Food Is a Human Fuel - Coursework Example

?Introduction Food is something that is necessary to life, but it is not often easy to acquire all the nutrients required for health and longevity. This essay will explore an example of a daily diet and then use this to analyse each of the food groups and discussing possible improvements to the diet. Typical Food Intake Breakfast Porridge made with milk, an apple Snack Cashew nuts Lunch Chicken breast with assorted salad leaves Snack Grapes Dinner Whole meal pasta bake with asparagus, courgette and tomato, served with garlic bread Discussion The diet specified above has both benefits and drawbacks. For example, the current UK Governmental recommendation is for an individual to consume at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day, which an individual following the above diet would have achieved. It is also recommended that the fruit and vegetables consumed are not all the same colour, again something that this diet provides. Fruit and vegetables are one of the major food groups, the others being starch-based (pasta, rice, bread), protein (meat, fish, eggs), dairy (milk, cheese) and foods containing fat and sugar, although all are needed in different proportions (see diagram 1). Eating a variation of foods from these different groups is essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and the inverse is true – less than adequate quantities from these groups could lead to some serious health problems. Fruit and Vegetables As already discussed, the above diet would provide all the essential fruit and vegetable nutrition for the day. However, it is advisable to eat a wide variety within this group, and thus different combinations within this group should be used throughout the week. Starch The diet above includes three portions of starch – the breakfast porridge, the garlic and the whole meal pasta in the evening. It is recommended that starch in the diet should be whole meal and from complex carbohydrates. Consuming whole meal and complex carbohydrates has been proven to keep blood sugar more consistent throughout the day, as well as increasing insulin sensitivity which can help prevent overeating and obesity. We can assume that the garlic bread found in the diet above has less nutritional value than the other two starch portions and as such could be eliminated from the day and replaced to ensure that calorie input is adequate. Protein Protein is especially important in the human diet, because humans cannot synthesize all 21 amino acids and thus must obtain them nutritionally (Zoumbaris, 2009). Nutritional proteins, found in meat products and egg albumin, for example, can be broken down into their constituent amino acids and as a result are important for the conservation of life. During the day specified above, the individual consumed chicken breast for lunch, and many of the vegetables will also contain amino acids. The chicken breast could be easily replaced for a vegetarian diet with an egg or some baked beans – both high in protein content. Dairy Dairy products are particularly important for obtaining calcium, a mineral that regulates muscle contraction and blood clotting, as well as ensuring that teeth and bones are strong. Calcium cannot be synthesized in the body and thus must be obtained nutritionally, thus making dairy products necessary. Contrary to popular belief (and diagram 1) it is not only dairy products that contain calcium and this food group can be replaced in the lactose intolerant by certain types of leafy green vegetables, almonds, sesame seeds or calcium enriched milk alternatives. Calcium is not needed in particularly large quantities and the portion of milk in the porridge mentioned above may be adequate. Fat & Sugar Fat and sugar are needed in smaller amounts than any other food type. Fat comes in two types, saturated and unsaturated, and it is currently recommended that saturated fat is consumed in quantities of less than 30g in adult men, with total fat intake being less than 90g a day. Although an excess of fat can be harmful, it should be noted that some fats are needed for various body mechanisms, such as transporting fat-soluble vitamins such as K, A, D and E through the body. Sugar also comes in two varieties – naturally occurring and added – and is not currently seen as necessary for a healthy diet. The meal above does not contain high levels of fat and sugar, except possibly in the garlic bread. Calories Calories are also important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The recommended daily allowance of calories for the average woman is 2000; the average man, 2500 (NHS, 2011). However, the calorific intake of an individual needs to take into account the basal metabolic rate (BMR, dependent on height and weight) and their lifestyle to provide enough energy for all life processes. Someone very tall with a manual job that exercised for 2 hours a day would need many calories; someone short who worked in an office would need less. Dietary Requirements It is also necessary to note that the above diet would not be suitable for all people. Growing children, for example, need additional amino acids (cysteine, taurine, tyrosine, histidine and arginine) due to the metabolic pathways that supply these not being fully developed. Growing children also need proportionately larger amounts of calcium than adults, as bones require the mineral for healthy growth. Higher dosages of calcium are also recommended to women undergoing the menopause, as this can cause a loss in bone density leading to osteoporosis. Calories are also important. Someone with a sedentary lifestyle would require a lower calorific intake than a training athlete, simply because the input needs to roughly equal the output for weight maintenance. Someone who wanted to build muscle would consume a higher level of protein, as well as an increase in complex carbohydrates to help increase exercise stamina. Additionally, different body types (also known as somatotypes) will have some influence over the daily nutritional needs of the individual. Someone with more muscle will require a higher calorific intake simply to support these muscles. Malnutrition Malnutrition is a serious condition in which an individual is not receiving adequate amounts of calories or the above food groups. Malnutrition can lead to several health problems which are dependent on the nutrient not received, and severe malnutrition can lead to death (Haerens, 2009). It is estimated that in 2010 925 million people were suffering from malnutrition (World Hunger Education Service, 2011), mostly in developing countries. This is particularly problematic as infectious diseases are still rife in such countries and malnutrition puts the individual at a higher risk of contracting such an illness (Zoumbaris, 2009). It would be impossible to describe the consequences of all types of malnutrition in this paper, but there are a few notable ones. Starvation comes from a lack of food energy. A lack of sufficient protein in the diet can lead to kwashiorkor, a disease that is characterized by edema of the feet and a distended abdomen, something that is common in the third world (Forbes, 2011). A lack of iron in the diet can lead to anaemia, due to iron being the principle component of haemoglobin. A lack of vitamin C, as found in citrus fruits, can lead to scurvy, a disease that was common amongst sailors at sea for long periods of time without sufficient fresh fruit. A lack of vitamin D which can result from a low calcium intake can lead to rickets, which causes bowing of the legs as well as dental problems, muscle weakness and growth problems (Greer & Gartner, 2007). References Gartner, LM, and FR Greer. "Prevention of rickets and vitamin D deficiency: new guidelines for vitamin D intake." Pediatrics 111.4 (2007): 908-10. Print. Haerens, Margaret. Malnutrition . Detroit, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print. "Making a Business of Fighting Child Malnutrition." Forbes [New York City] 8 Apr. 2011: n. pag. http://www.forbes.com/. Web. 9 Apr. 2011 Marlborough School. "Marlborough Primary School template." Marlborough School, Falmouth UK. Web. 2 Apr. 2011. . NHS. "A balanced diet - Live Well - NHS Choices." NHS Choices - Your health, your choices. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. . World Hunger Education Service. "2011 World Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics." World Hunger Notes Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2011. . Zoumbaris, Sharon K.. Nutrition . Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood Press/ABC-CLIO, 2009. Print. Read More