In the beginning, God had given us the ideal nutrition diet. It was stated in Genesis 1:29 that we, humans are provided with every seed-bearing plant, trees and fruits as our food. After the fall, in Genesis 3:18, God also added the “plants of the field.” Since God created us, He knew what is best for us.

There is comparison between meat eaters, herbivores and humans.  Meat eaters have sharp claws to tear meat, which is obviously absent in herbivores and humans.  Second, carnivores have sharp teeth for tearing while herbivores and humans have molars for grinding.  Moreover, meat eaters have strong acid in the stomach which enables them to digest meat. Herbivores and humans, on the other hand, have twenty times weaker acid in the stomach.  These are just some proofs that humans are clearly not designed to eat meat.

Today, most people are fond of eating flesh or meat. In fact, eating meat takes longer to digest as compared to our original diet. For meat to digest completely, it usually takes around three to four days.  Moreover, meat eaters are prone to various sicknesses and diseases such as cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, diabetes, kidney disorders and heart problems. All of these can decrease the quality of life and thus decrease life expectancy.

Meats are main sources of protein which we all know is needed for our nutrition. But since we are created and designed to eat the original diet, let us not be alarmed that we might not be getting the appropriate nutrients if we do not eat meat. There are certain plant counterparts that can provide us the necessary nutrition.

It was also observed that people who are fond of eating meat may behave more aggressively and are short tempered. Experts say that everything that we eat has bodily effects. What we eat influences our behavior and personalities.

Vegetarians are known as the healthiest people.  Many evidences show that these people are practically healthier and live longer than non-vegetarians.  Their nutrition diet is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin E.   They also have lower risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol level.

People have their own reason why they choose to be a vegetarian.  One reason is they are health conscious; they want to have a healthy lifestyle.  Another reason is because they respect animals that have something to do with animal rights.  Some are vegetarians because of religious reasons.  They believe that we are created with the body designed to eat plant based food.

There are different kinds of vegetarian; lacto, lacto-ovo, pesca and vegans. Their differences lie with what they include in their diet other than fruits and vegetables.

Lacto vegetarians eat dairy products like cheese, but they do not eat eggs.  Lacto-ovo vegetarians also include dairy products, but they do eat eggs.  Pesca vegetarians, on the other hand, eat dairy products, eggs, and they include fish in their diet but not red meat.  Vegans or pure vegetarian do not include any kind of animal products at all. They are considered as the strictest vegetarian.  According to experts, vegans are normally prone to lack in protein, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12.  Normally, their substitutes for protein and calcium are soy foods, beans, legumes, soy milk, tofu, broccoli and cereals.

Studies have shown that the oldest people in the world aged 100+ are mostly vegetarians.  They consume the right foods which provide them the nutrition to live longer. Aged 80+ years old can still climb mountains, joining marathon and road races.  Aged 90 can do walk exercise 1,200 miles a year.  Believe it or not, these people usually have a health of a person 30 years younger than their actual age.

Most of the people want to lose weight.   They want to achieve a certain size that will make them look healthy and fit.  Of course, there are also some people don’t want to lose weight, but to gain weight with the same reason of wanting to look good physically. Actually, it’s easier to gain weight than to lose weight.

We need to eat three meals every day.  Avoid skipping meals.  Choose foods that are calorie-dense foods.

• Breads – they are good sources of carbohydrates.  One slice contains 70 calories.  And then, add fruit spread for a healthy snack.
• Pasta – it contains 220 calories.  Top it with spaghetti sauce, which is rich in lycopene, and shredded cheese for additional calories and calcium.
• Dried fruits – raisins, berries, apricots, and cranberries offer about 200 calories than fresh fruits of these which have about 60 calories and still have a good nutrition.
• Healthy Oils – olive oil which contains monounsaturated fats.  Canola oil with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.  It also makes good cooking oil.  Lastly, extra virgin oil that can add flavor to our pasta, bread and vegetables.
• Avocado – fruit that contains 200 calories and rich in monounsaturated fats, vitamin K, potassium and fiber.
• Nuts and Seeds – almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds are good to add in our diet.  They are rich in polyunsaturated fats.
• Granola – it can be a combination of cereals, nuts and dried fruits.  Granola is a high-calorie food which we can eat during breakfast.
• Fruit Juice – We can get calories and vitamins from 100% fruit juice.  For fruit-flavored drinks, choose one which has high-fructose corn syrup.

It is true that if you keep on eating, you will eventually gain weight. But what we want is to gain weight and at the same time keep us healthy and physically fit. We always need to have the right amount of nutrition for our daily body processes. So, although we need to increase our calorie consumption, it is always wise to choose the appropriate foods for us.

Food pyramid is a nutrition guideline that illustrates the amount of servings that people should eat on each basic food group.  This will help us to control the amount of calories, sugar, fat and cholesterol in our diet.  USDA created this illustration for us to learn how to eat healthy.

At the top of the food pyramid, which should concede the smallest percentage of servings in every meal are the fats and sweets.  These include oils, butter, sugars, candies, mayonnaise, and soda.  We should limit ourselves eating these stuffs.  Eating too many fats and sweets can cause obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Moreover, excessive consumption of this food group is a risk factor for various types of cancer.

