Week 3: Nutrition

Food, yum. Tasty and useful for it is made of:

Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins, Minerals and Water. Food= Energy Energy is measured in Joules or Calories.

Energy is needed for:

Activities
Growth
Repair

Chemical reactions+Metabolism=Metabolic rate - Migh metabolic rate= High rate of reactions

Too much unused energy can lead to Obesity, which can lead to Heart Disease, High Blood pressure, Diabetes, Arthritis.

Too little energy can lead to Malnourishment - Deficiency diseases, reduced resistence to infection and irregular periods.

Nutrients in foods if not in balance can cause harm.
Too much saturated fat
Increases cholesterol, can lead to heart and blood vessel disease.
High Density Lipids is good cholesterol (will reduce plaque formation) Low Density Lipids is bad cholesterol (leads to the formation of plaques). THe balance of LDL-HDL is important and determined by diet and inherited factors. Eating poly and monounsaturated fats can reduce cholesterol.

Too much salt
Can lead to an increase of blood pressure in 30% of population. Processed foods tend to be high in salt and fat.