Nutrition Basics - May 24, 2009

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Nutrition Basics

Did you ever wonder what makes up the food you eat? It's a combination of proteins, carbohydrates (kar-boh-HEYE-drayts), and fats, as well as vitamins and minerals. For now, let's focus on proteins.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins that you get from animal products, or complete proteins, contain all the amino acids you need. Proteins from plant products are called incomplete proteins. That means that the proteins from one plant product don't contain all the amino acids your body needs. But another plant product may have the amino acids that the first one is missing. To get complete protein from plants, you need to eat a variety of plant foods. For instance, eating rice with beans or peanut butter with bread will give you complete protein.

Good sources of protein include:

Fish and shellfish
Poultry
Red meat (beef, pork, lamb)
Eggs
Nuts and nut butters, such as peanut butter
Seeds
Beans

Peas
Lentils
Soy products (tofu, tempeh, and vegetarian burgers)
Milk
Milk products (cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt)

Learn more:

All about protein.

The 2009 Woman Challenge!

3,626 women have taken the Woman Challenge pledge.

Have you joined the eight-week physical activity challenge for better health called the Woman Challenge? Each week that you meet or exceed your personal physical activity goals, you will receive a virtual Woman Challenge Trophy. Earn 8 trophies in 8 weeks and receive a certificate of completion! Also, you'll receive weekly newsletters with tips on staying motivated and weekly quizzes to test your knowledge.

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What's New on the Woman Activity Tracker?

Teams can be a great way to stay motivated. They encourage you when you need it and are a great way to help you stay on track. You can join or create a team on the Woman Activity Tracker. As a team, your goals and scores are calculated by taking the average of all team members.

Learn all about teams.

New Bonus Quiz!

Are you a Quiz Mastermind? Find out by taking this week's quiz, "Nutrition Basics". Get all five questions correct and earn 20 extra minutes of moderate-intensity activity toward your weekly goal!

Take this week's Bonus Quiz!

Voice Your Vote!

For breakfast you often:

Eat something healthy like eggs, fruit, and whole wheat toast.
Whip up a smoothie.
Drink just a cup of coffee.
Switch up food choices each day.

Vote!

Speak Up!

How do you keep from getting bored with your workout?

25 women have answered this question so far!

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