Function of the foods we take

  

Date Posted: 6/8/2012 5:07:32 AM

Posted By: rodriguez mwalenga  Membership Level: Silver  Total Points: 110

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1. Energy foods
Food supplies us with energy. Energy is used up in keeping our bodies warm, keep our heart beating and in the day to day activities in our life. Our lives is in active phase, such as working during the day semi active phase as when we go to sleep. In sleep energy is needed to keep all our internal body processes going on. This is called BASAL METABOLISM. The energy of basal metabolism varies from person to person. Big people use up more than small people. Men use up more than women and young people use up more than old people.
When we get up in the morning the rate at which we use up energy suddenly increases. Every physical activity uses up energy we use energy in proportions to the physical activity we are doing. The bigger the activity the more energy we use.

Energy means the ability to work. Energy in our bodies is measured as heat. The degree of hotness of something is called temperature. In the hospital we find health workers measuring the amount of heat our body has by using an instrument called thermometer. The most convenient unit of energy needs and the energy required to raise one litre of water to one degree centigrade is called a kilogram calorie in short kilo calories. A very active casual worker needs more calories than a secretary in the same organization. In is very important to understand this so that we can eat to work not to sleep. Some people have a tendency of eating less in their breakfast when they are going to work and eat more when they are going to sleep. This is wrong for when there is a heavy calories intake than expenditure this leads to obesity and obesity invites disability

and premature death. These foods that provide us with energy include carbohydrates, fats and proteins. When our body has met the energy demand, then it starts the process of building and repair. The supplies of these activities must be supplied from the food we take.

2. Body Building and repair foods
Our body is continually growing and therefore need a plentiful supply of body building materials. A grown up person needs a smaller supply of body building nutrient, but enough to replace worn out damaged tissues and to build small amounts of new materials such as nails and hair. A growing person needs more of these body building foods, than a grown up.

Every cell in our body contains protein which is the most important body building nutrient. Groups of cells are build up into tissues, some of which are soft. Bones and teeth are hard tissues and are made of calcium and phosphate. They are formed from oxygen we breath in and the mineral elements calcium and phosphorus in our food.
Muscles and nerve tissues are soft and are mainly made of mineral elements such as iron, phosphorus and sulphur among others. We get proteins from either animals or plants which the body then converts to small parts i. e. amino acids in the digestion system from where they are absorbed into the blood system and then transported to the point of repair and replacement.

3. Protective food
In addition to fight diseases, this energy and body building nutrients, our bodies also need empowerment that comes from the protective foods. Among the protective foods are the foods rich in minerals and proteins. Water is essential in our diet. Calcium and phosphorus are the two main mineral elements that we need for our body building. Phosphorus is present in a wide variety of food and any normal diet will supply our daily needs. Milk, meat, fish and oatmeal are all good sources of phosphorus. Calcium on the other hand, is not present in large amounts in many foodstuffs and proper diet planning is needed to ensure that our body gets them. Milk and milk products are a good source of calcium. In order to live a healthy life our body has to protect itself from diseases. The strength of this depends on whether our body is getting enough supply of protective foods.

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