Food and nutrition

In the previous presentation we learned that food, together with sleep and physical activity, are the most important actions that children take to grow, develop and stay healthy. We also learned that mealtimes are ideal to consolidate affections, values, behaviors and habits in children.

In this presentation we will learn about the concepts of food, nutrition, nutrients, etc.; essential elements to understand and raise awareness of what it means to have a healthy diet.

Are feeding and nourishing the same thing?

Although both functions are closely related to each other, they are not exactly the same thing. To understand this, let's first look at their concepts and then highlight their differences.

What is nourishment?

Human nutrition comprises the set of actions aimed at taking from the external environment a series of products or substances for nutritional, social or psychological purposes. The act of feeding requires the prior selection and preparation of these products to make them more palatable, digestible or edible.

Therefore, food is any product or substance ingested for nutritional, social or psychological purposes. Let's look at the following examples:

• Milk is a food because it is ingested for nutritional purposes.

• Alcoholic beverages when taken in moderation are considered food because although they do not have a considerable nutritional interest they do have social or psychological interest.

• Chewing gum is not considered a food because it is not ingested.

• Drugs and medicines are not considered foods because they are not ingested for nutritional, cultural or psychological purposes.

Why is water considered a food?

Water can be considered a food because it contains nutrients such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, calcium, sulfur and phosphorus.

What is nutrition?

Nutrition is the set of processes by which our body converts food into simpler substances - called nutrients - so that they can be assimilated by our body. Nutrition comprises the processes of ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation and excretion.

Nutrients or nutrients are the substances contained in food that actively participate in the growth, reproduction and development of life at the cellular level. The following substances are considered nutrients:

• Proteins.

• Carbohydrates.

• Lipids or fats.

• Vitamins.

• Minerals.

To facilitate their study, nutrients are classified into two large groups: macronutrients and micronutrients:

• The macronutrients are the nutrients that the organism needs to consume in great amounts. Proteins, carbohydrates and lipids or fats belong to this group.

• Micronutrients are the nutrients that the body needs to consume in small quantities. Vitamins and minerals belong to this group.

Can water also be considered a nutrient?

Water is not generally classified as a nutrient, but it is an essential component for the functioning of the organism, as it is involved in the performance of numerous vital functions.

Differences between food and nutrition

Eating is a voluntary, conscious action that is closely related to people's customs, religions and individual tastes; that is why it is different in different regions of the planet, cultures, families and individuals.

While nutrition is an involuntary, unconscious process carried out by the organism in a more or less similar way in all human beings.

What is meant by healthy nutrition?

In general, we can say that a healthy diet is one that provides all the nutrients the body needs to maintain the proper functioning of the body, maintain or improve health, reduce the risk of disease and ensure reproduction, gestation, childbirth, lactation, development, maturation and proper growth.

General recommendations for a healthy diet

• Different types of food should be consumed throughout the day, so that the body has a better chance of obtaining the different nutrients it needs.

• Distribute meals throughout the day, paying special attention to breakfast.

• Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and legumes as they are foods that provide many vitamins, minerals and other necessary components for the maintenance of health.

• Include dairy products in the diet, preferably skimmed.

• Preferably consume poultry, rabbit and fish; include red and processed meats in the diet only occasionally.

• Use oils as the main culinary fat and reduce the consumption of animal fats, such as butter, fatty cheeses, fatty meats, etcetera. Do not consume hydrogenated fats.

• Consume sweets, milkshakes, ice cream and other foods containing sugar only occasionally.

• Add little salt to meals.