Main topic information 2
Major food groups and their benefits – presentation by analogy
Fruits and vegetables:
Analogy: ‘Vitamins and minerals as superheroes’
• Imagine that the vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables are like little superheroes in our bodies. They help us grow strong, fight off disease and give us energy for the games. Without them, our superpowers weaken!
Proteins:
Analogy: ‘Building Blocks’
• Proteins are like the building blocks of our body. They build and repair everything from muscles to our skin to our hair. So, every time you eat some chicken or lentils, you’re adding to the foundation of your healthy and strong body.
Carbohydrates:
Analogy: ‘The fuel for our machine’
• Carbohydrates are like the fuel for our bodies, like cars. Without fuel, the car cannot run. It’s the same with us – carbohydrates give us the energy to run, jump and learn.
Fats:
Analogy: ‘The insulating jacket’
• Healthy fats are like a warm and cosy insulating jacket for our body. They protect us from the cold weather, protect our internal organs and make us feel full. But if we wear too many jackets (unhealthy fats), we find it hard to move.
Dairy products:
Analogy: ‘Calcium as the bone builder’
• Calcium, found in dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese, is like a builder that builds strong and stable bones and teeth. Imagine that every time you drink a glass of milk, the builder adds new strengthening material to your bones to make them even stronger.
Calories:
Analogy: ‘Calories as batteries for our bodies’
• Calories are like the batteries in your favourite toy or device. They provide the energy we need to move, think and play. When we eat food, we charge our batteries. If we charge too few batteries, we won’t have enough energy to do everything we love. If we charge too many batteries, we can overload the system. That’s why it’s important to keep our batteries properly charged with the right foods.
Note: All images with analogies of useful substances are generated using artificial intelligence – Copilot by Microsoft.
How does data science help us make healthy food choices?
We will use data science to find out which foods are the healthiest. We will collect and analyse information about different foods and find out which ones are best for us. Are you ready to become a health detective? Let’s get started!
HOW TO FIND OUT WHICH FOOD IS WHAT?
As a result of many years in which scientists have studied foods, we can eventually conclude the following rules to recognize which food is what:
Healthy food:
- Calories: < 200 per serving
- Fat: < 5 g per serving
- Carbohydrates: < 10 g per serving
- Protein: > 5 g per serving
Moderately healthy food:
- Calories: 200 – 300 per serving
- Fat: 5 – 10 g per serving
- Carbohydrates: 10 – 15 g per serving
- Protein: 3 – 5 g per serving
Unhealthy food:
- Calories: > 300 per serving
- Fat: > 10 g per serving
- Carbohydrates: > 15 g per serving
- Protein: < 3 g per serving
