healthy eating and drinking
DESCRIPTION
What factors affect our food choice? We choose different types of food depending on the time of the day, e.g. breakfast, lunch, dinner. People choose different varieties of food depending on where they live, types of food accessible to them, their age and lifestyle. As different foods contain different nutrients, it is important to include a variety of foods. How do you think being on the ISS would affect your food choice? Would you still be able to eat your favourite foods when you wanted?TRANSCRIPT
Healthy Eating and Drinking
The Great British Space Dinner Secondary Schools What factors
affect our food choice?
We choose different types of food depending on the time of the day,
e.g. breakfast, lunch, dinner. People choose different varieties of
food depending on where they live, types of food accessible to
them, their age and lifestyle. As different foods contain different
nutrients, it is important to include a variety of foods. How do
you think being on the ISS would affect your food choice? Would you
still be able to eat your favourite foods when you wanted? ESA
Astronaut Andre Kuipers in the ISS Food Store
Food in space When astronauts go into space, food scientists and
nutritionists ensure that they have: enough food to last throughout
their journey; food that is nutritious, which means it has adequate
amounts of macro and micronutrients required for space travel; food
that is lightweight and compact; food that is appetising; food
items that are ready to eat or can be prepared easily and quickly;
a healthy balanced diet. ESA Astronaut Andre Kuipers in the ISS
Food Store Image source: NASA / ESA Which foods are suitable for
space?
Foods such as potatoes and prawns are heat processed and canned,
allowing them to be stored at room temperature. Drinks are
dehydrated for transport andwater is added just before drinking on
the ISS. Meat is processed so it can be stored at room temperature,
so it lasts longer and to remove harmful germs. Image source: NASA
Which foods are suitable for space?
Ready to eat food items, e.g. nuts, muesli bars, tortillas. Some
foods have some of the water removed to maintain a soft texture and
preserve them, e.g. peaches, dried meat. Fresh food items, e.g.
fruit and vegetables. Some extra food items are also packed for:
emergency situations; for use on space walks ISS Snacks Image
source: NASA An astronaut with his lunch menu
Food choice in space Astronauts have three healthy, balanced meals
during the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and some snacks. There
are no set menus on the ISS and astronauts are free to choose what
they would like from certain boxes of food available on
board.Astronauts eat food from Russia, Japan, America and Europe.
Each astronaut often chooses their own menu, but nutritionists and
dietitians make sure it is healthy. An astronaut with his lunch
menu Image source: NASA How does an astronaut eat in space?
An astronauts dinner tray has straps which can be attached to a
wall or an astronauts lap this stops the dinner tray from floating
away. Crumbs and small particles can be a hazard in space as they
can damage any space equipment, be inhaled by astronauts or go in
to their eyes. Salt is dissolved in water and pepper is infused in
oil when it is used in space. Astronauts dinner tray Image source:
NASA The eatwell plate The eatwell plate The eatwell plate shows us
how to get the right balance of different foods. This includes
everything we should eat during the day, including snacks. The
plate shows the types and amounts of each food group we should
have. Is the eatwell plate suitable for everyone? The eatwell plate
is suitable for most people over the age of 2 years. People who
have any special dietary needs should consult a GP or a registered
dietitian, to check whether the eatwell plate is suitable for them.
Fruit and Vegetables These should make up about one third of the
total food intake. Choose a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.
Aim to eat at least 5 different portions every day. Do you know how
much fruit counts as one portion? Some examples are: 3 heaped
tablespoons of vegetables; 1 apple, pear or banana; 2 plums or
satsumas; 1 handful of grapes, cherries or any berries; 1 heaped
tablespoon of dried fruit. Fresh, frozen, juice (counts as a
maximum one portion per day), dried or canned fruit and vegetables
all count towards your 5 A DAY. Fruit and vegetables in space
How do astronauts get their 5 A DAY? Fruits and vegetables are
preserved so they can be sent into space.Some fresh fruit and
vegetables can be sent to the ISS, but they dont last for months. A
NASA study has found that space food can provide the recommended
amounts of nutrients even after a year of storage! Bread, rice,
potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
This food group provides carbohydrates, which is an important
source of energy. Our body needs energy to be active and to stay
healthy. Choose wholegrain varieties where you can, as they make
you feel full for longer. How much of this food group should you
eat? It should make up about one third of your total food intake.
Base your meals around this food group. Milk and dairy foods Eat
moderate amounts, around 2-3 servings per day, to get the amount of
calcium your body needs to maintain strong bones. Such as: A 200ml
glass of milk; A small (150g) pot of yogurt; A matchbox size (30g)
serving of cheese. Can you name the nutrients present in this food
group? This food group provides a variety of nutrients, including
protein, calcium and vitamin B12. Milk and dairy foods in
Space
Why do astronauts need milk and dairy foods in space? Milk and
dairy foods provide calcium, which is very important for bone
health in space. Astronauts in space are in freefall, so the amount
of weight their bones must support is reduced to almost zero. As a
result bones become weaker (losing up to 2% per month in space) so
astronauts need enough calcium to help prevent this. Meat, fish,
eggs, beans and other non-dairy products
Eat in moderate amounts, such as: Small portion of meat; 1 portion
of fish; Eggs; 3 heaped tablespoons of beans or pulses. It is
recommended that we eat 2 portions of fish each week (one of which
should be oily). This food group provides the main source of
protein to our body. Do you know the role of protein in our body?
