Food at Work

In factories materials like wood, metal, cloth, and plastic are used to make all kinds of things, from cars to toys to sofas. Your body is like a factory, but it uses nutrients in food to make-you!

The most important nutrients in food are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

Factories need power to work. Your body factory gets the energy it needs from carbohydrates found in bread, cereal, pasta, rice, potatoes, and fruit.

Your body factory uses proteins to build and repair itself. Your body can't store extra protein, so you don't need to eat big servings of such foods as meat, eggs, beans, or nuts, but you do need to eat them regularly.

Vitamins are like tools. They don't work by themselves but with other nutrients. They keep you from getting sick and help turn food into energy. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamins.

Factories need places to store things. Your body factory stores extra carbohydrates as fat. Fats are also found in meat, cheese, and oil. Fat gives you energy, but your body needs only a small amount.

Minerals keep your body factory working smoothly. Calcium, an important mineral found in milk and dark green vegetables, helps make your bones and teeth strong.

Water carries food and other things to every part of your body factory.

Every factory has to get rid of trash and waste. Whatever food your body doesn't use or store gets passed out as pee and poop.

Copyright Carus Publishing Company Mar 2008
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