Class 3-1: Eating for Wellness

Overview

Today's Class Overview

In today's class, you will begin exploring nutrition as a foundation for wellness.

Today's Class Objectives

By the end of this module you should be able to:

1. Contextualize food as fuel for daily activity.
2. Identify macronutrients, micronutrients, and the importance of eating well.
3. Find and use resources for further information on nutrition and eating.
4. Apply the concept of mindfulness to eating and strategize ways to eat mindfully.
5. Define and apply the glycemic index.
6. Reflect on your personal relationship to eating.

Outline of Today's Class

• Materials
  1. Overview
  2. Review
  3. Fueling Our Bodies Properly
  4. Nutrients
  5. Healthy Eating
  6. Practicing Mindful Eating
  7. Resources for Healthy Eating
  8. Summary

Review

As you prepare to move into this final portion of the course, take a moment to recall these major concepts and keep them in mind as you continue in the course.

• Hierarchy of Needs
• Seven Dimensions of Wellness
• Metacognition
• Cognitive Biases
• Emotional Intelligence
• Stress Management
• Mindfulness
• Healthy Relationships
• Sleep
• The Physical Built Environment
• Social Determinants of Health
• The "Health Gradient"
• Health Literacy
• Mental Health
• The Built Environment of Attention
• Psuedoinformation
• Media Literacy
• Physical Activity
• Exercise
• Transtheoretical Model of Change
• S.M.A.R.T.
• Seven Principles of Adaptation for Exercise Planning
• F.I.T.T.
• Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Health
• Exposure to Nature
• Muscular Fitness
• Self-Talk
• Flexibility
• Self-Compassion

Fueling Our Bodies Properly

The following has been excerpted and adapted from "Human Biology Butte 17-18" by CK-12 licensed CC BY-NC 3.0:

Fueling Our Bodies Properly

Case Study: What's Wrong with Fast Food?

Like many Americans, 20-year-old Kevin eats fast food several times a week. After a long day of classes and work, it’s easy for him to pick up fast food for dinner from a drive-through window on his way home. He also often has fast food for lunch on his short break. He knows that fast food probably isn’t the healthiest choice, but it is convenient and he enjoys it. Besides, he’s young and only slightly overweight, with no major health problems, so he’s not too concerned about it affecting his health.

One day, Kevin gives his friend Carlos a ride home, and suggests they pick up some fast food on the way. Carlos says, “Nah, I don’t eat that stuff very often. It’s not good for you.” Kevin feels a little defensive and asks Carlos what exactly is wrong with it. Carlos says, “Well, it has a lot of calories and it’s not exactly fresh food.” Kevin says he doesn’t think it has any more calories than other types of meals, and he eats some fresh fruit and vegetables at other times — is it really that bad for his health to eat fast food five or six times a week?

Carlos thinks about this. He has heard many times that fast food is not good for your health, but he’s not sure of the exact reasons. When he gets home, he decides to do some research. He visits the website of Kevin’s favorite fast food restaurant and looks up the nutritional information for his typical meal of a cheeseburger, large fries, and a large soda. Some of the information he found is shown in the tables below.

Nutritional Information for a Typical Fast Food Meal

% DV = percentage of adult recommended daily value (DV) for each nutrient.

What does this nutritional information mean? How can it help Carlos understand the potential health impact of Kevin frequently eating meals like this? As you read this chapter, you will learn about the nutrients your body needs to function and stay healthy, and how eating too much or too little of certain nutrients can wreak havoc on your health. You will learn how to interpret the tables above, and will better understand the health consequences of a diet that is heavy in typical fast food items. At the end of the chapter, you will learn why eating this meal frequently is not the best choice for Kevin’s health, and how he — and you — can make better food choices.

