Facts, Answers, and Tips

What is food?

All foods are either a carbohydrate, fat or protein and a satisfying and healthful meal contains all three!

Carbohydrates are any food substance that when broken down become sugars. These sugars are the main source of energy for our bodies and the preferred source of energy for our brains. Foods that contain all or mostly carbohydrates are grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes. The best carbohydrates come from these sources because the molecules are very large and take a long time to digest while providing lots of vitamins and minerals. The slow digestion time raises our blood sugar levels slowly and also maintains our blood sugar level. Refined carbohydrates include table sugar and white flour. These molecules are much smaller and the sugars enter our blood very quickly leading to a rapid rise and fall in our blood sugar. Refined carbohydrates eaten with protein or fiber decrease the rate of how fast the blood sugar rises from the refined carbohydrate. Try eating a piece of cake with a glass of milk or an oatmeal cookie which contains fiber from the oats.

Fats come from animal and plant sources. Animal fats are those found in meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt. Vegetable sources of fats include all vegetable, nut and seed oils and margarine. Fats to avoid are trans fats and saturated fats. These are mostly found in animal sources so pick lean meat and poultry and low-fat milk and cheese to lower your consumption of these types of fats while still getting the vitamins and minerals from these foods. Healthy fats are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Sources of these healthful fats include fish, shellfish, soy products, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. Olive oil and canola oil contains both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil and canola oil can both be used in cooking and canola oil is optimal for baking. Butter and some margarine’s are high in saturated fat and trans fats. There are some margarine spreads that are trans fat free and high in the healthful monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Protein also comes from both animal and plant sources. Eat a wide variety of protein including fish, shellfish, beans, nuts and soy and remember to choose lean meat, poultry and dairy products to limit your consumption of saturated fat while still getting the vitamins from these foods. Plant sources of protein are beans, nuts and soy.

Did you know that if you have the same amount of a carbohydrate, fat or protein that the fat has almost twice as many calories as the carbohydrate or protein? Fats are essential for our health because they make hormones we need and provide us with energy. If we don’t eat certain fats in our diet it becomes very difficult for our bodies to make these hormones. Remember to get your fats from healthful sources such as vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, fish, shellfish and soy products.

What’s the deal with high fructose corn syrup?

High fructose corn syrup comes from the sugar in corn. This sugar consists of a type of sugar called fructose. Food manufacturers add more fructose to the corn syrup to make it sweeter.

When fructose is digested in the body instead of being used directly for energy as other sugars are the fructose goes to and is stored in the liver. Since the fructose cannot be easily used for energy and is stored in the liver it is thought to lead to weight gain because more calories are needed to feel full. High fructose corn syrup is also thought to disturb blood sugar levels leading people to feel irritable and have difficulty concentrating due to the sudden rise and fall in blood sugar levels.

Did you know that a calorie is simply the measurement of the energy that we can get from our food? If the energy we consume from our food is more than the energy our body can use during the day we may gain weight. If we do not consume enough energy or calories from our food for what our body needs to maintain our weight we will lose weight. When we don’t consume enough energy from our food to maintain our weight our body will take stored energy in the form of fat out of our cells and use it to meet our energy requirement whereby we ‘burn calories.’

Tips for picky eaters

Children need to try new fruits and vegetables 8-10 times before it can be decided that the child doesn’t like that food. Most children have difficulty with the texture of a new food in their mouths. Here are a few tips:

• Prepare vegetables differently. Serve vegetables or fruit raw with a special yogurt, vegetable dip, salad dressing or peanut butter. You can also sprinkle cooked vegetables with low-fat cheese.
• Add a small amount of a new vegetable with a vegetable that they already like.
• Try roasting vegetables in the oven at 400 degrees until tender. Prepare vegetables by cutting them into the same size and if roasting different vegetables make sure they are of similar firmness. Drizzle with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. This method is especially good for potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots and squash. When roasting squash add a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon before roasting in the oven.
• Steaming is a good method of preparation for children who like very plain food. Steaming is great for broccoli, carrots, or cauliflower.
• Try sautéing soft vegetables like snow peas, thinly sliced carrots, bean sprouts, or bell peppers in a small amount of soy sauce.
• Sweet vegetables such as cooked carrots and baked sweet potatoes can be drizzled with a bit of honey.
• Try cutting up salad very small so that the texture isn’t as overwhelming.
• Get children involved in cooking, take them grocery shopping or to the farmer’s market and let them pick out a new fruit or vegetable. Depending on their age let them find a recipe or decide how to prepare it.
• Stay relaxed and allow meal times be enjoyable. Children will regulate how much food they need to eat but they do not know what types of foods to eat.
• Eat together as a family whenever possible and set a good example by eating well yourself!

Nutrition Tips for Parents

• The food groups are grains, vegetables, fruits, oils, milk and meat and beans. To meet our nutrient needs for optimal health we should try to consume the largest amount in grains, followed by vegetables, fruit, oils, milk and meat and beans.
• Did you know that the difference between a whole grain and refined grain is the part of the wheat that is used? In regular white flour the outer membrane of the hull is removed. The vitamins, minerals as well as the fiber are contained in the outer hull. In white enriched flour the vitamins and minerals are added back to the flour but the fiber is not. In whole grains the entire hull is used and ground into flour. If you’re new to baking with whole grains try white whole wheat flour or mix in some whole wheat flour with white enriched flour. Eat breads, pastas and rice made with all or part whole wheat flour. There are many varieties to try!
• Make it a goal to eat 3 food groups for meals and 2 food groups for snacks.
  
  Examples for meals are:
  Whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce and a salad
  
  Baked fish, roasted asparagus and brown rice
  
  Sloppy Joes on a whole wheat bun and fruit, go vegetarian by using veggie crumbles instead of ground beef!
  
  Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and warm whole wheat bread
  
  Grilled cheese (use low-fat/2% cheese) on whole wheat bread and tomato soup
  
  
  Examples of snacks that contain 2 food groups are:
  Carrot and celery with peanut butter
  
  Apple and popcorn
  
  Cooking Tip: Use whole corn kernels and pop yourself in the microwave by measuring 1/3 cup popcorn kernels and drizzle 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Place mixture into a brown paper bag, fold down the top well and microwave until you can count 3 seconds between the popping. Season with salt.
• A healthful breakfast includes a carbohydrate (grain, vegetable, or fruit), fat (from low-fat milk, low-fat cheese or lean meat) and protein (also a low-fat milk, low-fat cheese or lean protein.)
  
  Examples of a satisfying and healthful breakfast include:
  Whole grain cereal with 2% or skim milk and a piece of fruit (Note: fat should not be restricted for children under 2 years of age)
  
  Oatmeal with a glass of milk or soymilk and a piece of fruit
  
  Scrambled eggs over left over roasted potatoes and a glass of milk or soymilk
  
  Whole grain waffles with applesauce and a glass of milk or soymilk
  
  Frittata with vegetables and whole grain toast with jam
• Have fun with your food, healthful eating should be fun and satisfying!

Submitted by Elizabeth Tapp; Elizabeth Tapp is a graduate student at Indiana University studying for a Master’s in Nutrition Science. Elizabeth Tapp is not a Registered Dietitian.

Ask the Experts!

Have a question to ask an expert about nutrition and/or exercise? CLICK HERE to send an email to our experts, and they will respond with the answers you need!