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In this article we want to increase your understanding and appreciation of
food and the way you eat. Each of the following topics contains basic scientific information, "brain teasers" and thought-provoking questions designed to stimulate your curiosity and encourage you to research more.
If you like what you read, send us a note with your views or questions or share your thoughts with other friends of mygermanfoods.org
We are all solar powered
Everything that moves or does work requires energy. (That's one of the basic laws of nature which you will learn about in science class). Energy comes in many forms (heat, light, gravity, nuclear, motion, etc.) and can change from one form to another while the amount of energy essentially stays the same.
Automobiles need gasoline and computers need electricity. So, how do we power our bodies and minds? With solar energy, of course. Plants convert the energy of the sun during photosynthesis into chemical energy which is stored in the plants' cells. Animals eat plants thereby absorbing their energy. So, when we're eating a burger or munch on a fruit salad or cob of corn, we're basically taking in the stored sunlight from plants and animals. This energy makes our organs function, our hearts beat, our brains think, and our muscles flex. Food energy is measured in kilocalories or kilo joule. The body of a young man needs on average 2500 kilocalories per day to function well, a young women needs about 2,000 kilocalories. Children, older people and those who don't move around much require less energy; athletes on the other hand require more, sometimes much more. One of the body's organs which uses a lot of energy is ... your brain. Each simple signal between brain cells requires power, and so does each thought and dream. Of course, your muscles need energy all the time, too, especially the heart.
Take a moment to really think about energy. What is energy? How do we generate, distribute and use energy in our daily lives? How much energy do we need throughout the day? What do we use it for and how does it affect our environment?
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