Chapter Overview: Nutrition

In this chapter, you will learn about nutrients, proper nutrition, and the negative health consequences of bad nutrition and improperly prepared food. Specifically, you will learn about:

• The six major classes of nutrients — carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water, vitamins, and minerals — which are substances the body needs for energy, building materials, and body processes.
• Essential nutrients, which must be obtained from food, and nonessential nutrients, which can be synthesized by the body.
• Macronutrients, which the body needs in relatively large quantities, and micronutrients, which the body needs in relatively small quantities.
• The functions of specific nutrients in the body and sources of these nutrients.
• Phytochemicals and their potential role in maintaining normal body functions and good health.
• Guidelines for healthy eating and good nutrition, and why a healthy diet can reduce the risk of many diseases.
• Energy homeostasis, which is the balance between calories consumed and those that are used by the body.
• Types of malnutrition, including undernutrition, overnutrition, and unbalanced nutrition.
• Nutrient and energy density and how knowledge of these factors can be used to make healthier food choices.
• How appetite is regulated.
• Eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder and their causes, health effects, and treatments.
• Obesity and how it is defined, its causes, health consequences, ways to prevent and treat it, and the impact on public health.
• Undernutrition and how it is defined, its causes, specific undernutrition syndromes, and the often irreversible effects on children.
• The impact of undernutrition around the world, including richer nations, and public health approaches to treat and prevent undernutrition.

As you read this chapter, think about the following questions related to the tables above that contain nutritional information for Kevin’s typical fast food meal:

1. Which nutrients might Kevin consume too much of if he eats meals like this frequently? Why would these nutrients be a concern? What health issues could consuming them in excess cause?

2. Which nutrients might Kevin not get enough of if he eats meals like this frequently? What health issues could this cause?

3. What are some ways Kevin can make better food choices, even at a fast food restaurant? Why would these choices improve his diet and health?

Nutrients

The following has been excerpted and adapted from "Human Biology Butte 17-18" by CK-12 licensed CC BY-NC 3.0:

Nutrients

Nutrients are substances the body needs for energy, building materials, and control of body processes. There are six major classes of nutrients based on biochemical properties: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water, vitamins, and minerals. Fiber, which consists largely of nondigestible carbohydrates, is sometimes added as a seventh class of nutrients.

Besides the biochemical classification of nutrients, nutrients are also categorized as either essential or nonessential nutrients. Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized by the human body, at least not in sufficient amounts for normal functioning, so these nutrients must be obtained from food. Nonessential nutrients, in contrast, can be synthesized in the body in sufficient quantities for normal functioning, although they are generally obtained from food as well. Except for dietary fiber, all dietary carbohydrates are considered nonessential. Every other major class of nutrients contains multiple essential compounds. For example, there are nine essential amino acids, at least two essential fatty acids, and many essential vitamins and minerals. Water and fiber are also essential nutrients.

The major classes of nutrients are also categorized as macronutrients or micronutrients depending on how much of them the body needs.

Macronutrients

Macronutrients are nutrients that the body needs in relatively large amounts. They include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and water. All macronutrients except water are used by the body for energy, although this is not their sole physiological function. The energy provided by macronutrients in food is measured in kilocalories, commonly called Calories, where 1 Calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree C.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are organic compounds made up of simple sugars (as in the cotton candy pictured below). Carbohydrates are classified by the number of sugars they contain as monosaccharides (one sugar), such as glucose and fructose; disaccharides (two sugars), such as sucrose and lactose; and polysaccharides (three or more sugars), including starch, glycogen, and cellulose (the main component of dietary fiber). Dietary carbohydrates come mainly from grains, fruits, and vegetables. All digestible carbohydrates in the diet are used by the body for energy. One gram of dietary carbohydrates provides 4 Calories of energy.

Fiber

Fiber, such as the cellulose in plant foods, cannot be digested by the human digestive system, so most of it just passes through the digestive tract. Although it does not provide energy as other carbohydrates do, it is nonetheless considered an essential nutrient for its physiological roles. There are two types of fiber in many plant foods: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.

• Soluble fiber consists of nondigestible complex plant carbohydrates that dissolve in water, forming a gel. This type of dietary fiber thickens and slows the movement of chyme through the small intestine and thereby slows the absorption of glucose into the blood. This may lessen insulin spikes and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Soluble fiber can also help lower blood cholesterol. Good dietary sources of soluble fiber include oats, apples, and beans.
• Insoluble fiber consists mainly of cellulose and does not dissolve in water. As insoluble fiber moves through the large intestine, it stimulates peristalsis. This keeps food wastes moving and helps prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber in the diet may also lessen the risk of colon cancer. Good dietary sources of insoluble fiber include cabbage, bell peppers, and grapes.

