By: Joseph Connor What is Nutrition? Nutrition is the provision of materials necessary to support life. The cells in your body need these materials in order to keep your body running efficiently and effectively.

And, of course, we get these materials from the food and liquids we consume. The first part that you have to think about while dealing with nutrition is water.

Your body is made of about 60 percent of water so water is a key point in nutrition. In order to keep your body well hydrated and running efficiently it is recommended to drink 8-10 glasses per day. This rule applies to a glass that contains 8 ounces of water so if you drank 8 glasses per day that would be around 1.9 liters per day.

Of course you could apply this rule towards your life except you also count other fluids to the daily total; it’s up to you. Now we move on to the actual diet or food intake. I’ve searched and searched but have not found the number of calories that is contained in one serving. So instead I’ll just give examples for each food group which is equal to one serving.

First up are grains. Recommended serving of grain per day would be 6 servings. Examples are 4 small crackers, 1 slice of whole-grain bread (1 ounce), and 1/2 cup of rice, pasta, or cereal.

Next are vegetables. The recommended amount is 3-5 servings per day. Examples are 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables, 1 1/2 cups of raw chopped vegetables, and 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables.

Next are fruits. The recommended amount is 3-5 servings per day. Examples are 1/2 cup canned fruit, 1/4 cup of dried fruit, and 1 medium apple, orange, or banana. Next is milk or dairy products. The recommended amount is 2-3 servings per day.

Examples are 1 1/2 ounces of cheese, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, and 1 cup (8 fl/oz) of milk, soy, or yogurt.

Last are meat, beans, and nuts. The recommended amount is 2-3 servings per day. Examples are 2-3 ounces of cooked meat, poultry, or fish, 1 cup of cooked beans, 4 teaspoons of peanut butter, and 1/2 cup of nuts. This is only an example of good nutrition for an average person.

Peoples’ diets can differ from one another depending on the amount of the activity a person has, age, or medical condition; so peoples’ diets can be different.

© Copyright, Joseph Connor, 2010, All Rights Reserved