Fueling Our Body

To be healthy, we need to make choices based on more than just how a food tastes. We need to know about vitamins and nutrients. We need to know what foods have them and why our body needs them. The more we know, the more we can give our body the fuel it needs.

The brain is made of mostly water and fat. Eating healthy fats, like the ones in avocados, nuts, and seeds, helps support a healthy brain.  Leafy greens and berries boost memory. They can also help keep our brains sharp as we age.

Any time we eat a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, we’re helping our heart.

Protein is good for our muscles, as are magnesium, iron, and calcium. These can be found in leafy greens, beans, and lentils. Before physical activity, you can fuel your body with some whole grains like couscous, quinoa, and rice.

To make our stomach happy, we need to eat plenty of fiber. Peas and beans, whole grains like oats, and avocados are all good sources. Drinking plenty of water also helps us digest our food.

Calcium is a big bone booster. This can be found in prunes, dried figs, and tofu, as well as dairy and plant milks. To make sure our bodies can use the calcium we eat, we also need Vitamin D, which our bodies make when sunlight hits our skin.

In addition to water, our skin craves lots of vitamins — A, C, D, E, and K — as well as minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc. Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to give our skin everything it needs.