Proteins

Proteins are organic compounds made up of amino acids. You may think of meat and fish as major sources of dietary proteins — and they are — but there are many good plant sources as well, including soybeans (see the figure below) and other legumes. Proteins in food are broken down during digestion to provide the amino acids needed for protein synthesis. Proteins in the human body are the basis of many body structures, including muscles and skin. Proteins also function as enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions, hormones that regulate body functions in other ways, and antibodies that help fight pathogens. Any amino acids from food that are not needed for these purposes are excreted in urine, converted to glucose for energy, or stored as fat. One gram of protein provides 4 Calories of energy.

The most important aspect of protein structure from a nutritional standpoint is amino acid composition. About 20 amino acids are commonly found in the human body, of which about 11 are nonessential because they can be synthesized internally. The other 9 amino acids are essential amino acids that must be obtained from dietary sources. Essential amino acids are phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, and histidine. Animal proteins such as meat and fish are concentrated sources of all 9 essential amino acids, whereas plant proteins may have only trace amounts of one or more essential amino acids.

Lipids

Lipids, commonly called fats, are organic compounds made up mainly of fatty acids. Fats in foods (such as those pictured below), as well as fats in the human body, are typically triglycerides (three fatty acids attached to a molecule of glycerol). Fats provide the body with energy and serve other vital functions, including helping to make and maintain cell membranes and functioning as hormones. When used for energy, one gram of fat provides 9 Calories of energy.

Saturated vs Unsaturated Fats

Fats are classified as either saturated or unsaturated depending on the type of bonds in their fatty acids.

• In saturated fats, carbon atoms share only single bonds, so each carbon atom is bonded to as many hydrogen atoms as possible. Saturated fats tend to be solids at room temperature.
  • Most saturated fat in the diet comes from animal foods, such as meat and butter.
• In unsaturated fats, at least one pair of carbon atoms share a double bond, so these carbon atoms are not bonded to as many hydrogen atoms as possible. Unsaturated fats with just one double bond are called monounsaturated fats. Those with multiple double bonds are called polyunsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats tend to be liquids at room temperature.
  • Unsaturated fats in the diet come mainly from certain fish such as salmon and from plant foods such as seeds and nuts.

Essential Fatty Acids

Most fatty acids are not essential. The body can make them as needed, generally from other fatty acids, although this takes energy. Only two fatty acids are known to be essential, called omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They cannot be synthesized in the body, so they must be obtained from food. The most commonly used cooking oils in processed foods are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, so most people get plenty of these fatty acids in their diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are not as prevalent in foods, and most people do not get enough of them in food. Good food sources of omega-3 fatty acids include oily fish such as salmon, walnuts, and flax seeds.

Trans Fats

Trans fats are unsaturated fats that contain types of bonds that are rare in nature. Trans fats are typically created in an industrial process called partial hydrogenation. They may be used in a variety of processed foods (such as those shown in the photo below) because they tend to have a longer shelf life without going rancid. Trans fats are known to be detrimental to human health.

Water

Water is essential to life because biochemical reactions take place in water. Water is continuously lost from the body in multiple ways, including in urine and feces, during sweating, and as water vapor in exhaled breath. This constant loss of water makes water an essential nutrient that must be replenished often.

Too little water is called dehydration. It can cause weakness, dizziness, and heart palpitations. Severe dehydration can lead to death. It is easy to become dehydrated in hot weather, especially when exercising. It is more difficult to consume too much water, but overhydration is also possible. It can result in water intoxication, a serious and potentially fatal condition.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients are nutrients the body needs in relatively small amounts. Micronutrients do not provide energy. Instead, they are necessary for the biochemical reactions of metabolism, among other vital functions. They include vitamins, minerals, and possibly phytochemicals as well.

