IES RIBERA DE CASTILLA (Prof. Héctor Buiza) PHYSICAL EDUCATION / 4 ESO 2nd Term

1

NUTRITION

Childhood and adolescence are fundamental stages for the acquisition and development of diet/related habits.

These habits will determinate your nutritional health. If these habits are correct, they will ensure that you stay

healthy in adulthood.

It’s very important to learn how to eat healthily in order to optimally develop both mentally and physically. But

eating healthily will also help you to avoid possible risk factors for certain problems that are common in adults

and that play a key role in your general health, like being overweight or obese.

After the end of the 1960s, new food industries came onto the market which, in conjunction with improved

modes of transport and better means of preserving foods, made life a lot easier in a lot of ways. But they also

began to change our nutritional habits without us even noticing. Fast food, prepared foods and an excess of fat

are some of the things that were introduced into our diet starting in the 1970s.

DIET During adolescence

Our lives are made up of different stages of growth and development. An adult’s nutritional needs are different

from those of a child or teenager. Every stage in life has its own characteristics.

At adolescence, you are in a period of significant growth, when you are beginning to develop sexual

characteristics. Adolescence is a period full of doubts, fears, fatigue and a lack of concentration. Your body is

subjected to organic stress and physical, psychological and social changes. So you require a good nutrition and

more energy.

Daily caloric intake

Your body needs energy to work-out. Food provides nourishment to the body and enables it to stay fit and

healthy. You get this energy when nutrients that are in food you eat are digested.

The energy you need is measured in kilocalories (amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of

1 kilogram of water by 1 °C).

The caloric requirement of adolescents is higher than that of adults.

The daily caloric intake of an adolescent should be between 2500 and 3000 kilocalories, while an adult person

needs around 2000. The required daily caloric intake of each person depends on body size and the amount of

exercise he o she does.

So… in adolescence, it is more important than ever what you eat is nutritionally balance (caloric input and

output).

You burn calories just to being alive.

Curiously, you spend the highest percentage

of kilocalories when you are resting. Total

calories that your body burns, just for being

alive (to do basic vital functions like

breathing, for example) is called RESTING

ENERGY EXPENDITURE and it is around

1800 kilocalories.

IES RIBERA DE CASTILLA (Prof. Héctor Buiza) PHYSICAL EDUCATION / 4 ESO 2nd Term

2

NUTRIENTS and REQUIRIMENTS.

The food that we eat undergoes many processes, like, first the food is digested, and then it is absorbed into

blood and transported to various parts of the body where it is utilized. The waste products and undigested food

are excreted from the body.

NUTRITION is the process by which food is taken in and utilized by the body.

Nourishment and nutrient are not synonyms.

Nourishment is the food that we eat and nutrients are the chemical substances present in food and are

responsible for nourishing the body.

There are two types of nutrients: Macronutrients and Micronutrients.

Both are essential for good health because each nutrient plays a significant role in the body. Macronutrients are

present in large quantities in foods and are also required in large amounts by the body (grams). Carbohydrates,

proteins and fats are macronutrients.

Micronutrients are present in short quantities in food but are essentially required by our body (in a very small

quantity, milligrams or even less). They do not give us calories but they are essentials in many human body

chemical reactions

The Nutrients that provide the highest amount of energy are carbohydrates. They provide around 4 kcal per gram.

There are two very different types of carbohydrates: Simples or sugars and Complex.

1./ Complex are much better to our health because they provide energy gradually and they maintain constant blood glucose levels. So you do not feel hungry if you

eat whole grains food each 3/4 hours (whole grains bread, cereals rice and pasta has a big quantity of complex carbohydrates).

2./ Simples or Sugars. They provide energy very fast and they do not maintain constant blood glucose levels. So after 1/2 hours after eat food rich in sugars you are

going to be hungry. They are not very good for a meal planning. If you eat a big quantity of sugars you will have an overweight problem.

Sweet drinks (like Coke, Monster or manufactured fruits juices), candies, pastries or not whole grain cereals have lots of sugar.

Despite their horrible fame, fat are an essential part of our diet and is important for good health. We have to take care about eating

food rich in facts because they provide around 9 kcal per gram.

There are different types of fats, with some fats being healthier than others. But in large amounts, all fats, including healthy fats, can contribute

to weight gain.

