An Introduction to Healthy Eating and Cooking
Nutrition:
Nutrition is a fairly new science. It is the study of how the body uses food and the part food plays in nourishing (tending, nurturing and encouraging) the body. Nutrients are substances that the body gets from food and that it needs for growth and other body functions. A balanced diet - to be healthy, we should eat a range of different foods to provide sufficient nutrients and in the right quantities to help our bodies to be healthy. People’s nutritional needs vary at different life stages e.g. babies, pregnant women, the elderly and when ill. Chefs can encourage healthy eating by preparing, cooking and presenting foods in ways which make them as nutritious as possible.
Digestion
Most food contains more than one nutrient. Food has to be broken down by the body into individual nutrients ready for use. To benefit from nutrients the body has to digest the food that we eat. Digestion involves breaking down food into a substance from which it can remove the nutrients used by the body for energy or in other bodily functions. The digestive system involves a number of stages starting with the sight, smell, taste or even the thought of food (which activates saliva in the mouth as well as digestive juices which help to break down food). The chef who describes dishes well on the menu, prepares, cooks and presents nutritious food which looks, smells and tastes good will not only help a customer to enjoy a meal, but may help that customer’s health.
Energy:
The body needs energy to stay alive, grow, keep warm and be active. Energy is provided by food and drink. It comes from the fat, carbohydrate, protein and alcohol that they contain. Food and drinks provide different amounts of energy. Energy is normally measured in Joules (J) and/or Calories (cal). Different people need different amounts of energy. Some activities use more energy than others e.g. a sportsperson will use more energy than someone who seldom takes any exercise. To maintain body weight, it is necessary to use up as much energy as you get from food and drink; to lose weight, energy must be greater than your intake. In creating dishes and designing menus chefs need to consider that obesity is a problem today as many people take in more energy than they use.
A healthy diet:
• is based on breads, potatoes, and other cereals. • is rich in fruits and vegetables. • will include moderate amounts of milk and dairy products, meat, fish or meat/milk alternatives. • contains only limited amounts of foods containing fat or sugar. No single food can provide all the essential nutrients that the body needs. It is therefore important to consume a wide variety of foods to provide adequate intakes of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre – all of which are important for health. A chef needs to provide healthy and balanced menus which draw on a variety of foods, particularly when working within areas such as education, health or prison services.