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds that generally function as coenzymes. A coenzyme is a “helper” molecule that is required for a protein enzyme to work. In this capacity, vitamins play many roles in good health, ranging from maintaining normal vision (vitamin A) to helping blood to clot (vitamin K). Some functions of these and several other vitamins are listed in the table below. Most vitamins are essential nutrients and must be obtained from food. Fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish are all high in one or more essential vitamins. There are only a few nonessential vitamins. Vitamins B₇ and K are produced by bacteria in the large intestine, and vitamin D is synthesized in the skin when it is exposed to UV light.

Selected Vitamins and Some of Their Functions

Minerals

Minerals are inorganic chemical elements that are necessary for normal body processes and good health. Because they are inorganic and not synthesized biologically, all nutrient minerals are considered essential nutrients.

Several minerals are needed in relatively large quantities (> 150 mg/day), so they are sometimes referred to as macrominerals or bulk minerals. They include:

• calcium, which is needed for bone strength, neutralizing acidity in the digestive tract, and nerve and cell membrane functions. Dairy products are good sources of calcium.
• magnesium, which is needed for strong bones, maintaining pH, processing ATP, and other functions. Green leafy vegetables, bran, and almonds are high in magnesium.
• phosphorus, which is needed for bone strength, energy processing, pH regulation, and phospholipids in cell membranes. Milk and meat are good sources of phosphorus.
• sodium, which is needed to regulate blood volume, blood pressure, water balance, and pH. Most processed foods have added sodium. A salt shaker is another common source of sodium.
• chloride, which is needed for the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and for cell membrane transport. Chloride in table salt and added to processed foods provides plenty of chloride in most diets.
• potassium, which is needed for proper functioning of the heart and nerves, water balance, and pH. Many fruits and vegetables are high in potassium.
• sulfur, which is needed for the synthesis of many proteins. Meat and fish are good sources of sulfur.

Other minerals are needed in much smaller quantities (≤150 mg/day), so they are often referred to as trace minerals. The table below lists several trace minerals and some of their functions. Good dietary sources of trace minerals include whole grains, seafood, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.

Selected Trace Minerals and Some of Their Functions

Phytochemicals

The naturally occurring, disease- and pest-fighting plant chemicals known as phytochemicals are commonly consumed in plant foods, particularly fresh vegetables and fruits. Besides fighting attacks on plants, many phytochemicals give plants their distinctive colors and characteristic flavors and aromas. Phytochemicals are the reason that blueberries are blue (see photo below), for example, and that garlic has its characteristically strong, pungent taste and smell. There are known to be as many as 4,000 different phytochemicals in plants. Preliminary evidence suggests that certain phytochemicals in the diet help protect human health. For example, some phytochemicals may act as antioxidants that counter cancer-causing free radicals. Research on phytochemicals is still relatively young, so time will tell whether they will eventually be classified as micronutrients.

Healthy Eating

The following has been excerpted and adapted from "Human Biology Butte 17-18" by CK-12 licensed CC BY-NC 3.0:

Healthy Eating

Balancing Act

If you practice yoga, then you know that yoga positions such as the headstand demonstrated here can help you develop good balance. Having good balance, in turn, can reduce your risk of falls and injuries. Another kind of balance is important to ensure that you have good health and prevent disease, and that kind of balance is balance in your diet. Achieving dietary balance requires healthy eating.

Benefits of Healthy Eating

It sounds like something a snake-oil salesman would say, but it’s true: healthy eating is a panacea for many human ailments. A healthy diet reduces risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer. Not surprisingly, it also extends the length of life. In fact, an unhealthy diet is one of the leading preventable causes of death. A healthy diet also has mental health benefits. It may stall or reduce the risk of dementia and have a positive effect on memory.

Diet and Nutrition

If you adopt healthy eating habits and get enough exercise, you are likely to have good nutrition. Nutrition is the process of taking in nutrients in food and using them for growth, metabolism, and repair. Good nutrition requires eating foods rich in nutrients with the right amount of food energy (Calories) to balance energy use.