We find three types of facts: Satured fats, unsatured fats and Trans fats. And there are huge differences between one and the others.

1./ Satured Fats.- Eating big amounts of saturated fat is linked with an increased risk of heart disease and high blood cholesterol levels. These fats are usually solid at room temperature and are found in:

*.- Animal-based products: butter, cream, cheese, meat (especially processed meats like salami)

*- Many manufactured and packaged foods: Fatty snack foods (such as potato chips, savory crackers), deep fried and high fat take away foods (such as hot chips, pizza, hamburgers), Cakes and high fat muffins, Pastries and pies (including quiche, tarts, sausage rolls, pasties, croissants), Sweet and savory biscuits.

2./ Trans Fats.- They have been processed and as a result, behave like saturated fats. Eating trans fats increases the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol and decreases the levels of ‘good’ cholesterol in the body which is a major risk factor for heart disease. It is important to lower the amounts of trans fats you eat to help you stay healthy.

Trans fats are found in many packaged foods and also in butter and some margarines.

3./ Unsatured Fats.- Unsaturated fats are an important part of a healthy diet. These fats help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels (among other health benefits) when they replace saturated fats in the diet. There are two main types of unsaturated fats:

*.- Polyunsaturated fats: Basically we talk about omega-3 fats (which are found in fish) and omega-6 fats (which are found in olive oils).

*.- Monounsaturated fats: Found in olive and canola oil, avocados and some nuts, such as cashews and almonds

It is great for health to replace saturated and trans fats with mono and polyunsaturated fats.

The main building nutrients are proteins. This nutrient is very important for growth and replacing the parts of your body that constantly renew

themselves, like your skin and hair. Proteins are just as important, or even more, for your brain. Not eating proteins damages your intellectual capacity.

Furthermore, proteins make up the enzymes that power many chemical reactions and the hemoglobin that carries oxygen in your blood.

OMS recommends that adults get between 1 and 1,5 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. Proteins are essential but consuming more than

enough protein is an unhealthy habit because you overload kidneys and liver functions.

Protein comes usually to animal-based foods: Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) and a variety of seafood (fish, crustaceans, mollusks) are your best bet. Eggs can be a good choice, too. But this kind of food (and they way we cook them) has another not unhealthy nutrients (like unsatured fats). So it’s a very good idea try to get protein from plants when it’s possible. Eating legumes (beans, lentils and peas), nuts, seeds, whole grains, and other plant-based sources of protein is a win for your health and the health of the planet. If most of your protein comes from plants, make sure that you mix up your sources so no “essential” components of protein are missing.

So :

Vitamins are organic compounds that are needed in small quantities to sustain life. Body cannot produce enough of and which it needs to get from

food. All vitamins that we need come from food. All vitamins are required in order to grow properly. They are essentials for good vision, to fight off infections… They

make sure all of your body’s functions work correctly.

During adolescence you need vitamins more than ever, but normally and unfortunately teenagers are eating less and less these days. At your age it is not uncommon to

systematically reject fruit, salads and vegetables. The symptoms of vitamin C deficiency are bleeding gums and the appearance of bruising on the nose.

Basically, there are two big groups of vitamins:

Fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble. These are easier to and they can stay in the body as reserves for days, and sometimes months.

Water-soluble vitamins. Vitamin C and all the B group, are water-soluble vitamins and they do not stay in the body for long. The body cannot store them, and they are soon excreted in urine. Because of this, water-soluble vitamins need to be replaced more often than fat-soluble ones.

To get enough quantity of vitamins you need to eat at least 3 portions of fruits. Fruit is abundant in vitamins and minerals. Most fruits are low in energy (kilocalories) and

high in fiber and water, making you feels fuller. This reduces the risk of over eating which can cause weight gain. The fiber in fruit is also thought to reduce the risk of

some cancers, including colorectal cancer.

Minerals inorganic compounds are needed in a very small (but very important) quantity. They have crucial functions on our organism.

Calcium (Milk, cheese, squid, prawns, almonds, and broccoli) is vital for our bones.

Magnesium (beans, bananas, beans, spinach) is essential for our joints, for example.

Iron (beans, lentils, oysters, eggs, sardines…) is also very important especially for girls who need to eat more food riches in iron (and vitamin C) to recover from the

menstruations (and feel stronger again).

