You can learn more about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2005 at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/ (U.S. Government).

The new food pyramid, along with advice on the kinds and amounts of food you should eat, can be found at http://MyPyramid.gov/ (U.S. Department of Agriculture).

Information about nutrition facts labels on food packages is available at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).

Sohn, Emily. 2004. Packing fat. Science News for Kids (Oct. 27). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20041027/Feature1.asp .

______. 2004. Building a food pyramid. Science News for Kids (Feb. 18). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040218/Feature1.asp .

______. 2004. Strong bones for life. Science News for Kids (Feb. 4). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040204/Feature1.asp .

Webb, Sarah. 2005. The color of health. Science News for Kids (March 2). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20050302/Feature1.asp .

Books recommended by SearchIt!Science:

A Healthy Diet — Elaine Landau Published by Franklin Watts/Scholastic, 2003. We all need nutrients to live. But what are they, and how do we get them? This introduction to a healthy diet explains what foods have which macronutrients (water, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). It also describes the food guide pyramid and how to use it, and it includes a chapter on getting exercise.

Health Science Projects About Nutrition — Robert Gardner Published by Enslow Publishers, 2002. We know that all living things, including humans, need food to provide energy. What foods are the healthiest for our bodies? Can you test food for fats, carbohydrates, and proteins? How much does a human eat compared to a whale or a mouse? This book includes science projects, facts, and experiments that will help you to answer these questions and many more about nutrition and the food we eat. Young scientists will find inspiring ideas here for further research and science fairs.

calorie A unit used to measure the amount of energy released by food as it is digested in the body.

nutrient A substance, such as protein or a mineral, that living things need for proper growth and good health. Plants get minerals and other nutrients from the soil. Animals get nutrients from the foods they eat.

nutrition The process by which a living thing takes in food and make use of nutrients.

Copyright © 2002, 2003 Houghton-Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Used with permission.