Nutrition
Health Education - Oak Grove Elementary - DeKalb County School District
Nutrition
A healthy diet should include food from all of the food groups. The five food groups are dairy, fruits, vegetables, protein, and grains. Eat a variety of foods each day. Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits. Choose a whole grain. Add a protein. Drink a glass of milk.
Fat is a nutrient in foods. It gives you energy. Fats help your body grow. They also keep your brain healthy. Fats help your body absorb vitamins.
Fiber is a nutrient found in plant foods. The human body cannot break down fiber. Fiber helps push the food along during digestion. Eating foods with fiber at each meal also helps you feel full.
Does your tummy growl between meals? That means you are hungry. You can eat a snack. A snack is a small amount of food. It gives you energy. Healthy snacks also help you grow.
Junk food is a nickname for unhealthy food. These foods give you energy, but they have few vitamins and minerals. Junk foods are not good for you.
Healthy meals include the five food groups. You need fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy every day. Try to eat a balanced amount of these foods. It can be fun to plan a healthy meal.
Water is a clear, tasteless liquid. Your body needs water every day. You can drink a glass of water or other liquids. You can also get water from foods.
Food Groups
Dairy foods are made from milk. Yogurt and cheese are dairy foods. So is cottage cheese. Pudding and ice cream are dairy desserts.
Fruit is a sweet treat that is good for you. Fruit tastes sweet because it has natural sugar. The sugar is called fructose. It gives your body energy. You need energy to play, think, and grow.
Grains are seeds from plants. Wheat and rice are grains. So are oats and barley. Even popcorn is a grain. Grains give your body energy. Grains have vitamins and minerals.
Protein is a nutrient in some foods. Eating protein helps you grow. It helps build strong muscles. It also builds skin and hair.
Vegetables are parts of plants. They are colorful. Many vegetables are dark green. Some are red or orange. Vegetables give you energy. They have vitamins too.