Dairy products and proteins are at the second level of the food pyramid.  In this level, it suggests 2 to 3 servings each day.  Dairy products include milk, eggs and cheese. These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium. Proteins, on the other hand, can be found in meat, poultry, fish, legumes and nuts, which are also sources of iron and zinc.

Next level in the pyramid is the fruits which suggest 2 to 4 servings each day and vegetables 3 to 5 servings each day.  Fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.  Also, they are rich in fiber, which is important to maintain the gastrointestinal system.

Foods rich in carbohydrates constitute the last or the base level of the food pyramid. We need 6 to 11 servings of these foods each day as this is the body’s main fuel.

Servings depend on the daily calorie needs of each individual. It depends on his or her body size, age, gender and daily activities. Following the food pyramid ensures us that we are getting the necessary nutrition the body needs to keep it healthy and strong.

Many times we used to feel lethargic and ineffective at our work.  Sometimes we were too slow at our work spot.  It is found that the sluggishness was caused due to the heavy food consumed on those days.  We require nutritious food to enrich our energy. If the food consumed by us makes us to feel lazy then it is necessary to evaluate our food habits.  A well planned and balanced food habits will make us to feel happy, healthy and wealthy.

For the breakfast, it is suggested to avoid overloading the stomach with foods containing carbohydrates. It is recommended not to fill the stomach in the morning itself.  Eggs contain the protein and frits have the fiber; it is found an egg with some slices of bread along with a little quantity of fruits will lasts till lunch hour. As per the availability the fruits it could be changed and the egg could be cooked differently to avoid boredom on the breakfast.

For the lunch it is advised to choose foods having rich carbohydrates.  At the same time it is advised to take only the required quantity.  If our lunch is heavy it will surely make us to feel sluggish and sometimes we may feel tired too.  For lunch salads and sandwich are suitable; a starter with a light soup will make us to feel brisk.

It is advised to avoid coffee for the second time.  So, if we consume coffee at a break time it is suggested to take a cup of tea or a green tea instead of going for a second coffee.  Avoiding the consumption of too much of milk along with coffee and tea will make us to feel brisk.   Now, herbal tea is available in the market taking a cup of herbal tea will increase our work efficiency.

For the dinner make is as light as possible by consuming the required quantity of protein rich foods. Eating fruit salad and vegetable salad will help for a better sleep and a happy morn on the next day. It is advised not fill the stomach full and feel sluggish.

Nutrition is a broad subject about food and nourishment. It also discusses food balance, dietary guidelines, and the functions of these nutrients to keep our bodies healthy.  Every food we eat is composed of different nutrients and substances that maintain bodily processes.

All of us want to have a healthy body.  In order to achieve that, it is essential that we are eating the right foods every day to provide our body the needed nutrition. Though many of us have food preferences, it is important that we always consume a balanced diet.

The food pyramid is a tool developed by the United States Department of Agriculture to educate people about optimum diet. It is a mnemonic pyramid graphic that shows the suggested percentage of the daily food groups. It determines how much food servings of these respective basic food groups that we should eat every day.

There are five main nutrients in food:  carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins.  Each of them has their own functions in the body.

• Carbohydrates. Cereals, breads, rice, crackers and pastas fall into this category. Carbohydrates are made up of sugars, which are metabolized from its complex form, and which is the polysaccharide to its simplest form, the glucose. Glucose is the body’s main source of energy.

• Fats. Dietary fats provide us the necessary fatty acids that help manage body functions. These can be found in dairy products, oils, dressings, butter and eggs.

• Protein. Proteins that are found in meat, eggs, legumes and nuts are broken down into amino acids that are essential in tissue repair. It also maintains our body organs, muscles, blood and bones.

• Minerals and vitamins. These help grow and develop our body. Minerals and vitamins provide protection and boost our immune system keeping us away from sickness and infection. These are found in fruits and vegetables.

Eating a well-balanced diet ensures us that we are getting sufficient energy and nutrition for our optimal growth and development. It prevents us from getting sick and allows us to live a long and quality life.

Obesity is treated at par with epidemic diseases which kills the society to a larger extent.  Obesity is the outcome of eating too much of processed foods.  Our society has learnt the art of cooking and spoiling the real foods.  The real foods contain the required nutrients for our body.  Adding too much of oil and spices on real food spoil the natural elements present in the food.

Even too much of cooking will spoil the real food.  It is instructed to cook the real foods, vegetable and greens with the help of steam. Further it is advised to eat the vegetable, fruits and greens in its original form. The necessary cleaning and pealing are advised to eat the real foods.  A great loss of minerals and vitamins are reported when the real foods are cooked.

Obesity could be avoided and treated by eating real foods as it is. If a person suffering from obesity or excessive weight wants to reduce his weight, a change in his diet will reduce his weight prominently. Real foods are prescribed for those who suffer from obesity.  Eating the real foods in the form of salads is much advised to reduce the weight. Microwave cooking is suggested to make the real foods to an eatable condition if required.

All the seven necessary nutrients are present in the real foods.  Hence, it is suggested not to add salt or sweet on them rather it is suggested to eat them in real condition after proper cleaning. Reducing the weight has become a big problem now.  People buy treadmills and many apparatus in order to reduce weight but it is easily achievable through real food diet.

If anyone take real food, there is no need to spend too much of money on medicines and physical therapy.  It is best to prevent obesity by taking real foods.  If affected by obesity it is better to stop all the processed food and change the diet to real food.  All protein, fat and required carbohydrates are present in real food along with the much required fiber.

Amino acids are very much required for humans.  It is a fact that meat like chicken and other edible animal flesh contains the important amino acids wanted for humans.  The human body needs amino acids for producing new proteins which is otherwise called ‘protein retention’.  Amino acids are helpful for the maintenance of proteins that is to replace the damaged proteins. For the above reasons it is believed that consuming meat will maintain the protein requirement for human body.

To the shock and surprise of the meat lovers a recent study report on meat consumption has been released.  A study was conducted among the believers of two religious groups in China.  One group of people was very fond of eating meats and sea foods.  Other religious group believed in eating vegetarian foods and they strictly followed eating only vegetables, fruits and greens.

When analyzed the overall health of the two religious groups to the shock of the meat lovers it is found that the people who followed strict vegetarian foods were found hale and healthy.  It is a real shock to the dietitians and it is found that the combination of rice and beans contains the required proteins and amino acids for human body.

The above study further reveals that the meat consumption leads to excess storage of amino acids.  Normally, the excess production of amino acids will be discarded in urine but the digestive system is limited when there is much consumption of meat.  The extra or unwanted production of amino acids leads to many complications starting from obesity.  Obesity leads to the unwanted blood pressure due to excess protein and fat content in the blood vessels.

The physicians are advising their patients to take more vegetables and fruits. It is found the vegetarian food lovers seem to be more active than the meat lovers. Further it is advised to restrict or reduce the consumption of meat after the age of forty.  The above study has raised a question in the minds of meat lovers on the necessity of meat for maintaining the protein level, the answer by the researchers are a strong no to the question

It is observed that human body mainly contains water.  Apart from fat masses seventy percentage of our body mass is formed of water.  Human body requires water on daily basis for the proper functioning of all organs.   Along with water we consume the necessary salts and minerals require for our body.  Water is one among the main nutrients required for our body.

It has been researched a lot on the quantity of water required daily for humans.  Some experts state that the human body requires eight to ten glasses of water every day.  The research further recommends one milliliter of water for the intake of every one calorie of foodstuff.  Another study recommends an average of 3 liters to women and 4 liters to men.  Water is an important nutrient in our diet. It is useful for the elimination of food waste in our body. Further, water regulates the temperature of our body and helps for easy digestion.

It is strongly believed that the dosage or the quantity of water required is basically depend on the work performed by a person, the climatic condition of the place where he lives and his body condition.  If the kidneys are healthy and if they function properly the water intake would be less.  If the climatic condition is chill the water intake will become small automatically.  Hence, the water intake will vary for person to person according to their physical work, their topography and their health.

Our body has a natural alarm.  When we feel thirsty is necessary to take enough amount of water to avoid dehydration. Taking excess amount of water also leads to the loss of two percentage of body mass.  So, as per the requirement of our body condition we have to drink sufficient water required for our body.  Also, it is wise to check the quality of water that we drink.  If the salt and mineral level is good and correct in proportion in the water that we drink, definitely that water will nourish our body well.

Good nutrition is necessary for our growing children. Without proper nutrition and proper guidance, children tend to make inappropriate choices and this includes food choices. We should remember that the food choices now will affect their health when they grow old. Having a health guide in choosing the right nutrients helps you in helping shape your children’s food choices. It is a reminder for us parents that we should be monitoring our children’s health carefully. It is very important that we check the nutritional contents of the food we give to our growing children.

It is also important that we watch our children’s diet and see that it contains proper nutrients needed by the body. There are many health problems that scare and threaten us in our modern world. We have different sources of scary health problems. We have preservatives in process food, pollution in the water system, the toxins in the air, and more.  As a mom, I want to raise a child in this environment. I share the same beliefs and values with my friends, among them are living a clean and healthy life. We try to give the right food for our children. We switched to whole grain and bought everything fresh and organic. I gave them fresh fruits and vegetables. As a hands-on mom, I make sure that I can give the child proper nutrition and healthy environment.

One of the most important ways to ensure a healthy diet is by checking the label of items we bought in the grocery. We should spend time reading all the ingredients listed. I often watch for the sugar contents of the food we eat. Studies show that teenage boys eat over a cup of sugar a day; excess of this is bad for the health. It would lead to children falling or staying asleep, difficulty in concentration, frequent headaches and being hyperactive. Added sugar can be taking the place of other nutrients and can be gained from fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.

We should explain to the children that too much sweet is bad for the health. This may lead to cavities, obesity and heart diseases.  Always remember that anything eaten in excess is bad for the health.