If you’re like most kids, you’ve probably heard at least one parent say, “Don’t forget to take your vitamin!” or “Eat your salad — it’s packed with vitamins!” But what exactly are vitamins? Vitamins and minerals are substances that are found in foods we eat. Your body needs them to work properly, so you grow and …
What’s the 5-Second Rule? Almost everyone has dropped some food on the floor and still wanted to eat it. If someone saw you drop it, he or she might have yelled, “5-second rule!” This so-called rule says food is OK to eat if you pick it up in 5 seconds or less. So, Is it …
Ever wonder how your mom or dad puts dinner together with no problem? Or how a chef on TV can make something delicious without getting the food all over the place? If you want to grow up to be a star in the kitchen, start now by learning some basics about cooking. Always get an …
You’re sitting in class and your stomach is starting to rumble. Finally, the bell rings and it’s time for lunch — woo-hoo! After all that time in class, you deserve a chance to head to the cafeteria and sit down, relax, and enjoy the company of your friends over a lunchtime meal. But wait a …
Oh, nuts! They sure can cause you trouble if you’re allergic to them — and a growing number of kids are these days. So what kind of nuts are we talking about? Peanuts, for one, though they aren’t truly a nut. They’re a legume (say: LEH-gyoom), like peas and lentils. A person also could be …
MyPlate Is a Symbol for Healthy Eating MyPlate is the model for healthy eating in the United States. Experts at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agency in charge of nutrition, created the colorful plate to help people remember to: Eat a variety of healthy foods. Eat less of some foods and more …
Did you ever notice how TV commercials for breakfast cereal always mention vitamins and minerals? But when you think of minerals, food isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Aren’t minerals something you find in the earth, like iron and quartz? Well, yes, but small amounts of some minerals are also in foods — for …
What Is Fat? The name fat may make it sound like something you shouldn’t eat. But fat is an important part of a healthy diet. Fat from your diet gives you energy. As a bonus, fat in food helps you feel full, so you don’t eat too much. Some foods, including most fruits and vegetables, have almost …
You’ve probably seen ads for low-carb foods and diets, but kids and adults need carbohydrates (say: kar-bo-HI-draytz). Most foods contain carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into simple sugars — the major source of energy for the body. What Are Carbohydrates? There are two major types of carbohydrates (or carbs) in foods: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates: These …
When people talk about the calories in food, what do they mean? A calorie is a unit of measurement — but it doesn’t measure weight or length. A calorie is a unit of energy. When you hear something contains 100 calories, it’s a way of describing how much energy your body could get from eating …
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