Iodine (seaweed, seafood). At this stage of hormonal maturation, your diet needs high levels of iodine.

It’s common to hear that water is essential for your health. And it’s true. Water makes up a majority of your body weight. This substance has no calories and it is involved in many important functions, including flushing out waste from your body, regulating body temperature and helping your brain function.

Drink water (not sugar beverages) even when you are not thirsty. You should consume between 2 and 3 liters of water a day, a lot of which will come from food you eat (especially fruits). Remember that drinking water is a key point during physical activities.

is very important for our digestive health and regular bowel movements. Fiber also helps you feel fuller for longer, can improve cholesterol and

blood sugar levels and can assist in preventing some diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and bowel cancer. To eat enough quantity of fiber you should eat fruits,

vegetables and whole grains cereals.

IES RIBERA DE CASTILLA (Prof. Héctor Buiza) PHYSICAL EDUCATION / 4 ESO 2nd Term

7

Required nutrients.

Nutrients are substances that your body gets

from eating and they give your body the energy it

needs. There are six major nutrient groups: non

calories (water, vitamins, mineral salts) and

macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

The lack of any one of these nutrients has

negative repercussions on your body’s internal

balance and health. You need a lot of nutrients

to meet the needs of growing body.

A balance diet should have this calorie balance:

- Total kilocalories per day: from 2000 to 2500.

-- Carbohydrates 50%

- Fats 35% (Mainly unsatured fats).

- Proteins 15%

A balanced diet.

*./ You should establish a regular timetable to eat five times a day: breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, afternoon

snack and dinner. You should never go for more than three hours without eating something.

The biggest mistake people make is eating a small breakfast

and a big dinner. Breakfast lets you fill your tank to keep going

for your daily activities, while at night you need to consume

less because you don’t need as much energy while you sleep.

Breakfast should account for 25% of your daily diet. A good

breakfast should include:

- Cereals and grains. They provide carbohydrates which

supply your body with energy. Remember that whole grains

are also a source of fiber.

- Milk or milk derivatives. They contain proteins, calcium and

vitamins.

- Fruits (better than industrial juices). They provide

carbohydrates, water, and a big amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

You should have breakfast at home before school and eat a sandwich, a dairy product or piece of fruit at

mid/morning (avoid eating candies)

Increase your vitamin intake by eating raw foods: add raw vegetables and fruit to every meal. Try to eat at

least five portions of fruits and vegetables per day.

*./ Drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day. Take care not to drink sugar drinks (like coke or energy drinks)

because they incredibly unhealthy (high caloric drinks).

IES RIBERA DE CASTILLA (Prof. Héctor Buiza) PHYSICAL EDUCATION / 4 ESO 2nd Term

8

*./ Never skip a metal. When you get up in the morning it has been 8/9 hours since last time you ate. If you

skip dinner the day before or do not eat breakfast, your biological machine will be running without fuel for 10

or 11 hours in a row. Your body will modify energy consumption patterns (spending less energy to do the

same things) and muscles (not fats) will be used to get energy snack food.

*./ Try to not cook with a lot of fat: Do not overeat fried foods, make stews using a very little fat and dress your

dishes with moderation to avoid consuming too many calories.

*./ If it’s possible eat fish three times a week at least.

*./ Stay away from too much fast food (made with a lot of animal fat) and caloric sauces.

*./ Meat products. Stay away from too much animal-based products, especially processed meats like salami.

Try to eat low-fat cold cuts (chicken or turkey).

*./ Do not drink sweet drinks very often. You should drink water, herbal teas and combine these with a

sugar/free soft drinks from time to time.

*./ Add legumes as a main course. Dinning a big salad dish give you minerals you need.

*./ You should eat five pieces of fruit or vegetables every day.

*./ No snacking between meals (remember 5 meals: breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, afternoon snack and

dinner).

*./ If you do physical activity give to your body the fuel that it needs. Injury and performance are often linked to

diet and rest. Without good nutrients to give you energy, doing sports does not make any sense.

You need a big source of carbohydrates to work-out for a long time. Remember to keep your body well

hydrated (When you are thirsty, it means that the amount or water in your blood has begun to decrease

dangerously. Do not wait to feel thirsty.)