Chapter 2 Flashcards
What are the physical functions of food?
• growth and repair of all body cells
• provides heat and energy
• Protects the body from disease
• curbs hunger
• enjoyable flavours and smells
What are the social functions of food
• sharing meals with friends and family
• celebrating social events eg: birthdays
What are the factors affecting food choices?
- Family;
children and young people generally eat the foods purchases by their parents. Parents should involve their children in purchasing a good variety of fresh healthy food
Children also Watch what their parents eat and are influences by their parents likes and dislikes. It is therefore important that parents eat well themselves and set a good example - Lifestyle:
Many families have busy lives with me members working or at school all day and involved in leisure activities in the evenings. This can lead to a greater reliance on takeaways and convenience foods (foods that are commercially preprepared) eg; frozen pizza. Often, families do not sit down to eat together because they are on different schedules. It is important for parents to prioritise enjoying meals together as a family. This sets a good example and creates good eating habits in their children - Cooking skills:
People with greater cooking skills are more likely to make meals from scratch using fresh ingredients. If families do not cook meals from scratch, it is difficult for children to learn the skills needed to prepare meals. Families should try to make the time to prepare home-cooked meals together - Nutritional knowledge:
A person who educates themselves about nutrition can make healthier choices. People should check food labels to avoid foods that are too high in calories, fat, salt and sugar - Culture:
A staple food is a food that is eaten frequently in a country and makes up a large part of the diet . Countries around the world often have foods associated with them, eg; rice is associated with China, potatoes with ireland. These foods are often part of a country’s identity as they have been consumed there for many years farming a staple path of the diet - Religion:
Some religions have traditions or rules regarding food, eg; the majority of Buddhists are vegetarian and Hindus do not eat beef because they believe the cow is sacred - Money:
The money coming into a household can influence food choices. Low income families may prioritise bills such as rent or electricity and not spend a lot on food
Some cheaper foods are highly processed and may contain high levels of salt, sugar and fat. This can make them unhealthy
Wealthier families may eat out regularly, enjoy expensive foods or experience a wide variety of foods from travelling abroad. However, restaurant dishes and luxury foods may not be very healthy. It is important for families of all incomes to plan their meals and have the skills and knowledge to make healthy choices. It is possible to eat healthily on a budget. Low-cost healthy foods include: brown rice eggs fruits and vegetables - Availability;
The time of year can influence the availability of some foods as foods can be in-season or out-of-season. For example: strawberries are harvested in summer so are more readily available and fresher then making us more likely to buy them. Nowadays foods are imported into Ireland from all over the world so most foods are available all year. People who live in rural area, however may find their choices limited by availability as local shops will not have the variety of products found in larger supermarkets - Advertising and marketing:
Food manufacturers and retailers use advertising to make consumers aware of new or improved products and use marketing techniques to influence our food choices. Some shops place special offers or luxury items near the checkout. Other brands use celebrity endorsements where celebrities are paid to say that they use a particular product to influence us to buy it - Senses:
The five senses are sight, smell touch sound and taste. We use our five senses when eating. They help us to decide if food is fresh and wether of not we like it - Health:
For health reasons some people must choose certain foods over others. For examples, a person with coeliac disease must choose foods that are gluten free such as meat fruit vegetable and gluten free products eg: gluten free pasta - Food sustainability:
Food sustainability (buying foods that do not harm the environment) is another factor that influences people’s choice of foods.
What is immigration?
International travel immigration and media mean that people are exposed to many different cuisines. This influences their food choices
What does sustainability mean?
Sustainability means maintaining the world we live in for future generations of humans plants and animals. Food sustainability means maintaining a healthy food supply for future generations. Sustainable foods should be grown, processed bought and sold in a way that can be carried on into the future and does not have a negative effect on people or the environment
What are the types of sustainability?
Ecological issues:
Ecological issues relate to how living things, especially humans interact with and impact on their environment. The production packaging and transport of food can impact on the environment causing ecological issues such as air and water pollution
Food miles;
Food miles are the distance food travels before it can be purchased. Trucks, aeroplanes and ships transporting food all burn fuel that pollutes our environment with carbon dioxide (CO2)
As a consumer it is more responsible to buy locally produced foods which have travelled much shorter distances. We should also choose foods that are in-season locally so they do not need to be sources from elsewhere. This benefits the consumer too, as in-season fruits and vegetable may be cheaper and taste better
Organic food:
Organic food is food that has been produced without the use of artificial fertilisers or pesticides. It is produced using methods that respect the environment. In Europe all prepackaged foods that meet organic standards carry the euro-leaf symbol. If purchasing unpackaged foods such as loose fruit and vegetables, the seller should be able to tell you if it is organic.
Food packaging:
Food packaging particularly plastic packaging is harmful to the environment and should be avoided when possible. Biodegradable packaging breaks down naturally and harmlessly in the environment. This kind of packaging is now being used by a number of retailers. For example: since summer 2018 Lidl wrap their fair trade, organic bananas in a sleeves of biodegradable bonding, eliminating 10,000kg of plastic a year. Many coffee shops eg; Frank and honest now use biological disposable cups
What are ethical issues?
Ethical issues involve us making decisions about what we believe to be right or wrong. In terms of food, this normal concerns two things;
• the treatment of agricultural workers
• the renting of animals for food production
What is fair trade
One example of making ethical food is buying fairtrade foods such as tea, coffee and chocolate. When a product displays the fairtrade symbol, it means that farmers in developing out ties have been paid a fair price for their produce and that workers have good working conditions. This can sometimes result in fairtrade goods being more expensive because fair prices have been paid for them
What are vegetarians and vegans?
According to a 2018 Bord Bia estimate about 8% of Irish people are vegetarian and 2% are vegan. Vegans do not use any animal-based foods and products, eg; milk eggs and leather. Many vegetarians and vegans have chosen this way of life for ethical reasons. They feel it is morally wrong to kill or use animals for foof
