Americans must take better care of their health.  The most important factors in health are, of course, food and nutrition. Nutrition includes foods, vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, which are nourishing substances necessary for good health. Food gives us nutrients that the body needs to produce energy, to build and repair tissues and to regulate body functions and processes. 

When we eat, our bodies digest our food and then assimilate it or break it down into nutrients to be used by the blood.  Food also provides the water and fiber necessary for this process to work efficiently.  The water in food dissolves the nutrients and helps to carry them to body cells. The water and fiber also help carry the waste from our body.

When we do not eat foods with enough nutrients, we suffer from malnutrition. (The prefix mal means bad; therefore, malnutrition means bad nutrition.)  Quite often malnutrition is found in people with plenty of food to eat, but who just make the wrong choices to provide their bodies with the necessary substances to keep their bodies healthy. 

Although many foods are really nourishing, we must remember that no one food gives us every nutrient necessary for good health.  A variety of foods in a balanced, moderate diet, therefore, is necessary to keep our bodies healthy.  Following is a list of nutrients and the foods that supply them:

Carbohydrates are starches and sugars in food that produce energy,   Grains and potatoes are sources of starch.  Sugars can be found in regular table sugar, fruits, milk, candy and other sweets.

Fats are found in eggs, meats, milk, nuts and certain vegetables.  Fats, with carbohydrates, are the major sources of energy.

Proteins also produce energy.  However, proteins are especially good at repairing body tisues.  Proteins are found in animal foods, such as meat, eggs, and dairy products.  Grains, nuts, peanuts, and dried beans and peas are also high in protein.

Minerals - such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium help build strong bones and teeth.  Milk and other dairy products are sources of these minerals.

Today many Americans are becoming more health-conscious, and are concerned that many important nutrients are lost during the processing of food.  This has led to health foods becoming popular.  Health foods include many unprocessed foods, as well as foods grown without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. 

 All the food that we eat comes from plants or from animals that eat plants, and we are lucky here in America to have a lot of so many different kinds of foods.  Our country is so enormous that it has different weather patterns and geographic areas, such as mountains, rivers, lakes, deserts, and plains that are perfect sources for a variety of foods. Let's take advantage of the bounty of America to keep us all healthy.

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