Nutrition is a science responsible for the breakdown of food and activities when the body absorbs them. It is an essential part of health and development, which influences several factors on the health of the human body. Furthermore, nutrition is vital because it provides water, fats, fiber, carbohydrates, and minerals, which create a balance (“Food and nutrition”, n.d.). Attaining the right balance of nourishment and nutrition within our diets reduces the risk of developing some health issues and conditions.
Balancing the five assigned food groups as stipulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) contributes to a healthy diet. The five designated food groups are milk, grain, protein food, milk products, fruits, and vegetables. Maintaining a healthy diet requires selecting each of the five groups daily, and the bodily requirement depends on an individual’s energy requirements (“Food and nutrition”, n.d.). Energy requirement differs per person based on physical activities, height, sex, weight, and age. A healthy diet must consist of variety, moderation, nutrient density, balance, adequacy, and calorie control. Adequacy in a diet concerns the ability to provide enough energy and nutrients to meet the needs of an individual (“Food and nutrition”, n.d.). Balancing the correct amount of nutrients required by the body ensures adequacy. The calorie control refers to maintaining the current balance between the amount of energy absorbed and the energy used. It helps in maintaining adequate energy during physical activities and metabolism.
Nutrient density, on the other hand, refers to foods that provide the most nutrients with the least energy level. Comparing food based on nutrition density ensures calorie control and adequacy. Moderation refers to obtaining the right amount of every substance from food, not too little and not too much (Conrad et al., 2018). Finally, variety is the ability to select the right food to consume from a wide selection within the USDA stipulated food groups. These food groups provide a wide range of nutrients and guide people on the right food to the consumer instead of eating similar foods with the same nutrients every day.
Different factors influence an individual food choice, with some being conscious like convenience, economy, and availability. However, food choices based on social interactions are not conscious factors. Many people choose more convenient but cheaper food options (Conrad et al., 2018). For example, college students are more likely to prefer the 50 cent ramen noodles instead of the expensive chicken breast priced at $3. Most people prefer buying the most convenient food that falls within their financial strength. On her way home after a tiresome 12-hour shift, a busy mother is likely to opt for the most convenient and cheapest food to satisfy everyone at home (Liu et al., 2020). The best choice for such a person would be cheap takeout or delivery since she will be tired and unwilling to cook.
Although takeout and deliveries are not recommended, it is the easiest and cheapest option for an exhausted mother. Additionally, healthier food is more expensive than unhealthy food, which is always considered the most convenient option (“Food and nutrition”, n.d.). Social settings such as a get-together at a family, friend, or colleague’s house or a work-provided meal affect our nutrition decisions concerning meals. Other factors that dictate the food we eat are meeting up with friends for drinks or going out for a night date. People eat in such cases because friends and everyone else do so.
Social interaction meals are characterized mainly by social events that dictate food sharing as part of hospitality and traditions of some cultures, especially in the African-American culture. Social gatherings in African American culture emphasize accepting food and drinks shared by a group or provided by a host regardless of whether one is hungry or not. It may be challenging for people on a diet or those trying to limit their level of food intake (Liu et al., 2020). An individual is more likely to eat more food when in a social gathering or on the meeting with friends. Additionally, there is a limited range of food to choose from in social gatherings and cycles, which explains why obesity spreads more in social networks, and weight loss becomes simpler when with a partner.
Adding healthy foods like vegetable and fruits in meals served in social gatherings could overcome the dietary restrictions. Vegetables provide a range of nutrients and some vegetables are known to be important sources of certain nutrients. It is why vegetables are categorized into different groups and subgroups (“Food and nutrition”, n.d.). The red and orange vegetables are known for their richness in vitamin A; the dark-green vegetables provide vitamin B; the starchy vegetables provide carbohydrate energy, and the legumes are rich in protein and iron. Other vegetables fill the remaining gaps with other nutrients and more of the mentioned nutrients.
Additionally, African-American social gatherings should imitate the food patterns stipulated by the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA emphasizes the greater intake of certain food groups to help the body obtain the rare nutrients lacking in most Americans’ diets (“Food and nutrition”, n.d.). These rare nutrients include potassium, vitamin D, dietary fiber, and calcium. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Americans need to consume more seafood, milk products, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The USDA encourages Americans to tale less saturated fat, sodium, and trans fat (“Food and nutrition”, n.d.). Americans should also develop a culture of taking fewer refined grains and beverages and food with added sugar and solid fats.
References
Conrad, Z., Niles, M. T., Neher, D. A., Roy, E. D., Tichenor, N. E., & Jahns, L. (2018).
Relationship between food waste, diet quality, and environmental sustainability. PloS one, 13(4), e0195405. Web.
USDA. Food and nutrition. (n.d.). Web.
Liu, J., Rehm, C. D., Onopa, J., & Mozaffarian, D. (2020). Trends in diet quality among youth in the United States, 1999-2016. Jama, 323(12), 1161-1174.