Nutrient Balance and Nutrient Density

Eating a wide range of foods, especially fruits and vegetables, is the basis of healthy eating. This helps ensure that you are eating a wide range of nutrients. However, there is only a limited amount of food you can eat in a single day without consuming too many Calories. In order to maximize the amount of nutrients you take in, you need to spend your “Calorie budget” wisely by choosing foods that have high nutrient density. Nutrient density refers to how much of a given nutrient is provided by a particular food, relative to the mass of the food or the amount of Calories it provides. Consider vitamin K as an example. The recommended daily value of vitamin K for adults is 90 µg. Both kale and iceberg lettuce provide vitamin K. A cup of iceberg lettuce provides about 50 µg vitamin K; a cup of kale provides more than 1000 µg of vitamin K. Therefore, kale has about 20 times the nutrient density for vitamin K as lettuce.

Energy Homeostasis and Energy Density

Good nutrition also requires achieving energy homeostasis. Energy homeostasis is a balance between the energy consumed in food and the energy expended in metabolism and physical activity. If more energy is taken in as food than is used for metabolism and activity, then the extra energy is stored as fat. An extra 3,500 Calories of food energy results in the storage of almost half a kilogram (1 lb) of body fat. If less energy is taken in than is used, then stored fat may be used for energy. The human brain, particularly the hypothalamus, plays a central role in regulating energy homeostasis. Based on biochemical signals from the body, the hypothalamus generates a sense of hunger or satiation as needed to maintain energy balance.

Energy homeostasis depends on more than hunger and satiation. It also depends on dietary choices, eating habits, and activity levels. To achieve energy balance, it is important to consider the energy density of food. Energy density refers to the amount of Calories a food provides per gram (or ounce). Foods high in carbohydrates or proteins are generally less energy dense than foods high in lipids. Carbohydrates and proteins provide 4 Calories of energy per gram, whereas lipids provide 9 Calories of energy per gram. However, within nutrient classes, there is considerable variation in the energy density of foods. For example, fruits are high in carbohydrates that the body uses for energy. Both casaba melons and figs are fruits and provide energy, but an ounce of casaba melon provides only about 8 Calories of energy, whereas an ounce of figs provides about 80 Calories of energy. This means that figs have 10 times the energy density of casaba melons.

Malnutrition

Bad nutrition is referred to as malnutrition. The word malnutrition may make you think of starving children in Africa who do not have enough food to eat. This type of malnutrition is called undernutrition, and it is the major nutritional problem in developing countries. Undernutrition is typically caused by inadequate energy intake, often coupled with frequent bouts of infectious disease. It usually results in people being underweight for their height, and it commonly leads to growth failure in children.

Undernutrition is just one type of malnutrition. Excessive food intake can also cause malnutrition, in this case, overnutrition. This is the major nutritional problem in developed countries. Overnutrition is typically caused by excessive energy intake coupled with inadequate energy expenditure in physical activity. Overnutrition usually leads to people becoming overweight or obese (see the photo below). Obesity is associated with a host of health problems and diseases, including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer, among others.

[Figure 3]

Figure: These women are malnourished because they consume more food energy than they expend, resulting in obesity.

Unbalanced nutrition is another type of malnutrition. In this case, the diet contains too much or not enough of specific nutrients other than energy. This type of malnutrition often occurs with undernutrition. However, a person doesn’t have to be undernourished to lack specific nutrients. People with adequate food intake and even people with overnutrition may have unbalanced nutrition. Getting either too much or not enough of particular nutrients may cause diseases or other health problems. For example, inadequate vitamin A intake may cause blindness, whereas too much vitamin A can be toxic. Likewise, dietary calcium deficiency may contribute to osteoporosis, whereas too much calcium can cause kidney stones.

Nutrient Needs

The goal of healthy eating is to take in the proper amount of each nutrient to meet nutrient and energy needs. The FDA identifies the recommended adult daily values (DV) for a wide variety of nutrients, based on a 2,000 Calorie daily diet. The values in the table are average values. The exact amount of each nutrient that a given individual needs may differ, depending on such factors as age and gender. Different stages of adulthood have different nutrient needs for several nutrients, and males have somewhat higher needs for many nutrients than do females at most ages, mainly because of gender differences in body size. Other factors that influence individual nutrient needs include health status and activity level. People in poor health may need some nutrients in greater quantities. People who are very active need to obtain more energy from macronutrients in their diet.

