In the Beginning There Was Food - Part 7
Meat and Beans The next category of the Pyramid is meat and beans.
The USDA Food Pyramid describes this group as: "All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group.
Dry beans and peas are part of this group as well as the vegetable group.
" Of course, they recommend choosing meat and poultry items that are as low in fat as possible as well as including fish, nuts and seeds often due to their healthy oil content.
In fact, they recommend that we eat fish, nuts and seeds in place of meat and poultry regularly to get the health benefit.
This group supplies proteins, B vitamins (thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc and magnesium.
We will discuss each of these so that you get a full picture of the health benefit available to you.
Proteins: Proteins are the building blocks for bones, muscle, cartilage, skin and blood as well as building blocks for enzymes, hormones and vitamins.
They are also one of the three nutrients that provide calories.
The other two are fats and carbohydrates.
B Vitamins: The B vitamins in this group have a variety of functions in the body.
They aid in the release of energy, are vitally involved with the nervous system, help in the formation of red blood cells and in the building of tissue.
Vitamin E: This is an antioxidant that helps to protect vitamin A and essential fatty acids from cell oxidation.
Antioxidants prevent the breakdown of body tissue by controlling the activities of "free radicals" that are thought to be a cause of cancer, drug toxicity, certain eye, brain and mental disorders and premature aging.
Iron: Iron carries oxygen in the blood.
Iron deficiency anemia is a common problem in teen girls and women of child-bearing age.
They are encouraged to eat a diet that is rich in "heme-iron" (meats) or eat other non-heme iron containing foods along with a food rich in vitamin C, which can improve absorption of non-heme iron.
Magnesium: This mineral is responsible for aiding in the release of energy from muscles and building bones.
Zinc: Zinc is necessary for biochemical reactions and helps the immune system function properly.
In our next post, we'll talk about the health implications of the meat group -- specifically in terms of cholesterol.
Come back and join us in a few days for the rest of the meat and bean story.
The USDA Food Pyramid describes this group as: "All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group.
Dry beans and peas are part of this group as well as the vegetable group.
" Of course, they recommend choosing meat and poultry items that are as low in fat as possible as well as including fish, nuts and seeds often due to their healthy oil content.
In fact, they recommend that we eat fish, nuts and seeds in place of meat and poultry regularly to get the health benefit.
This group supplies proteins, B vitamins (thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc and magnesium.
We will discuss each of these so that you get a full picture of the health benefit available to you.
Proteins: Proteins are the building blocks for bones, muscle, cartilage, skin and blood as well as building blocks for enzymes, hormones and vitamins.
They are also one of the three nutrients that provide calories.
The other two are fats and carbohydrates.
B Vitamins: The B vitamins in this group have a variety of functions in the body.
They aid in the release of energy, are vitally involved with the nervous system, help in the formation of red blood cells and in the building of tissue.
Vitamin E: This is an antioxidant that helps to protect vitamin A and essential fatty acids from cell oxidation.
Antioxidants prevent the breakdown of body tissue by controlling the activities of "free radicals" that are thought to be a cause of cancer, drug toxicity, certain eye, brain and mental disorders and premature aging.
Iron: Iron carries oxygen in the blood.
Iron deficiency anemia is a common problem in teen girls and women of child-bearing age.
They are encouraged to eat a diet that is rich in "heme-iron" (meats) or eat other non-heme iron containing foods along with a food rich in vitamin C, which can improve absorption of non-heme iron.
Magnesium: This mineral is responsible for aiding in the release of energy from muscles and building bones.
Zinc: Zinc is necessary for biochemical reactions and helps the immune system function properly.
In our next post, we'll talk about the health implications of the meat group -- specifically in terms of cholesterol.
Come back and join us in a few days for the rest of the meat and bean story.
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