Why A Balanced Diet Is Important To Me

These past 5 weeks have been very interesting. I have learned an incredible amount of new information that is beneficial to my life. Nutrition is very important for every single person. I have learned that there are many types of nutrients and that each one should be included in a well-balanced diet. There are many helpful tools that help us by recommending the number of servings that we should eat every day such as ChooseMyPlate.gov. Food labels should not be ignored as they provide a great deal of information about the food we consume. Our digestive system works on breaking down food into nutrients. The GI tract works with organs such as the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Hormones, enzymes, and bile aids all have specific jobs and aid in digestion. Nutrients are absorbed through the small intestine. Water-soluble nutrients are transported through the circulatory system while fat-soluble nutrients are transported through the lymphatic system. Carbohydrates are the best source of energy as they provide four calories of energy per gram. They are plant-based foods such as grains, fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates are digested in our mouth and intestines. They are used by our body for energy, especially glucose. …show more content…
Most fat is digested in the stomach and small intestine. It is a major source of energy at 9 calories of energy per gram. A well-balanced diet should include 20 to 35 percent of calories from fat. The best sources of fat are unsaturated fats consisting of vegetable oils, soybeans, walnuts, peanut butter, and flaxseeds. We have thousands of unique proteins in our body. They are digested in the stomach and small intestine. Proteins play an important role in our body as they build, repair, and maintain cells. They help fight off infections, and wouldn’t be able to digest our food. They provide 4 calories of energy per gram. Protein is found in meat, fish, poultry, dried beans, peanut butter and