Tips for Healthy Eating

The following tips can help you attain energy homeostasis while meeting your nutrient needs.

• Eat several smaller meals throughout the day rather than a few larger meals. Eating more frequently keeps energy, blood glucose, and insulin levels stable.
• Make healthy food choices. Try to eat whole foods rather than processed foods. Whole foods have more nutrients than processed foods. Raw foods also generally retain more nutrients than cooked foods. Overall, try to eat more plant foods and less animal foods.
• Make healthy grain choices. Try to make at least half your grains whole grains. Choose food items with whole grains listed as a main ingredient. Avoid foods that contain mainly or only processed grains, such as white flour or white rice. Include a variety of grains, such as rice, oats, and wheat.
• Make healthy fruit and vegetable choices. Include a variety of green, yellow, red, and orange fruits and vegetables, like those pictured below. These foods are high in vitamins and phytochemicals. Consume whole fruits instead of juices. Whole fruits are higher in fiber and more filling and may also have less sugar. The highest fiber fruits include plums and prunes.
• Combine amino acids in plant foods. The right combinations, such as beans and rice, make complete proteins with all nine essential amino acids. The two foods do not have to be eaten at the same meal to be used together by the body.
• Limit sugar and salt intake. Fresh foods generally have less of these two nutrients than processed foods. For packaged foods, read nutrition facts labels and choose options that are lower in sodium and sugars. Keep in mind that sugar may come in many forms, including high fructose corn syrup. Put away the salt shaker and sugar bowl so you won’t be tempted to add extra sodium or sugar at the table.
• Limit saturated fats. Eat more fish and legumes and less red meat. Use nut and vegetable oils instead of butter or other fats derived from animals.
• Always check for trans fats on nutrition facts labels. Try to avoid these harmful artificial fats completely.
• Increase omega-3 fatty acids. Foods that contain these essential fatty acids include salmon, walnuts, flax seeds, and canola oil.
• Stay hydrated. Eat foods high in water, such as fruits and vegetables. Also try to drink 2 liters (about 8 cups) of fluids each day. Choose water or unsweetened beverages such as tea or coffee instead of sweetened beverages. Sweetened drinks such as soft drinks contain no nutrients except sugar. Frequent consumption of sweetened beverages is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
• Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Besides all the other benefits of exercise to human health, such as strong bones and muscles, exercise uses energy that helps to balance the Calories in food.

Practicing Mindful Eating

Infographic included under free use from Mindful.Org's "6 Ways to Practice Mindful Eating"

The following has been adapted and excerpted from the Canada's Food Guide pages "Be mindful of your eating habits" and "Take time to eat" under fair use:

Benefits of being mindful of your eating habits

Being mindful of your eating habits means being aware of:

• how you eat
• why you eat
• what you eat
• when you eat
• where you eat
• how much you eat

Being mindful can help you:

• make healthier choices more often
• make positive changes to routine eating behaviours
• be more conscious of the food you eat and your eating habits
• create a sense of awareness around your every day eating decisions
• reconnect to the eating experience by creating an awareness of your:
  • feelings
  • thoughts
  • emotions
  • behaviours

How to be mindful of your eating habits

Use these ideas to help you be mindful of your eating habits.

Create a healthy eating environment

Your eating environment changes depending on where you live, learn, work and play. Focus your attention on eating and your eating environment.

Regardless of where you are, try to make changes to your surroundings so that the healthy choice is the easy choice.

Use your senses

Being mindful of the foods you eat encourages you to pay attention to the aromas, textures, flavours and taste of food. Pay attention to your likes and dislikes using these senses. This may help connect you to your eating experience and be more conscious of the food you are eating.

Consider your eating habits

Think about the last meal or snack that you had. Can you describe:

• how you ate?
  • did you eat slowly?
  • were you distracted?
  • did you eat with others?
• why you ate?
  • were you hungry?
  • was it offered to you?
• what you ate?
  • what did you have to eat and drink?
• when you ate?
  • what time was it?
  • how long had it been since the last time you ate?
• where you ate?
  • were you in a space meant for eating?
• how much you ate?
  • how much food and drink did you have?

