ESL 91
SPRING, 2002
FOCUS DISCIPLINE ESSAYS
DIET AND NUTRITION

Basic nutrition is the science of food and how the body uses it in health and disease. Nutrition is the basic support for our life. People cannot live without nutrition. In the daily diet, we get energy from food and it maintains our life. Nutrition is very important in our everyday life. It affects our bodies to be healthy or unhealthy.

Our body needs five major groups of nutrients, which are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Every day we get the food and we have to balance each of the nutrients. Carbohydrates are needed in the diet primarily to supply energy for the body. They have an average value of 4.1 calories per gram. We can get carbohydrate from rice, bread, cereal, and potatoes. Our diet is made up mostly of carbohydrates. We eat cereal for breakfast. For lunch, we eat a sandwich, which is made from bread. We also eat noodles, rice, and chips. These have many carbohydrates. Protein forms important parts of the muscle, blood and bone. It supports growth and maintains healthy body cells. We can find it in meat, fish, eggs, beans, and milk. Fat forms part of the structure of every cell. It is the most concentrated source of energy. It has 9 calories per gram. We can find it in oil, butter, fatty meat, and margarine. Vitamins are organic substances required in small amounts to help promote and regulate the chemical reactions and the process in the body. We can find them in some fruits, milk, and cheese.

In our daily diet, we have a lot of food. What food is healthy? Which is good for your body? Food directly influences your health and body. In the growth period, teenagers and children should eat more than what they need for growth. At that time, they are growing. The protein is good for their bones and muscles. They should get more nutrition from meat, milk, cheese, and fish.

Many girls try to lose weight. They don’t let themselves eat much or they just eat a little. This is not good for the people who are in the growth period. That situation may keep them from growing taller. I have experience with this problem. When my body began to grow in every part, the shape of my body became fat. I was worried that I would be very fat, so I forced myself to eat only a little food. I ate the low fat and low calorie food mostly. That caused me not to have enough energy to use in my body’s growth.

Some food is good for different parts of the body. Fruits and vegetables have a lot of water and many vitamins. When people are in the adolescence, some of them might have acne on the face. Under that situation, eating more fruits and vegetables is good for them. These foods can lessen the acne and they are good for the skin. For example, there is vitamin E in the oranges. It can help the skin to be smoother. Grapes have acidity and it can help the hair to be shinier. Many fruits are good for beauty. In today’s market, many beauty products are made from fruit. For example, lemon is widely used in beauty products. We can make a drink with lemon and honey that is very good for our skin.

In America, many people don’t balance their nutrition. They eat too many fatty foods, like butter, ice cream, and fried foods. There are many fat people in America. People don’t consider that their diet might cause some diseases, like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. People should consider their diet. Nutritionists advise people to eat mostly carbohydrates in the daily diet. Second are vegetables and fruits. Third are meats, milk and yogurt. Fourth are the fats, oils and sweets. If people want to lose weight, they need to do exercise and control their diet. Fat people should eat less fatty food. They should eat the low fat and low calorie foods.

Nutrition is important for our health and body. It can influence our life directly. Food and energy are necessary to support life. We can’t miss nutrition in our everyday life. We should consider what kind of nutrition is good for our health.

Return to the Top of this page

Return to the ESL 91 On The Web Home Page