38 may/june 2018
Food Trivia
• The average person eats roughly
1,996 pounds of food each year—
nearly a full ton.
• Honey is the only ready-to-eat
food that never spoils. Even a
thousand-year-old pot of the sweet
stuff could still be enjoyed without
any risk.
• The United States produces 12.2
billion pounds of cheese each
year, second only to the combined
countries forming the European
Union.
• In ancient Egypt, the onion was
revered as a symbol of eternal
life because of its circle-in-a circle
design. Onions were displayed on
altars, used as funeral off erings,
and even adorned the bodies of
royal mummies.
that the brain, heart, eyes, skin, muscles,
and all other body parts receive exactly
what they need to function properly.
RULES OF THE ROAD
Putting the right things in your body is
important, but your instructions don't
end there. If humans came with owner's
manuals, they would clearly state that
the various nutrients we need should
be added in proper amounts, at the
proper times, and in the proper ways.
Diff erent body parts rely on diff erent
nutrients, and doctors agree that these
should come from food rather than from
supplements.1 Most people know that milk
and other dairy products build strong bones,
but plenty of other foods off er specifi c
advantages as well. For example, grapefruit
and lemon are both good for the liver, while
coconut, walnuts, and fatty fi sh like salmon
and tuna help keep the brain in tip-top shape.2
Sweet potatoes can keep skin and hair looking
young, and eggs and lean beef help maintain
muscle mass.3 Guilty pleasures like red wine
and dark chocolate also have their place in
your diet since they're benefi cial to the heart.4
Once you've decided what to eat, focus
on how and when you'll eat it. Even healthy
foods can wreak havoc on your system if you
overindulge in them, so it's a good idea to
follow government-recommended dietary
guidelines based on your age, weight, and
level of activity.5 Also try to focus on eating
large meals early in the day, then tapering off
to smaller amounts as bedtime approaches.
Experts agree that eating a large but healthy
breakfast off ers many health benefi ts, while
eating late in the evening can lead to weight
gain, restless sleep, and other problems.6
KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE WHEEL
Sticking to a nutritional plan that not only
keeps us full but also keeps us functional
sometimes seems like an impossible task
with today's hectic schedules. Eating
right—and at the right times—requires
both planning and discipline, but remember
that you're in the driver's seat when it
comes to adopting and maintaining those
healthy eating habits. Once you do, you'll
fi nd yourself not only getting where you
need to go, but also enjoying the ride.
Notes
1. Harvard Health Publishing, "Should You
Get Your Nutrients from Food or From
Supplements?" May 2015, accessed April
2018, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-
healthy/should-you-get-your-nutrients-
from-food-or-from-supplements.
2. Andrea Donsky, "Organ Superfoods: The Must
Have Foods to Support Your Important Body
Parts," Naturally Savyy, December 2, 2016,
accessed April 2018, www.naturallysavvy.
com/eat/organ-superfoods-the-must-have-
foods-to-support-your-important-body-parts.
3. Michael Rodio and Men's Fitness Editors, "The
Men's Fitness Guide to the Top 30 Muscle-
Building Foods," Men's Fitness, accessed April
2018, www.mensfi tness.com/nutrition/
what-to-eat/top-10-muscle-building-foods.
4. Amanda Gardner, "18 Superfoods for
Your Heart," Health, February 13, 2017,
accessed April 2018, www.health.
com/health/gallery/0,,20720182,00.
html#heart-healthy-foods.
5. Health.gov, "Dietary Guidelines for Americans
2015–2020," accessed April 2018, www.health.
gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines.
6. Alexandria Siff erlin, "When to Eat
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner," Time,
last updated July 15, 2016, accessed
April 2018, www.time.com/4408772/
best-times-breakfast-lunch-dinner.
Helpful Links
Dietary Guidelines: www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietary-guidelines
Portion Size Guide: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/portion-distortion.htm
MyPlate (USDA-recommended dietary guidelines): www.choosemyplate.gov
expertadvice
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