Topic 2: How to choose food according to their nutrients

Food which benefits the body has to have a high nutritional value. It is food that combines all nutrients that the body needs in the right proportion. Food should consist of the five common food groups.

The ideas of choosing what food to be consumed

1. Consume food to get all of nutrient that is necessary for the body (the 5 common food groups)

2. Consume a balanced diet fit to each person’s needs depending on the person’s age, body mass, gender, and physical activity.

3. Choosing only food that suits personal taste can offset the balance of a healthy diet.

4. Avoid buying food only because of advertisements but consider the nutritional value of the food when buying it.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is important to control the body weight because overweight may cause obesity. However, if the body weight is too low, it may cause malnutrition. In both cases the person will become sick easily. An overweight person can have a heart disease, while an underweight person can have tuberculosis or parasites in their body. Moreover, both conditions may affect the mental health because the person may become anxious about other people’s comments on their appearance.

Foods that should to be avoided

Avoid foods that have fewer nutrients or can be harmful to the body. These foods appear in 5

categories:

1. Unclean food: e.g. food that is swarmed by flies.

2. Contaminated food: e.g. food that has been contaminated with chemicals such as vegetables which might be contaminated with insecticides or mold in peanuts.

3. Synthetic food: e.g. food that is mixed with other synthetic substances, allowing sellers to

reduce the cost, or adding artificial colors and taste to make the food more savory, e.g. fake vinegar, artificial color in bakeries and fish sauce, and borax in meatballs.

4. Deteriorated food: e.g. expired canned food or fetid food.

5. Less nutritious food: e.g. preserved food and soft drinks.

Recommended portions and daily nutritional requirements for each age group

Each person needs a different portion of food, depending on the person’s age, body mass, health, and physical activities. For example, a child needs more protein than an adult. Labors need more carbohydrates, or those who live in low-temperature areas need more fat.

Whichever group you belong to, you should consume the right amount of food and nutrients:

Here are some examples

1. Consume seafood at least 2-3 times a week.

2. Consume cooked eggs because they are easy to digest.

3. Cook rice without discarding the water to preserve vitamins.

4. Consume vegetable oil because it reduces blood cholesterol.

5. Consume more fresh vegetables than cooked vegetables, because cooked vegetables lost their vitamins during the cooking process. However, vegetables should be cleaned thoroughly before consuming.

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