Nutrition
Making Healthy Choices for Healthy Lifestyles
Making Healthy Choices for Healthy Lifestyles
Good nutrition leads to great academic performance
Your body needs healthy fuel to perform, to grow and to ward off illness and disease. Would you feed a million dollar racehorse junk food & soda? Of course not, so think about what you eat...because you are worth far more than a horse!
Good nutrition has a positive and direct impact on your ability to do well in school. When your nutritional needs are met, you have the cognitive energy to learn and achieve. You will be better prepared to learn, more likely to attend school, and are more apt to take advantage of learning opportunities.
Protein – Choose a variety of foods with lean protein
Protein is an indispensable nutrient and can be found throughout every tissue in our body. Protein is a vital source of energy but the most important function of protein is building and repairing tissue. We also need protein for our immune function, proteins transport vitamins and minerals throughout our body.
Grains – Make half of all the grains you eat whole grains
Eating grains, especially whole grains, provides health benefits. Dietary fiber from whole grains, may help reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Grains are important sources of many nutrients, including several B vitamins, magnesium and selenium.
Vegetables - Make at least half of your plate fruits and vegetables
Eating vegetables provides health benefits — people who eat more vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.
Fruits – Make at least half of your plate fruits and vegetables
Eating fruit provides health benefits — people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Fruits provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.
Dairy – Always choose fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
Milk and dairy products are especially important to bone health during school aged years, when bone mass is being built. It provides important sources of calcium, potassium and vitamin D, and help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and help to lower blood pressure in adults.
Got Nutrition Questions?
Got Nutrition Questions?
What foods are healthy? What is the best way to achieve a healthy weight? What are good nutritious snacks that kids actually like?
We asked SuperKids Nutrition Founder, Registered Dietitian, and Creator of the Super Crew ®, Melissa Halas-Liang, MA RD CDE, and her winning team of nutrition and health experts to provide us with the answers to frequently asked nutrition questions that parents and educators demand to know. This team represents a diverse, nationally recognized group of Registered Dietitians and nutrition professionals who specialize in Childhood, School, and Family Nutrition. They provide nutrition resources, services and fun educational activities to help schools and communities to be their best.
SuperKids Nutrition Answers Your Questions on Nutrition, Fitness, and Health
Read more about healthy eating and kids nutrition.
About SuperKidsNutrition:
Melissa Halas-Liang is the founder and Editor in Chief of SuperKidsNutrition.com, a website offering expertise and services from a diverse group of national experts who share a passion and commitment for good nutrition. Her purpose is “to save the world one healthy food at a time™”. Melissa is also the author of the Super Crew children’s books which provide fun reading adventures designed to motivate kids to try fruits and vegetables to become strong, smart and healthy.
Halas-Liang is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with a Masters degree in Nutrition Education and holds a Certificate of training for Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management. Melissa has over 15 years of diverse experience in nutrition management, counseling, clinical trials, teaching, media and writing and currently serves as Co-President of the Los Angeles District of the California Dietetic Association.
SuperKids Nutrition experts provide trusted, evidence-based and reliable nutrition information and resources to help improve the lives of children and their families. It has become an amazing child nutrition resource that provides easy-to-read, credible information for parents and healthcare professionals, as well as engaging tools to educate children on the importance of eating healthy.
Understanding Nutrition Labels
Nutrition Information - Understanding Food Labels
In order to plan a healthy diet, we must know how to read a food label. Food labels show us if a food has a little or a lot of certain nutrients. Look on the side of a product to find the Nutrition Facts title.
You will find the serving size of the food below the nutrition facts title. Similar food products have similar serving sizes. The servings per container are also included to let you compare what you actually eat with the serving size on that product. So remember, if the serving size is 1 cup and you eat 2 cups, then you will need to double the numbers on the label.
% Daily values are listed to give you an idea of how one serving of a product contributes nutritionally to a 2000 calorie diet. Use the % daily values to see if a food has a little or a lot of a nutrient.
The amount of calories in one serving of the product is listed. Only a few nutrients are listed on the Nutrition Facts label-those that relate to today's most important health issues. The label lists total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium because people eat too much of these.
Fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium and iron are listed because people do not eat enough of these everyday. You should try to eat at least 100% of the daily value of each of these everyday.
Fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, total carbohydrate, fiber, sugars, protein, vitamins A and C, calcium and iron are required on the label. Other nutrients may be listed if the company would like to list them.
"The Label Guy" - Click to view an interactive "How to Read Nutrition Label" Lesson Plan
Nutrition Facts
Get the nutrition facts on common foods found in Fruits, Vegetables and Seafood. Learn about the calories, fat and nutrients found in these foods as Percent Daily Values (%DV) based on that found in an 2,000 calorie diet.
What Are Nutrients?
Nutrients are substances found in food that are needed for good health. Your body can't make nutrients, so they must be supplied by food. During digestion, food is broken down into nutrients, which are absorbed into your bloodstream and carried to every cell in your body. More than 40 nutrients in food are classified into six groups: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water. Each nutrient has a specific function and they all work together for your good health.
Carbohydrates - are the body's main source of energy or calories. Carbohydrates are classified in two groups: complex carbohydrates (starches) and sugars. Fiber, which is another carbohydrate, aids digestion and helps fight some diseases but is not a nutrient because it is not digested and absorbed by the body.
Protein - supplies energy and amino acids. Amino acids are building blocks that build, repair, and maintain every cell in your body.
Fats - also supply energy but they have many other functions. Fats transport nutrients and they are a part of many body cells. Fats provide storage and insulation for your body. Carbohydrates and proteins that are not needed for energy are stored as fat.
Vitamins - trigger many different body processes. These compounds are needed in very small amounts in the diet to regulate chemical reactions in the body. Each vitamin has a specific job in your body, so one vitamin can't replace another. Vitamins do not provide energy but they help our bodies use the energy from foods.
Minerals - are like vitamins and are used in the body to promote chemical reactions and form body structures.
Water - is a part of every cell and tissue in the body. Water carries nutrients to cells and removes wastes products. Water is also needed to help regulate body temperature. Water makes up 55-75% of your body weight.
You Can Grow Nutrition At Home!
You Can Grow Nutrition At Home!
Starting a garden is a great way to make nutrition tangible. Food gardening allows you to see, touch, smell and taste "nutrition". A garden is also an excellent way to learn about the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables. Gardens can help you gain a better understanding and appreciation for the environment.
Gardens produce results you that can see, touch and taste. Children are eager to try the "fruits" of their labor. There is nothing like the taste of fresh and flavorful vegetables you have grown yourself!
Eat Your Vegetables! Research in children's food preferences indicates that simple exposure to a food will enhance willingness to try it. Familiarity tends to increase the perception that a food tastes good. Children also like to eat foods eaten by those they admire.
Parents find that children involved in gardening projects are more interested in nutrition and food labels. It is an excellent opportunity to help them understand the importance of eating different colored fruits and vegetables, and how they will help them to stay healthy.
Gardens come in different flavors. There are a lots of ways to start a garden and lots of different kinds of gardens you can start. There are raised bed gardens, greenhouse gardens, garden plots, and even container gardens. Container gardens can be as simple as a single pot, to planters, troughs, or wheel barrels. Plant some flowers too! You don't need much to start a garden!
Great for the family. Gardens are a great way to spend time with your kids and teach them about the importance of planning, preparation & caring for something that will reward them for a job well done.
