What you must know….

Nutrition: the science of foods and the nutrients and other substances they contain, and of their ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism, interaction, storage, and excretion. A broader definition includes the study of the environment and of human behavior as it relates to these processes.
Cultural competence: an awareness and acceptance of one’s own and others’ cultures, combined with the skills needed to interact effectively with people of diverse cultures.
Bioactive food components: compounds in foods (either nutrients or phytochemicals) that alter physiological processes in
the body.
Phytochemicals: compounds in plants that confer color, taste, and other characteristics. Some phytochemicals are bioactive food components in functional foods. Nutrition in Practice 8 provides details.
Foodways: the eating habits and culinary practices of a people, region, or historical period.

Sound nutrition throughout life does not ensure good health and long life, but it can certainly help to tip the balance in their favor. Nevertheless, most people choose foods for reasons other than their nourishing value. Even people who claim to choose foods primarily for the sake of health or nutrition will admit that other factors also influence their food choices. Because food choices become an integral part of their lifestyles, people sometimes find it difficult to change their eating habits. Health care professionals who help clients make diet changes must understand the dynamics of food choices, because people will alter their eating habits only if their preferences are honored. Developing cultural competence is an important aspect of honoring individual preferences, especially for health care professionals who help clients to achieve a nutritious diet.

Why do people like certain foods?

One reason, of course, is their preference for certain tastes. Some tastes are widely liked, such as the sweetness of sugar and the savoriness of salt
. Research suggests that genetics influence people’s taste preferences, a finding that may eventually have implications for clinical nutrition.
For example, sensitivity to bitter taste is an inheritable trait. People born with great sensitivity to bitter tastes tend to avoid foods with bitter flavors such as broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, spinach, and grapefruit juice. These foods, as well as many other fruits and vegetables, contain. bioactive food components—phytochemicals and nutrients—that may reduce the risk of cancer. Thus, the role that genetics may play in food selection is gaining importance in cancer research
. Nutrition in Practice 8 addresses phytochemicals and their role in disease prevention

Where ever you belong…

Every country, and every region of a country, has its own typical foods and ways of combining them into meals. The foodways of North America reflect the many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds of its inhabitants. Many foods with foreign origins are familiar items on North American menus: tacos, egg rolls, lasagna, sushi, and gyros, to name a few. Still others, such as spaghetti and croissants, are almost staples in the “American diet.” North American regional cuisines like Cajun and TexMex blend the traditions of several cultures.

Very Important to remember:

❚Foods provide nutrients—substances that support the growth, maintenance, and repair of the body’s tissues.
❚The six classes of nutrients are water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
❚Vitamins, minerals, and water do not yield energy; instead they facilitate a variety of activities in the body.
❚Foods rich in the energy-yielding nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) provide the major materials for building the body’s tissues and yield energy the body can use or store.
❚Energy is measured in kcalories.

Coordinating Nutrition Survey Data
The National Nutrition Monitoring program coordinates the many nutrition-related activities of various federal agencies. All major reports that examine the contribution of diet and nutrition status to the health of the people of the United States depend on information collected and coordinated by this national program. A national food and nutrient intake survey, called What We Eat in America, collects data on the kinds and amounts of foods people eat. Researchers then calculate the energy and nutrients in the foods and compare the amounts consumed with standards such as the DRI. What We Eat in America is conducted as part of a larger research effort, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), which examine the people themselves using nutrition assessment methods. The data provide valuable information on several nutrition-related conditions such as growth retardation, heart disease, and nutrient deficiencies. These data also provide the basis for developing and monitoring national health goals.