NUTRITION
In the name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds and Peace
and Prayer be upon the Final Prophet and Messenger. In today modern world, we
have seen that many of it society does not really takes serious about what food
and nourishment that they eat. Sometimes most of society just eats whatever in
front them without even thinking whether it’s haram or halal. We all know that
it takes a lot of time to prepare good quality foods due to our limited time
but did not Allah (s.w.t) said: “eat of the good things which We have provided
to you” (Quran 2:173).[1]
According the ayah, we can say that it’s worth to spend more time to prepare
the food as it will be consider as general ibadah. Modern science had introduce
nutrition to us. Nutrition is the study of
nutrients in food, how the body uses nutrients, and the relationship between
diet, health and disease. While, nutritionist is a person who advises on
matters of food and nutrition impacts
on health
or even we can state as a person who incharge to inform us about nutrition. Nutrition is just one key to developing and
maintaining good health. Good health is defined as a state of complete
physical, mental and social well-being — a healthy mind, body, and spirit. For
me personally, nutrition translates into health, and health is freedom. Being
healthy not only makes us feel great, it enables us to enjoy life to our
fullest potential, and to follow our dreams. Conversely, a poor diet can have a
serious impact on health, and rob you of your freedom.
Society had been contaminated by
unhealthy food. Big companies like McDonald, Pizza Hut and Dominos are the
supplier of most of this food. All of them are in fast-food industries.[2] The
society knew what the danger that the companies have brought but still only a little
changed have been occur. The firms had control the mind of society by selling a
good taste that mixed with many chemicals. Allah (s.w.t) has reminded us “O
mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not
follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.” (Quran
2:168).[3] Experts also now say it’s better to pop an
apple, rather than popping a pill. The nutrition in certain foods can naturally
increase your body’s oxygen levels, eliminate many sources of toxins, improve
your digestion, and prevent, heal, or reduce the severity of various diseases.
Negative impacts of eating unhealthy food influences such as stress, shock,
injury, emotional upsets and worries can have a direct impact on life-long
health. Nutrition is very
important for everyone, but it is especially important for children because it
is directly linked to all aspects of their growth and development; factors
which will have direct ties to their level of health as adults. Besides, a
child who practices a low fat and cholesterol diet on a daily basis
significantly improves their chances of preventing a heart attack; even if
heart disease tends to be hereditary within your family. This is why it’s crucial for society to
preserve their nutrition because it will also affect the children as well. Another huge reason why nutrition is so
important for children is because they simply don’t know enough on their own to
naturally choose to eat well. Unfortunately, the foods and snacks that taste
the best are usually the worst for our bodies, and a child left to their on
whim will almost always choose junk food over fruits and vegetables. Provide
them with the right nutrition now and they will learn at an early age what’s
necessary for good health.
The nutritionist has gave us the
guidance to follow in eating in order to consume enough nutrition. There are
five levels in food pyramid. At the bottom, it suggests us to consume high
fibre cereals and bread regularly. It means, we have to consume it more than
other food. At the second and third
bottom of the pyramid, it guides us to consume fruit and vegetable and also law
fat food respectively[4].
At the second top level, we are advised to choose lean meats or trim of fat.
Lastly which are the group of food that we are encouraged to avoid are food
that are considered as junk food and not very good to our healthy. Healthy
eating plate also the way to apply sufficient basic nutrition in life. It
consists four types of food which are vegetables as the largest sector in the
plate, whole grains and healthy protein which have equal sector respectively
and fruits as the minor sector of the plate. Eating a plant-based diet is healthiest. Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. Cook with healthy plant oils, like olive and canola oil. Get most or all of your protein from beans,
nuts and seeds, or tofu. Not to forget, what you drink is
as important to your health as what you eat. Water is the best choice, and
coffee and tea also have health benefits. Sugary drinks are the worst choice, because they add empty calories, leading to
weight gain, in addition to raising the risk of diabetes and heart
disease. Limit milk and dairy to
one to two servings per day, since high dairy intake can increase the risk of
some diseases, and go easy on juice, since it is high in sugar. But for protein, this nutrient is
contained in side food. It supplies energy at 4 calories per gram and functions
as fighter of infection to the antibodies and repairs body tissues as well as
build it.
The benefits of good nutrition are multiple. Besides helping you
maintain a healthy weight, good nutrition is essential for the body and all its
systems to function optimally for a lifetime. In fact, the benefits of good
nutrition can be found in physical and mental health because a healthy diet
provides energy, promotes good sleep, and gives the body what it needs to stay
healthy. When you consider the benefits of good nutrition, it's easier to eat
healthy. First, The heart is the essential core of our bodies. Heart healthy
eating involves avoiding foods high in unsaturated fats and cholesterol that can
lead to heart disease and possible failure later in life. Medical research has
given us solid evidence that certain foods do increase the risk for heart
disease and that there is a direct link to unsaturated fats and cholesterol. By
avoiding foods that contain these heart unhealthy substances, we can ensure our
body that its heart will function properly for years to come. Second, is the
bone. While the heart keeps it all running, our bones help keep it all
together. Healthy bones are necessary throughout our life and become more
important as we age. Consuming enough calcium to maintain and promote bone
health is essential for healthy bones. We can avoid many bone conditions that
may develop later in life by providing our bodies with enough calcium in our
diet. Milk and other dairy products contain calcium and should be consumed
every day. Last but not least, is one
benefit we can see daily is in our energy level. Foods that are excessively
sugary or high in fats can minimize our energy levels from day to day. Fats are
slow to digest, and thus don't provide our body with a steady source of energy.
Sugary foods can create fluctuations in blood sugar levels, causing us to feel
tired very shortly after eating. By eating a healthy diet, we maintain our
energy levels at a constant throughout the day and the result is simply feeling
better.
Good nutrition can bring better-nourished people and will make a healthier
society. One of the impacts of good nutrition is sustains function and development in your body. The perfect body that you
had been dreamed of can be posses by obeying the given instructions and
guidelines from the nutritionist can help you avoid gaining of weight that
lessens your confidence in exposing yourself to the crowd. It also helps you to
get high energy levels. Second,
it helps to control your weight. Some people are having difficulties in
gaining or reducing weight because they are having a bad nutrition. That is the
result for abusing and not obeying the proper diet. You need to eat healthy
foods to maintain your weight and you must calculate your calorie intake every
day. Third, it
prevents diseases. As a matter of fact, yes, good nutrition really
prevents diseases. It includes prevention of tissue disease, parasitical
invasions, bacterial infections, and even cancer. Many of us noticed that death
of a person at a very young age rises per year. Poor eating habits can lead you
to Apathy, poor concentration, fatigue and insomnia. Eating healthy foods are
not only important but also eating them in regular intervals throughout the
day. To be able not to be included with them you just maintain yourself to have
a good nutrition because many say that “Health is Wealth” and I also believe in
that. Fourth, it will make your age
longer. It helps you to reach in the next generation at the very old
age. It also helps you to stay healthy to be able to be with your family
longer. Living longer in this world can be a help to inspire other people
specially teenagers to keep their good nutrition and not to abuse their body.
Finally, it makes you feel good and
reduces stress. Good nutrition greatly affects your mind as much as your
physique. It contributes a lot of vitamins that will prevent from any illness
such as depression and mood disorders. When you feel good, you will also feel
better to do your responsibilities or other tasks in your daily life. Never
ignore the good effects that you possess, rather maintain the good nutrition
you have.
Malaysia is rich with it cultural and
traditional foods. As mentioned before, most of the cultural and traditional
foods contain the basic nutrient. It easily can be found on food pyramid that
had been created by the nutritionist. Many of
the foods have been calculated it calories, fat, carbs and even protein.
For example, Malaysian Satay Chicken with serving size of 10.5g will have calories: 31, fat: 0g, carbs: 0g, protein: 0g while Malaysia Chicken Soup with ½ pot will get
calories: 228, fat: 10.5g, carbs: 24.6g, protein: 9g.[5]
But some in middle-east countries for example Egypt, they take the bread as their main
course of food. Carbohydrate supply energies at 4 calories per gram and it
spares proteins to be used for growth rather than energy. Other food resources
such are pasta, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn and simple
carbohydrate food include sugar and honey. . However for protein, this nutrient
is contained in side food . It also supplies energy at 4 calories per gram. It
functions as fighter of infection to the antibodies and repairs body tissues as
well as build it. The example of protein resources are yogurt, cheeses and
poultry. Basically fats provide feeling of fullness and satisfaction. It
supplies 9 calories per gram which is the most concentrated source of energy.
It carries fat soluble vitamins A , D ,
E and K. It includes in foods such as
butter, mayonnaise and sour cream.
There are many quranic ayah and
hadith that emphasize about nutrition. Allah said “Eat and drink but avoid
excess.” (20:81).[6]
Implicit by, excessing in eating or drinking, there will cause many diseases
such as diabetes, stroke and so on. Allah also says, “And He enforced the
balance. That you exceed not the bounds; but observe the balance strictly; and
fall not short thereof.” (55:7-9).[7]
Based on that ayah, Allah tells us to balance the healthy nutritious diet in
order to maintain the balance that God established in all things. A healthy
nutrition also is a balanced with mixtures of all the foods God has provided
for His creation. The variety satisfies all the body’s need for carbohydrates,
minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, and amino acids. Numerous verse of Al-Quran
mention the foods that God has provided to us to nourish and maintain our
bodies. It is not an exhaustive list of dietary requirements but rather a
general idea of the types of foods that maintain a healthy body and prevent
illness. Allah has told us many times in the Al-Quran about healthy foods “He
created cattle that give you warmth, benefits and food to eat.” (Quran 16:5)[8]
and “It is He who subdued the seas, from which you eat fresh fish” (Quran
16:14).[9]
True believers need healthy bodies and minds in order to worship God in the
correct way. To maintain a peaceful mind, a pure heart and a healthy body
special attention must be paid to health. The heart and the mind are nourished
by remembrance of God and worship performed in a lawful way and the body is
nourished by partaking of the good and lawful food God has provided. Islam
inherent the attention to diet and takes a good care of our nutrition as a part
of the holistic health system.
Al-Razi or Muhammad ibn Zakariya
al-Razi is the most well-known scholar involved in basic nutrition. Actually,
his big profession was in medical care and medicine but there was a slightly in
his theory about basic nutrition. He also told about diseases that can be
happened if there was a wrong consumption in basic nutrition.In his book, ‘Man
la Yahduruhu Al-Tabib’ or a medical adviser for the general public, he
described in its 36 chapters about diets and drug components that can be found
in either apothecary, in well equipped kitchens, or and in military camps.
Thus, every clever person could follow these instructions and prepare the
proper recipes with good results in his life. That book also listed down many
ways in taking food in order to cure the diseases. For example, if a person
currently experiences a headache, he is advised to take 7 drams of dried violet
flowers with 20 pears, macerated and mix it well, then strained on the
forehead. It was believed as an efficient way to cure the headache disease. lbn Sina, the renowned Muslim physician and
philosopher, said: ‘Never have a meal until the one before it has been
digested.’ He also advised against excessive salt and fatty meat. His list of
food for dieting mostly included vegetables.[10]
Historically, K. Y. Guggenheim is
one of the scholars involves in basic nutrition. He made a book called Basic
Issues of the History of Nutrition. The book focused on the questions that had
been addressed by him which are until now remain confusing the people. Some of
the questions are what food substances are required in the human diet and at
what levels of intake? How are these substances absorbed, digested and
metabolized? How do they affect health? K. Y. Guggenhim, professor of nutrition
at the Hebrew University, covered many things about nutrition such as Galen’s
diet and exercise treatment of obesity, van Helmont’s tree-watering experiment
and measurement of the caloric value.[11]
The most useful feature in Basic Issues is its reference list of original
sources and the reader can know the nutrition came to be in our present
understanding. Besides Guggenhim, Dr. Wilbur Olin Atwater was also one of the
western scholars involved. In 1894, he published first nutrition guidelines in
farmer’s bulletin. Next scholar is Caroline Hunt, she established a new guide
in 1916 called Food for Young Children. The guidance basically categorized food
into milk and meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, fats and fatty food and
sugar and sugary foods. In 1917, she also introduced guidelines that been
promoted to adult called How to select food which emphasizes five food groups
to consume. During World War II in 1943, The USDA (The United States of
Agriculture) introduced a nutrition guide which promotes the Basic 7 food
groups to maintain nutritional standard under food rationing at the war time.
Nowadays, this guideline becomes famous chart or visual guide in having a
healthy diet. The USDA consists of many great scholars in basic nutrition in
the past.
As a conclusion, good nutrition means getting the right amount of
nutrients from healthy foods in the right combinations. Having nutrition
knowledge and making smart choices about the foods you eat can and will help
you achieve optimum health over your lifetime, and be a key to avoiding
obesity, illness, and many of today’s most prevalent chronic diseases.
Furthermore, You
will also help promote a better quality of life if you instill proper nutrition
trends in your children. It will allow them to partake in more activities and
with greater enjoyment. People with high levels of health also consistently
report that they enjoy elevated feelings of wellness and wellbeing. As part of
this, children are also able to fight off colds with improved efficiency with
the support of proper nutrition. Moreover, there are several suggestions in order to practice
food pyramid. Firstly, make sure there is proper balance of food in our lunch.
Secondly, plan the meals for home by creating a healthy choices menu. Thirdly,
designs the food pyramid in the school to promote healthy food choices for
students in the school.The knowledge about basic nutrition must be known and mastered by all people because by this
knowledge, many disease and illnesses such as obesity and heart disease can be
prevented. In Islamic side, whoever in healthy condition, they can make their
obligation to Allah nicely. Allah also emphasizes that health and iman are two
big grace things that all Muslim must grate everytime. Whoever be grateful to Allah,
Allah will increase that grace and whoever not be grateful, Allah will take it
back from people.
[3] Abdullah Yusuh Ali – The Holy
Qur’an – Abdullah Yusuf Ali - IBT – 28 – 2007
[4] Michael Pollan – In Defense of
Food – Pollan – Penguin Press Hc – 10 - 2008
E.
Siong Tee - National Sub-Committee on Protein – 70 - 1985
[10] Aisha Khan - Avicenna (Ibn Sina): Muslim Physician and Philosopher of the Eleventh Century – Aisha Khan – Rosen Publishing – 30 - 2006
[11] Yechiel Karl Guggenheim
- Basic Issues of the History of
Nutrition - Yechiel Karl - Akademia University Press – 95 - 1990
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