| Nutrition labels have revolutionized the way we | | | | calculation is called the At water system for |
| buy food -- especially for people on special diets. | | | | determining energy values. |
| Nutrition can affect more than just your weight. | | | | Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant. It is |
| People who practice good nutrition, hygiene and | | | | commonly found in fresh vegetables and fruit |
| exercise patterns develop a lifetime of habits that | | | | (peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits). Severe lack of |
| will keep them healthy for many years. Peanuts | | | | vitamin C can lead to scurvy. It helps to heal |
| and peanut butter are whole foods that pack a | | | | wounds, prevent cell damage, promote healthy |
| lot of nutrition into just one serving. Peanuts and | | | | gums and teeth, and strengthen the immune |
| peanut butter are whole foods that contain a | | | | system. It also helps the body absorb iron. |
| variety of vitamins and minerals, ample protein | | | | Women and men should consume at least 60 |
| and beneficial unsaturated fats. Since they are a | | | | milligrams of vitamin C each day. Vitamin C |
| plant food, they naturally contain no cholesterol. | | | | deficiency causes a disease called scurvy, which is |
| Peanuts and peanut butter contain high quality | | | | uncommon in the United States. Taking more than |
| plant protein. Protein is estimated based upon the | | | | 2,000 milligrams a day may cause a flushed face, |
| amount of bound nitrogen in the sample. Total fat | | | | headache, increased urination, mild diarrhea, |
| is estimated from the weight of all individual fatty | | | | nausea and vomiting. People who smoke need to |
| acids plus the imputed weight of one unit of | | | | consume more vitamin C because smoking |
| glycerol for each three fatty acids. When | | | | interferes with the body's ability to use vitamins. |
| comparing peanuts to similar foods, peanuts have | | | | Women who smoke should consume 110 |
| more protein than any other legume or nut. This | | | | milligrams per day of vitamin C, and men who |
| is especially important for children, vegetarians and | | | | smoke should consume 125 milligrams per day of |
| people eating more meatless meals. | | | | vitamin C. Phytochemicals are natural substances |
| Carbohydrates in food help our bodies produce | | | | in plants which may provide a wide range of |
| serotonin -- a sleep-inducing hormone. This meal | | | | health benefits such as reducing the risk of |
| plan incorporates plenty of healthy | | | | coronary heart disease. Peanuts contain |
| carbohydrate-rich foods like fruit, pasta, potatoes, | | | | resveratrol which is one of the many |
| oatmeal and brown rice. Milk contains tryptophan, | | | | phytochemicals found in plant foods. |
| an amino acid that promotes sleep. This diet | | | | Good nutrition is more important than ever. |
| includes skim milk with meals and as a before-bed | | | | Regulations requiring nutrition panels on food labels |
| snack. | | | | were implemented as part of a campaign to get |
| Carbohydrates are easy to digest and quickly | | | | people to eat less fat. Dietary fiber has been |
| absorbed. They can be found in sugar and | | | | shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease |
| sweets, honey, fruits and fruit juices. Daily values | | | | and mitigate the blood sugar fluctuations of |
| footnote is a reference tool, giving you basic | | | | diabetes. Nutrients are divided into two groups. |
| guidelines on how much of each nutritional item | | | | "Good" nutrients consisted of: "vitamin, mineral, |
| you should eat daily. Grains based foods (pasta, | | | | protein, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, other |
| bread, cereals) are very versatile and highly | | | | carbohydrate, polyunsaturated or |
| regarded by nutrition professionals because they | | | | monounsaturated fat, or potassium" and must be |
| are rich in nutrients. Whole grains are high in fibre | | | | present in at least 80% of the label value in |
| and may help to lower blood cholesterol and | | | | every unit tested. Conversely, "bad" nutrients: |
| maintain bowel regularity. They contain vitamin E | | | | calories, sugars, total fat, saturated fat, |
| and important trace materials like copper and zinc. | | | | cholesterol, or sodium must be present in no |
| For years, these foods were considered the ugly | | | | more than 120% of the label value but may be |
| ducklings of nutrition. Thought to be fattening with | | | | less than the label value by a "reasonable" amount. |
| little nutritional value, they were avoided in | | | | Nutrition label legislation is to help consumers cut |
| misguided attempts to control weight. Now | | | | fat out of their diets, carbs are considered a |
| scientific agreement among qualified nutrition | | | | valuable nutrient. Labels have serving sizes as |
| experts points to increasing our consumption of | | | | required by law and indicate the number of |
| grains based foods and reaping significant health | | | | servings contained in the package. However, |
| benefits. Calories may be calculated using any one | | | | selling underweight packages violates the oldest |
| of several methods. The old-fashioned bomb | | | | consumer protection laws. Many manufacturers |
| calorimeter, one of the acceptable methods, is a | | | | deliberately overfill their packages to avoid the |
| poor model for the human body. Ideally, calories | | | | risk that their filling equipment may not be precise |
| represent physiological energy -- the energy value | | | | or that the product might dry out or otherwise |
| remaining after digestive and metabolic losses are | | | | not measure up. As a result, packages often |
| deducted from the gross energy. This type of | | | | contain more food than the nutrition label indicates. |