Understanding and Enjoying Food

In this article we want to increase your understanding and appreciation of
foods and the way you eat. Each of the following topics contains basic scientific information, "brain teasers" and thought-provoking questions designed to stimulate your curiosity and encourage you to research more.

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We are all solar powered

Everything that moves or does work requires energy. (That's one of the basic laws of nature which you will learn about in science class). Energy comes in many forms (heat, light, gravity, nuclear, motion, etc.) and changes from one form to another - but essentially is all the same.

Automobiles need gasoline and computers need electricity. So, how do we power our bodies and mind? With solar energy, of course. Plants convert the energy of the sun during photosynthesis into chemical energy which is stored in the plant cells. Animals eat plants absorbing their energy. So, when we're eating a burger or munch on a fruit salad or cob of corn, we're taking in the stored sunlight from plants and animals. This energy makes our heart beat, our brain think, our muscles flex, our organs function. Food energy is measured in kilocalories or kilojoule. The body of a young man needs on average 2500 kilocalories per day to function well, a young women needs about 2,000 kilocalories. Children, older people and those who don't move around much require less energy; athletes require more. One of the body's organs using a lot of energy is … your brain. Each simple signal between brain cells requires power, so does each thought and dream. Of course, your muscles need energy all the time, too, especially the heart.

Think about energy for awhile. What is energy? How do we generate energy, distribute and use it in our daily lives? How much energy do you need throughout the day what do we use it for, how does it affect our environment?

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Regions & Specialties

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Understanding Food

Mindful Eating

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Peek into the Milk Carton