival of our species. 2. examine diets of ethnic groups known for their good health. | The traditional living Okinawans and people from the other Ryukyu Islands have the highest longevity in the world. This is partly attributed to diet, but also to other factors such as lifestyle, genetics, and mental well being. | | Looking at the type of diets humans lived on through out pre-history, provides good insights into the kind of foods human body is well adapted at utilizing and dealing with.

Further, the diets of certain ethnic groups that are well known for good health - the people of Okinawa (Japan); traditional cultures in the Mediterranean region; and many hunter-gatherer societies - suggest certain healthy eating habits that promote good health. Upon closer examination of the above mentioned objectives, two main denominators emerged: A) diets are based on natural, whole or minimally processed foods in accordance to heritage. B) diets are lower in calories compared to a typical western diet.

In the context of present time, one can therefore make two general assumptions in regard to the question of what constitutes a healthy diet: 1) generally, the less a food is processed the better. 2) eat less - eat what is adequate, do not over eat. Food is any substance[1] consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins,vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells in an effort to produce energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth.

Historically, people secured food through two methods: hunting and gathering, and agriculture. Today, most of the food energy consumed by the world population is supplied by the food industry. Food safety and food security are monitored by agencies like the International Association for Food Protection, World Resources Institute, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, and International Food Information Council. They address issues such as sustainability, biological diversity, climate change, nutritional economics, population growth, water supply, and access to food.

The right to food is a human right derived from the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), recognizing the "right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food", as well as the "fundamental right to be free from hunger". ------------------------------------------------- Food sources Global average daily calorie consumption Almost all foods are of plant or animal origin. Cereal grain is a staple food that provides more food energy worldwide than any other type of crop.

Maize, wheat, and rice - in all of their varieties - account for 87% of all grain production worldwide. [2] Other foods not from animal or plant sources include various edible fungi, especially mushrooms. Fungi and ambient bacteria are used in the preparation of fermented andpickled foods like leavened bread, alcoholic drinks, cheese, pickles, kombucha, and yogurt. Another example is blue-green algae such as Spirulina. [3] Inorganic substances such as baking soda and cream of tartar are also used to chemically alter an ingredient. Plants Foods from plant sources

See also: Herbs and spices Many plants or plant parts are eaten as food. There are around 2,000 plant species which are cultivated for food, and many have several distinct cultivars. [4] Seeds of plants are a good source of food for animals, including humans, because they contain the nutrients necessary for the plant's initial growth, including many healthful fats, such asOmega fats. In fact, the majority of food consumed by human beings are seed-based foods. Edible seeds include cereals (maize, wheat, rice, et cetera), legumes (beans, peas, lentils, et cetera), and nuts.

Oilseeds are often pressed to produce rich oils - sunflower, flaxseed, rapeseed (including canola oil), sesame, et cetera. [5] Seeds are typically high in unsaturated fats and, in moderation, are considered a health food, although not all seeds are edible. Large seeds, such as those from a lemon, pose a choking hazard, while seeds from apples and cherries contain a poison (cyanide). Fruits are the ripened ovaries of plants, including the seeds within. Many plants have evolved fruits that are attractive as a food source to animals, so that animals will eat the fruits and excrete the seeds some distance away.

Fruits, therefore, make up a significant part of the diets of most cultures. Some botanical fruits, such as tomatoes, pumpkins, and eggplants, are eaten as vegetables. [6] (For more information, see list of fruits. ) Vegetables are a second type of plant matter that is commonly eaten as food. These include root vegetables (potatoes and carrots), bulbs (onion family), leaf vegetables (spinach and lettuce),stem vegetables (bamboo shoots and asparagus), and inflorescence vegetables (globe artichokes and broccoli and other vegetables such as cabbage or cauliflower. [7] Dairy cattle in Maryland Animals Various raw meats Main articles: Animal source foods and Food chain Animals are used as food either directly or indirectly by the products they produce. Meat is an example of a direct product taken from an animal, which comes from muscle systems or from organs. Food products produced by animals include milk produced by mammary glands, which in many cultures is drunk or processed into dairy products (cheese, butter, et cetera).

In addition, birds and other animals lay eggs, which are often eaten, andbees produce honey, a reduced nectar from flowers, which is a popular sweetener in many cultures. Some cultures consume blood, sometimes in the form of blood sausage, as a thickener for sauces, or in a cured, salted form for times of food scarcity, and others use blood in stews such as civet. [8] Some cultures and people do not consume meat or animal food products for cultural, dietary, health, ethical, or ideological reasons. Vegetarians do not consume meat. Vegans do not consume any foods that are or contain ingredients from an animal source.

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