Being able to recall and describe answers to these questions means you were likely being mindful of your eating habits.

Benefits of taking time to eat

Taking time to eat can help you:

• enjoy your food
• focus on your food
• prevent overeating
• enjoy eating with others
• make healthier food choices
• be mindful of your eating habits and choices

With busy lifestyles, it is common:

• to eat quickly
• to eat while distracted or doing other things
• not to set aside time to eat and plan meals

Eating quickly can prevent you from knowing when you are full. Eating while distracted or doing other things, such as watching TV, can increase how much you eat and drink. When distracted, people may eat larger portions or lose track of how much they have already eaten. This can lead to eating more than you need.

Healthy eating habits include taking the time to make food an important part of your life.

How to take time to eat

There are different ways you can take time to eat.

Eat slowly and thoughtfully

Focus on your food while you are eating. To do this:

• notice when you feel full
• don’t rush when eating out
• put your knife and fork down between bites
• eat with others and enjoy the conversation with friends and family
• slow down and allow yourself time to enjoy your food
• chew your food thoroughly to experience all of the:
  • aromas
  • textures
  • flavours and taste

Eat without distractions

Pay attention when you are eating:

• Computers, cell phones and other electronics distract from eating. Make mealtimes “electronic free.”
• Sit down at the table instead of in front of a TV. Focus meals around the food.
• At work, step away from your workstation and eat lunch in the cafeteria or outside with coworkers.

Think about your portions when eating. Eating when you are distracted may increase the likelihood of you eating too much:

• of what you are currently eating
• in future meals and snacks

Set aside time

Plan to make eating an important part of your life. You can do this by:

• setting aside time to focus on your meals and snacks whether you are:
  • at work
  • at home
  • on the go

Resources for Healthy Eating

Resources

Beyond the text you have just read, there are many verified and quality resources available to the public.

Given what you've learned earlier in the course about misinformation around health, knowing how to find and use these verified sources is valuable for you, as well as your friends and family who may have questions.

Nutrition.Gov

Sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, the Nutrition.Gov website offers a plethora of information.

This includes a Questions and Answers page that you may want to bookmark or send to friends and family.

They also offer many other guides:

Basic primer on nutrients in food

Culture and Food

Plant-Based Meals and Eating Vegetarian

Dietary Supplements Information

Information and tips on food preparation and cooking

Lists of local farmer's markets:

SnapED

SNAP-Ed is a free resource connected to the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that provides assistance to citizens (especially children and the elderly) to purchase healthy food.

They offer many resources that you may find helpful:

Eat Right When Money's Tight handout

Guide to Seasonal Produce

Gardening (Growing your own Food)

Spanish Language Materials

As well they link to other easy-to-use resources for eating on a budget, such as Iowa State University's "Spend Smart, Eat Smart" and the "Eating Healthy on a Budget" guide from the state of New York.

There are many misconceptions about SNAP benefits and how they are used. The Snaptohealth.org website hosts a Frequently Asked Questions page that addresses many of these misconceptions.

EatFresh.org

Eatfresh.org is the outreach arm of CalFresh, California's version of SNAP. Their easy-to-navigate website offers extensive information about nutrition and resources for practical, healthy eating:

Discover Foods

Ask A Dietician

Find a Recipe

Summary

Major Points

During today's class, you have learned:

• Six major classes of nutrients - substances the body needs for energy, building materials, and body processes.
  • carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water, vitamins, and minerals
  • Essential nutrients must be obtained from food
  • Nonessential nutrients can be synthesized by the body.
  • Macronutrients - the body needs in relatively large quantities
  • Micronutrients - the body needs in relatively small quantities.
• Phytochemicals and their potential role in maintaining normal body functions and good health.
• Guidelines for healthy eating and good nutrition, and why a healthy diet can reduce the risk of many diseases.
• Being mindful of your eating habits means being aware of:
  • how you eat
  • why you eat
  • what you eat
  • when you eat
  • where you eat
  • how much you eat
• Resources for Reliable Nutrition Information
  • SNAP-Ed Resource Database
  • Nutrition.Gov Questions and Answers
  • EatFresh.org Ask A Dietician