Remaining warm, cheerful, alert, energetic, strong and smiling are but a few of the things that eating well will do. People often do not realize the importance of eating the proper types and amounts of food.
What are the Six Basic Food Groups?
Water: You are two-thirds water. In the winter you
need to drink 3 to 4 quarts of water a day. Dehydration makes you more
susceptible to frostbite, hypothermia, cramps, headaches and nausea.
Water digests food, regulates body temperature, and carries wastes out of the
body. In winter you must force yourself to DRINK LOTS OF WATER.
You should never get to the point where you're thirsty. Try to drink enough
so your urine is as clear as possible.
|
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates
are starches and sugars, easily and quickly digested by your body. They
are quick energy. One gram of "Carbs" make 4 grams of heat and energy. Breakfast is
a good meal for carbs; quick energy to get you off
and running. Honey, potatoes, pasta, rice, flour and candy are "carbs".
|
Fats: Fats are more tightly packed with energy.
They take longer to break down. They will give energy long after the
"carbs" have burned off. One gram
makes nine grams of heat, over twice that of carbs.
Cheese, nuts, margarine, bacon are all rich in fats.
|
Proteins: Proteins build and maintain body tissues such as
muscles, hair, and fingernails. To make protein our body needs 22 amino
acids. There are eight that are not in all protein foods. So, we
must eat a variety of foods. Meat and Fish are the only foods with all
22 amino acids. If we don't eat meat, then we must eat other foods that
go together to give us all 22 amino acids, such as: beans and macaroni, rice
and wheat, macaroni and cheese.
|
Vitamins: have no calories to keep us warm,
but we need them to process the other foods we get. Fresh vegetables,
eggs, fruits contain vitamins.
|
Minerals: like vitamins, don't create heat but are vital for
bones (Calcium) and many other things around the body. Milk,
vegetables, and meats contain minerals.
|