TOPIC 7

TOPIC 7: CATEGORIZE FOOD ACCORDING TO ITS NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS.
Food is one of the basic needs of the human being. Every day, we eat a large variety of foods. Have you ever thought about how the foods are categorized? They are classified in different groups depending on different criterions such as: origin, composition, function and so on. What about nutritional benefits? How are the foods classified? In my point of view, there are three basic food groups according to their nutritional benefits: carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. They have different nutritional values and they are equally essential for our health.

The first food group is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are our body’s main source of energy. They come from starches and sugars. Starchy foods are breads, cereals, pasta, corn, beans, peas and potatoes. Sugars are in fruits, honey, and maple sugar. Our body breaks down the carbohydrates in sugars and starches to make a very simple kind of sugar called glucose. Glucose goes into our bloodstream. Our blood carries glucose to our brain and our muscles for energy. Extra glucose gets changed so it can be stored in our liver and fat cells. We can use this stored energy later. So carbohydrates need for everybody.

The second food group is proteins. They help build up the body. Proteins build and repair body tissues, from hair and fingernails to muscles. Proteins also fight infection and carry oxygen from our lung to the rest of our body. We get proteins from food that come from animals such as eggs, milk, meat, fish and poultry. We can also get proteins from plants, such as vegetables, grains, beans. So we need proteins to keep our body strong and healthy.

The last food group is vitamins. They play an important role in our body. Vitamins are chemicals that help our body use carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We need certain vitamins to build blood cells and body chemicals such as hormones. Not getting enough vitamins can cause serious diseases. For example, long ago sailors on long sea voyages did not have fresh food. They suffered from a disease called scurvy. Their gums bled and their teeth fell out. Many sailors died from scurvy. Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C. We can get all the vitamins by eating a wide variety of foods such as fruits, broccoli and other vegetables.

In conclusion, there are three basic food groups according to their nutritional benefits. We should balance these food groups in our daily diet so that we can maintain the normal functioning of the body and lead a healthy life.