Welcome to our class about proper nutrition! In this class, we will be learning all about the food groups, what it means to eat a healthy diet, what vitamins and minerals are and why they are important, and why every body may need different options. At the end of the class, you will be asked to complete a meal plan for your whole family for one week. Once you have completed the final assignment, your teacher will send you a certificate to include in your portfolio. If you have questions, feel free to email your teacher here.

Introduction

What happens when I eat?

Your digestive system breaks down the food you eat into substances that your cells can absorb and use. It is also used to eliminate the waste that your body doesn’t use.

The digestive system is designed to transform complex food substances into simple compounds that can be readily absorbed by the body cells. Generally, food encounters the teeth first. Your teeth hold, eat, and masticate (chew) the food. The tongue moves things around so the food can become thoroughly mixed with your saliva (spit). There are three pairs of these salivary glands that open into your mouth — the parotid, submaxillary, and sublingual. The saliva moistens the food and adds a special enzyme that helps break the starches down into sugar. When you swallow, the food

Lesson 1 – My Plate

After viewing this video, what do you think? Do you think that the “my plate” diagram is easy to use? Do you agree with it?

Lesson 2 – Grains

Bread – a baked mixture of liquids and a grain – has been called “staff of life.” Grains are essential for energy and certain vitamins for the body. Here’s an activity for you: take a cracker and add a drop of iodine to it. Does the spot look purple or black? That is an indication of a starch presence.

Lesson 3 and 4 – Fruits and Vegetables

The fruit group provides your body with carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins A and C. Fresh fruits are low in fat and sodium. Fiber provides bulk that helps your large intestine form and remove waste.

Fruit can be eaten fresh (this is the best way to eat it), but canned and dried are good too. You should aim to get two to four servings of fruits are recommended each day.

Vegetables provide your body with carbohydrates, minerals, and a wide variety of vitamins. They can be eaten raw, cooked, or even baked in a number of different ways. Just remember that cooking can cause the loss of nutritional value. Generally, the longer it is cooked, the greater the reduction in nutrients. Some vegetables are also great sources of protein.

It is recommended that you get three to five servings of vegetables every day.

So what do you think? What is you favorite fruit? Vegetable? What are your favorite ways to eat them? Do you think they are important to your daily diet? Do you get enough each day?

Lesson 5 – The Dairy Group

Dairy products provide the body with carbohydrates, fats, and essential protein. Calcium and phosphorus are essential for your body. They help with bone and tooth development and muscle activity. This group also gives you vitamins A, B, D, and E. We will learn more about these when we learn about vitamins.

Dairy products include milk, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk, and many others. Remember that milk doesn’t have to necessarily come from a cow. Many people cannot tolerate certain proteins or lactase from cow’s milk, so they drink milk from other animals, including goats and sheep.

It is recommended that you get two to three servings of dairy each day.