Healthy Choices of Foods How to pick the right foods!

What Does It Mean By Calories? Remember that calories is a unit of heat that is burned by our bodies to fuel it. All foods can create calories and therefore provide fuel. But if we eat more calories than our body can use, then those calories are stored as fat.

Nutrition Besides calories, our bodies need the proper amounts of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats. Without these nutrients, our bodies won’t work as well as they should.

WHAT HAPPENS? Without good nutrition, we become tired more easily, and we aren’t able to fight off infections as well.

WHERE DOES GOOD NUTRITION COME FROM? Most of the vitamins and mineral that our body needs comes from fruits and vegetables. Good carbs come from whole grain products. We get protein from a variety of plant and animal sources.

EMPTY CALORIES Empty calories are calories that provide fuel, but no real nutrition.

These are the calories that make us fat and unhealthy. These calories come from sugary and fatty foods like candy, soda, and fried foods.

DAILY REFERENCE VALUES DVRs are recommended amounts of energy-producing nutrients. They are based on the number of calories consumed per day. 2,000 calories has been established as the reference for calculating percent Daily Values.

HOW MUCH? The following chart will help you when planning your “healthy” fast food meal.

DAILY REFERENCE VALUES Food Components DVR Fat 65 grams saturated Fatty acids 20 grams cholesterol 300 mg total carbohydrates 300 grams fiber 25 grams sodium 2,400 mg potassium 3,500 mg protein 50 grams