Food, Lovely Food!

By : Lloyd Jennings | 0 Comments | On : February 27, 2013 | Category : Articles, Guest Posts

Food, Lovely Food!

There is no doubt that most people love eating. They love eating gourmet food, home-cooked food, BBQ food and any other food, as long as it is tasty and edible. For some people eating is more than a life necessity. Food can become a hobby and even an obsession. This is the impact and influence that food has on our lives.

Many people, however, do not realise the importance of eating the right foods in the right proportions and that is why there are such huge problems with weight, diabetes, and heart diseases. Using silicone bakeware can help you cook healthier food because the non-stick surface means you do not have to use as much oil or butter (if any) on the bakeware compared to what you normally would. Remember, If you eat too much fat, sugar or any other nutrient in excess, it could cause many problems in your future.

The Five Food Groups

Most people were taught the five food groups at school, but very few paid attention to them. One person commented the other day that Ketchup (Tomato sauce) fell into a food group because it was made of tomatoes. Needless to say, this information is incorrect and could cause many problems for people believing this.

Basically, the five food groups are:

• Fruits. Foods that fall into this category are apples, bananas, oranges, etc. You have to be careful, though, when you are diabetic or on diet. Some of these foods are high in sugar content and may cause complications for you.
• Vegetables. This group is sub-divided into the following groups: dark green vegetables (e.g. broccoli and spinach); beans and peas; starchy vegetables (e.g. potatoes, green peas); red and orange vegetables (e.g. carrots, pumpkin, and tomatoes); other vegetables (e.g. beets, avocado, and onions).
• Grains. Once again, this group is sub-divided into whole grains (e.g. whole-wheat flour, brown rice, and oatmeal) and refined grains (e.g. white flour, white bread, and white rice).
• Protein foods. In this category you will look for meats (e.g. beef, venison, liver); poultry (e.g. chicken, duck, turkey); nuts and seeds (e.g. almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds); seafood (e.g. tuna, catfish, crayfish, crab, clams).
• Dairy products (e.g. milk, yoghurt, ice cream, cheese, calcium-fortified soy milk)

Empty calories

Something to really watch out for are the empty calories in your diet. These are solid fats and added sugars like syrup that are added to your food to make it more tasty and filling. These foods, however, do not contain the necessary nutrients that your body needs and you then find yourself eating more of it, which leads to obesity and other problems in the long run.

Finally, enjoy your food, but make every calorie count.

Receive the latest posts directly to your email - It's free!