Lecture#1

Food
Any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plant absorbs in order to
maintain life and growth.
OR
Edible or potable/drinkable substance (usually of animal or plant origin) that consists of
nutritive components such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, essential mineral and vitamins, which
(when ingested and assimilated/absorbed through digestion) sustains life, generates energy and
provides growth, maintenance and health of the body.

Nutrient
A substance that provides nourishment that is essential for the maintenance of life and growth.
i.e carbohydrate, protein fats etc.
OR
A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an
organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment.
Nutrition:
Nutrition is the study of nutrients in food, how the body use them, and their relationship between
diet, health and disease. or
nutrition is basically biological process in human animals and plants involiving the intake of
nutrient and their subsequent assimilation into tissues.

Human nutrition:
Human nutrition deals with the provision of essential nutrients in food that are necessary to
support human life and good health.

Diet
The kinds of food that a person, animal or community habitually eats.
Balanced Diet
A diet that contains adequate amounts of all the necessary nutrients required for healthy growth
and activity.
OR
A balanced diet means getting the right types and amounts of foods and drinks to supply
nutrition and energy for maintaining body cells, tissues and organs and for supporting normal
growth and development.

Meal Planning
Meal planning is the act of advanced planning of the menu for different situations such as for a
family or a restaurant. It is important to consider the dietary needs of the people one is preparing
for.
OR
Meal planning is the idea of planning out your menu for the day, week, or month. Many people
keep notebooks or calendars with their 3 main meals each day written out. They do their grocery
shopping according to their meal plan. This is said to not only save on money for your budget,
but to be a healthier way of eating.

Food Group

A food group is a collection of food that share similar nutritional properties or biological
classification. There are various food groups that we need to eat every day to stay healthy.

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta

Grain products like bread, cereal, rice and pasta are good for us because they are important
sources of carbohydrates, fibers, vitamins and minerals. Many people think that starchy food like
bread, rice and pasta are fattening, indeed they are not until one can add fats like margarine, oil
and mayonnaise to them (i.e. extra calories).
Fat, Oil and Sweets

Fat, oil and sweets give us calories. Fat and oil like salad dressings, mayonnaise, butter,
margarine and lard tend to be high in calories. Sweets like candy, soft drinks, syrups, jams, and
jellies are made mostly of sugars and have fewer vitamins or minerals, so are known as "empty
calorie" food. Fat, oil and sweets can add flavor and variety to our diets.

Fruits

Fruits are important sources of vitamins and carbohydrates like fiber and sugar. They are low in
calories and naturally sweet. Fruits and their juices are good sources of water, too. Different
fruits contain different vitamins, so it is important to eat a variety of fruits. Mangoes, papayas,
melons and citrus fruits are high in vitamin C while apricots, peaches, and nectarines are sources
of vitamin A. Whole fruits like apples and grapes contain more fiber than their juice and sauces.
Dried fruits like figs, prunes and raisins are also a good source of fiber. Canned fruits packed in
syrup have a lot of added sugar, which are high in calories than fresh fruits.

Vegetables
Vegetables are a source of important vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. Various vegetables have
different amounts of vitamins and minerals so it is important to eat a variety of vegetables in our daily
routine. For example cabbages, peppers and chilies are rich sources of vitamin C, carrots and green
vegetable carrots and green vegetables are high in vitamin A while broccoli and spinach are high in
calcium and iron. Fresh vegetables are naturally low in fat, calories and sodium. Extra fat and calories
can come from cooking or other types of processing.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts

Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts are important sources of protein, iron, zinc, and B
vitamins. This group includes plant foods and animal foods. Some meats and meat products are
high in fat like beef and mutton. We can trim fat from meat before cooking and eating because
consumption of high amounts of fat is not healthy.
Because eggs are a good source of iron and protein, they are counted as a meat serving. Most of
the fat in eggs is found in the yolk. When you use the egg whites, you can cut the fat and keep
the protein and vitamins you need.

Plant foods like lentils, black-eyed peas, chick peas and other dried beans and peas are
inexpensive sources of protein. Unlike meat, beans are low in fat and high in fiber. Nuts and nut
butters like peanuts and peanut butter are good sources of protein and iron; but have high
amounts of oil.

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese

Milk and milk products are the best sources of calcium. They also provide us with vitamin A,
protein and phosphorus. Fortified milk has vitamin D added to it. The food in this group are
important because all of the nutrients work together to keep our bones strong and healthy. It may
be difficult to get enough calcium unless we include milk or milk products in our diet. Some
milk products like ice cream, cheese, whole milk and foods made from whole milk are high in
fat. We can choose low-fat or skim milk products, like low-fat yogurt, skim milk and low-fat
cheeses to keep the fat low in our diet.