Protein is required by our body for growth, repair and energy. Food
and drinks high in fat and/or sugar
Eat in small amounts and not too often. This is the smallest food
group. This food group includes, cakes, biscuits, pies, hard
cheese, butter, ghee, cream, sausages. Large quantities of foods
that are high in fat and sugar can be harmful to health. Importance
of a healthy diet
Food and drinks give us energy and nutrients. We need energy for
activities, playing and maintaining health. Nutrients are required
every day by our body to grow, stay active and be healthy.
Hydration Did you know? About two thirds of our body is made of
water. Our body needs water to function well. Short term
dehydration can cause headaches, constipation, irritability and
impaired mental performance. Long term dehydration can cause
urinary tract infections. The amount of water required to stay
hydrated increases with physical activity and hot weather. Sources
include: water, juice, milk, smoothies and low calorie soft drinks
(e.g. diet cola).Lots of foods have high water content, so they can
contribute to total fluid intake, e.g. fruits, vegetables, soups
and yogurt. Hydration in space How much water do astronauts
need?
Astronauts need the same amount of water in space as they do on
Earth, which is 1.6 litres for a female and 2 litres for a male.
What happens to water on the ISS after astronauts have drunk it?
Water on the ISS is limited and is therefore recycled. Water from
the air and urine is recycled using purification machines and is
turned back into drinking water. To watch CSA astronaut Chris
explain more about water recycling, click here. Image source: NASA
Activity! Can you guess the amount of water we need every
day?
Pour the amount of water that you normally drink in a glass. Then,
pour it in an empty jug. Continue to add a glass of water each
time, until you have reached the amount you think you drink every
day. Then compare it with the recommended intake that is
pre-measured in aseparate jug. How did they compare? Older children
up to the age of 13 need around 1.5 2 litres ( ml glasses) of
fluid/day. Adolescents aged 14 and older need the same amount of
water as adults. Women need 1.6 litres of fluid/day (about 8 200ml
glasses) and men need 2 litres of fluid/day for men (about ml
glasses). (European Food Safety Authority) Diet through life Do we
need same foods throughout life?
No! Nutritional needs change throughout life. Therefore, it is
important to consider different life stages, such as: infants;
children; adolescents; pregnant women; adults; older adults. Diet
through life Infants: breast milk provides all the energy and
nutrients infants need until 4-6 months. After 4-6 months, weaning
takes place foods are introduced and breast milk intake is
gradually reduced. Childhood: Maintaining a healthy weight is
important for optimum growth and development. Children become more
active and therefore have increased energy requirements.
Adolescence: the demand for energy and nutrients is high during
this period of rapid growth. Boys need more protein and energy for
growth than girls. Diet through life Adulthood: Nutritional
requirements do not change much between the age of with the
exception of pregnancy and lactation. It is important for adults to
eat a healthy, balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight for their
height and take part in 150 minutes of exercise per week. Pregnancy
and lactation: Folate is very important in the early stages of
pregnancy for rapid cell division and growth of the foetus.
Breastfeeding requires extra energy and nutrients. Older adults: It
is important that older adults have adequate vitamin D, a calcium
rich diet and take part in weight bearing activity to prevent
osteoporosis. Tim Peake Space health needs
Data Age: 42 years Gender: Male Food Variety 5 A DAY Healthy meals
to meet daily nutrient requirements Nutrition/Day Energy: 2874kcal
Protein: 100g Fat: 95g Vitamin C: 90mg Calcium: 1500mg Iron: 10mg
Sodium: 1500mg Hydration 2 litres of fluid/day Activity Two hours a
day in space Note: Data is based on nutrition requirements for
long-duration missions. Nutrition in space vs nutrition on
Earth
Space nutrition/day* Energy: 2874kcal Protein: 100g Fat: 95g
Vitamin C: 90mg Calcium: 1500mg Iron: 10mg Sodium: 1500mg Earth
nutrition/day** Energy: 2629kcal Protein: 55g Fat: 97g Vitamin C:
40mg Calcium: 700mg Iron: 9mg Sodium: 1600mg Activity What are the
differences in Tims needs in Space compared to on Earth? In small
groups, research reasons for these differences. Note: *Data is
based on nutrition requirements for long-duration missions. **Data
is UK RNI, used for illustrative purposes. Different food groups
are:
Summary A healthy diet consists of a variety of foods from
different food groups and drinks. Different food groups are: Bread,
rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods Fruit and vegetables
Milk and dairy foods Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy
sources of protein Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar It is
important to have a balance from different food groups as we need
nutrients in different amounts. In general, children need about 6-8
glasses ( ml glass) of water to keep them hydrated. This
presentation has been developed in collaboration with the British
Nutrition Foundation. For further information and resources, go
to: