Vitamins, minerals and too much sugar
Vitamins and minerals are nutrients we need in small amounts. Vitamins help the body grow and work well. Fruit and vegetables, such as oranges, carrots and tomatoes, give vitamins. Minerals help build strong bones and teeth. Milk, cheese and yoghurt give a mineral called calcium. Beans and green leaves give a mineral called iron. In a nutrient scavenger hunt, you get a food card and find which nutrients it has. The body needs some sugar for energy, but too much sugar is a cause with effects. A cause is why something happens, and an effect is what happens next. Too much sugar can cause holes in teeth called cavities, can leave less room for healthy foods, and gives the body more energy than it needs. Dried fruit is sweet because of nature, with no sugar added, but still eat it in small amounts and brush your teeth.
| Food | Main nutrients |
|---|---|
| Orange | vitamins |
| Milk | protein and a mineral (calcium) |
| Rice | carbohydrates |
| Beans | protein, carbohydrates and a mineral (iron) |
| Egg | Has it? |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | very little |
| Protein | ✓ |
| Fat | ✓ |
| Vitamins | ✓ |
| Minerals | ✓ |
Nutrient scavenger hunt. Choose three foods, such as milk, orange and rice. For each food, draw a table with five rows: carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin, mineral. Find out which it has, using the lesson and a grown-up. Check whether any child in your group is allergic to a food before you handle or share it.