Food is Energy

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

A Prospective That May Help Dieters Keep on Track

During our earliest years, most of our guardians had difficulty in getting us to eat. They had to trick us into believing that baby food was delicious - some of us even taking a bite from the jar to prove ourselves. And let me tell you, it's hard to keep a straight face after taking a spoon of baby spinach.

As we grew and progressed to table food, our thoughts were preoccupied with running and playing outdoors, or in our bedrooms.

To me, my generic Barbie was much more appealing than a plate of mom's delicious brown beans and cornbread, although I did fancy her chocolate cake which she always tended to make when she served this meal.

As we grew, an abundance of fat became a part of our daily diet and when combined with a lot of salt, the result was quite addictive.

Fat and salt - imagine that.

However, when these elements were combined with sugar, we were thrust to a whole new level - a giddy, happy eating-time level.

Keeping these thoughts in mind, most of us were groomed to embrace food because of the taste.

Just compare these two situations. Both Margo and Todd are standing in front of a well-stocked buffet with a stoneware dinner plate in their hands. Let's listen in....

Margo: "Ohh, so much tasty looking food! That mac n cheese looks dreadfully delicious. Oh - and I think I'll have a slice of that honey baked ham. Oooooh - and pumpkin pie. Yes indeedy - I'll take a slice of that tasty goody."

Todd: "Hum. Which items should I refuel my body's energy needs with? Beans - they'll give my body a real boost (in more ways than one). Hum. And I'll also take a slice of the honey baked ham - another super-recharger. And yeah, a cup of blueberries, a true super food for super energy. And they'll help combat the ageing process as I refuel."

Our point is that most of us think of food as tasty go-getters unlike Todd who sees food as energy. And although he sounds a bit fuzzy, he is right on target.

Food is energy - energy is food. Although we've been programmed all our lives to think of eating time as a pleasurable experience where one enjoys the taste of food, meal time is like taking pit stops along the trail of life.

Our bodies require refueling every few hours - just like a car that travelsfor many miles and begins to run low on gas. And just like a car, if our fuel runs too low, we begin to sputter and jerk and hiss.

So the next time that you sit down for a meal, as you load your plate think of food as energy.

Think about all the foods before you and what they can do for your body. Here are some more pointers:

Plant foods represent life so choose these foods in abundance. Plant foods represent a garden of life - as well as a circle of life that keeps producing good things.

Animal foods such as beef, poultry, lamb, pork and fish represent sacrifice. Due to sacrifice, partake wisely.

Dairy foodsrepresent gifts from nature. Ironically, most dairy foods receive scrutiny from the health community due to health concerns.

Butter, milk, eggs, cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, buttermilk, cream cheese, ice cream - all identified as contributors to clogged arteries and heart disease by the health community.

Our suggestion is opting for the skimmed or low fat versions.

As for eggs, the jury is still out and we feel the Egg--A-Day Issue is something that low carb diets may provide the answer to as many encourage the abundance of eggs in the daily diet.

Grains represent a high level of energy. They are also very filling and will stick with an individual for hours after ingestion. Opting for whole grains offers a bounty of health rewards.

Fats represent body fat and although necessary for our survival, they should be restricted. Fats are generally combined with sugar, honey, syrup or molasses in addition to salt.

Fat and sugars are extreme in calories; sodium encourages water to be retained within the body - so both food agents should be respected and considered when choosing dietary fats.

If you plan to enjoy a pat of margarine orbutter at each meal, then you may want to rethink having that slice of apple pie or that pack of cupcakes or that bowl of full-blown ice cream on the same day.

 Water replenishes our bodies and keeps them operating and moving smoothly. Water impacts so many aspects of our body - from the way our skin looks, to the speed of our digestive system.

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