Your Diet… Is It Putting Your Health At Risk?

Are you feeling tired, stressed, or apathetic? Did you know these are all common signs of a diet lacking nutritional value? If you are dieting, ill, or eating a fast-food diet, you should you be concerned that you and your family are getting proper nutrition from your food.

If you find that a day goes by and the only thing you’ve had to eat is a bagel and coffee or maybe some fast-food you will no doubt be feeling the physical effects of a lack of nutrition. Lack of mental clarity, weakness and irritability are all signs you haven’t given your body enough good food to eat.

On the other hand, if you or your children indulge in high calorie diets on a regular basis you will notice the effects of over nutrition. Weight gain and related symptoms will also zap your energy and put a strain on your body.

Your diet is a crucial element to feeling good, strong and alert. If you’ve been suffering from a diet lacking in nutrition, or an over indulgence in nutrition, you’ll certainly be feeling the effects on your overall health – and even worse – you may be setting yourself up for more serious disease.

You obviously need calories for energy. It is vital to obtain the necessary amount of calories every day to maintain your optimum health. Individuals who do not take in the proper amount of calories because of ill health, physical disability, dieting or problems with absorption, usually begin to loose weight, lack concentration and as time passes they begin to loose the function of organs such as the reproductive system and eventually major functions of the heart and lungs.

A diet too high in calories will also put your health at risk. More common than under nutrition in developed countries like the United States, obesity puts a strain on the organs and increases the risk for health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

Knowing what a typical serving size of food is can help you determine if you (or a family member) are taking in the appropriate amount of calories. It is important for parents to teach children moderate eating habits to ensure good eating for life. I cannot stress this point enough!

Aside from merely watching caloric intake it is important that your diet has strong nutritional value as well. You could eat an entire box of doughnuts to meet your calorie needs without having met your daily requirements for vitamins, protein, calcium and other minerals.

Choosing a diet that lacks nutrition on a regular basis will lead to a lowered resistance to illness, general weakness, and irritability. Other diet deficiencies, such as a lack of calcium, can lead to more serious disorders like osteoporosis.

While pregnant and/or lactating women, the elderly and ill individuals may have no choice but to to supplement their diet with multi vitamins, the average healthy person should attempt to get most of the nutrition they need in a normal diet that includes fruit, vegetables, protein (meat and lentils), dairy and fibre bread and cereals).

Fast-food in the diet is not harmful if it is only an occasional treat, but may show its negative effects if consumed as a major part of the diet. Educating yourself and your family on what a healthy diet is will help you and your family feel great and enjoy good health for years to come.

Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2009

The dramatic economic events that unfolded on the world stage in 2008 were accompanied by fear, sheer panic and the realization that it is impossible to isolate serious problems on Wall Street from those on Main Street. With this as the b ack

drop heading into 2009, perceptions of the health of the overall economy and personal financial security will have a major impact on what consumers will eat and drink, both at home and away. The focus of this report, as in years past, is to highlight the flavor and ingredient trends anticipated in 2009 along with valuable insights relevant to the foodservice and retail markets. In this edition, Packaged Facts takes a look at seven key categories that will drive flavor and ingredient trends in the coming years. To gauge how trends are (or are not) moving forward, we’ve included our expectations for last year, along with predictions for 2009 for each of the following categories: