Fuel Basics

We all know that the human body needs energy to function and that the foods we eat provide kilojoules which are used by the body to produce energy. The five main food groups (listed below) all provide energy.

• Bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles
• Vegetables, legumes
• Fruit
• Milk, cheese, yogurt
• Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes.

The three main nutrients in these foods that supply the body with energy are:

• Carbohydrates
• Fat, and
• Protein.

Children have unique nutritional needs. They must meet their requirements in order to obtain enough energy for everyday activities, as well as the special needs for growth and development.

To meet these needs, children should consume a wide variety of foods rich in many different nutrients from across the core food groups. Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt are naturally packed with a variety of essential nutrients (e.g. carbohydrate and protein), vitamins and minerals for relatively few kilojoules.

Now go to What is Energy?.