Lucinda Barca Supernavage, Science teacher, Northwest School of the Arts
Abstract(PDF)
Unit(PDF)
Abstract
Nutrients come in a variety of forms…and colors. This unit can be taught to any science class that focuses on the health of the human organism. It will focus on the different colors of food, specifically fruits and vegetables, and their nutritional values and content. It is a fact that most Americans do not eat enough colorful foods and lean more towards a diet high in fat and processed beige or tan foods and snacks. These foods tend to be the weakest nutritional link. As we age, our genes become damaged and change, which put us at a higher risk for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Colorful foods that come from plants contain important compounds that help to shelter and protect our DNA. By color-coding our diets we are exposed to these beneficial substances, which defend us against the common diseases that affect many of us as we age. Understanding these important concepts will hopefully help students make better decisions regarding their health so that, perhaps, their lunch trays will consist of more than just french fries…which, for some children, are their only daily vegetable and ironically colorless.
This unit also addresses the relationship between light and color and compares and contrasts natural and synthetic food colorants.Nutrients come in a variety of forms…and colors. This unit can be taught to any science class that focuses on the health of the human organism. It will focus on the different colors of food, specifically fruits and vegetables, and their nutritional values and content. It is a fact that most Americans do not eat enough colorful foods and lean more towards a diet high in fat and processed beige or tan foods and snacks. These foods tend to be the weakest nutritional link. As we age, our genes become damaged and change, which put us at a higher risk for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Colorful foods that come from plants contain important compounds that help to shelter and protect our DNA. By color-coding our diets we are exposed to these beneficial substances, which defend us against the common diseases that affect many of us as we age. Understanding these important concepts will hopefully help students make better decisions regarding their health so that, perhaps, their lunch trays will consist of more than just french fries…which, for some children, are their only daily vegetable and ironically colorless. This unit also addresses the relationship between light and color and compares and contrasts natural and synthetic food colorants.
Home