Introduction
Everyday we make choices about what to eat. The choices we make are affected by cost, availability, culture and personal taste. Our choices are also influenced by our ideas about the nutritional value in foods. In today's society, we are constantly bombarded with the latest information about healthy nutrients and new diets. This information is continuously updated, often conflicting, and may be based on a single research study. It is not surprising that young people are confused about what they should eat, or apathetic to the recommendations, simply relying on the nutritional offerings that are convenient, cheap, tasty and similar to what their peers are choosing.
As a high-school biology teacher, a large part of my curriculum focuses on the major biomolecules that make up our bodies: carbohydrates, fats, protein and nucleic acids. These molecules, in large part, come from or are synthesized from the food that we eat. Yet, students have difficulty realizing the connection between these chemical compounds, their diet and the composition of their bodies. Students need to understand how these nutrients are digested and what their role is in the body. Further, it is essential that students understand how eating certain foods in excess, can lead to obesity, and potentially to diseases like diabetes.
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