Nutrition Reflection Paper Example

Eating usually occurs when we are hungry but other factors influence how we actually eat. The environment and culture that we are exposed to plays a significant role in shaping our eating.1 This influence has impacted me since I love American soul food which is often cooked in my family. I grew up in a culture where soul food was a staple, and hence I inadvertently picked up the habits around. There are also those foods that I grew up eating since I was young. I often indulge in consuming comfort foods, especially when I want a quick fix to satisfy my cravings for something sweet. Comfort foods are things that people usually eat to feel better.2 The comfort foods recipes are primarily influenced by what I ate growing up at home, which shows that cultural influences live with us for a long time. I often eat things like apple pie, pancakes, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, grits, chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream among others. Most of these indulgent snacks and meals are full of sugar and unsaturated fats which are vital contributors to cases of obesity.2 However, I am not overweight despite my indulgence in all these sweet nostalgic recipes.

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I am conscious of the advantages of proper nutrition, and hence I strive to eat what is best for my body. I love eating salads since they have numerous health benefits to the body such as folic acid, fiber, and vitamin C.1 I believe that healthy eating is the best way to stay clear of lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure in the future. Salads consist primarily of fruits and vegetables which are nutrient-dense foods.1 My salad eating habit has developed due to my mother's influence and also because of the conscious need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. My eating habits also include some unhealthy indulgences like sweets. I eat too many sweets, and I know it cannot be good for my health due to the high sugar content. However, I can help myself since I formed the habit since I was a young child.

My current eating habits are a reflection of how I grew up and my current surroundings. My parents have naturally had a significant influence on my food choices since I have grown accustomed to dishes that were prepared at home. Growing around soul food enthusiasts created the urge that I always have for this particular meal. I also tend to eat comfort foods when I feel nostalgic since they give me a feeling of the good old days at home. I enjoy salads because the media today is always portraying the dangers of the unhealthy foods we eat.1 Many nutritionists recommend vegetables for their nutritional value.

I see many connections between my food preferences and my past influences. I love eating Caribbean food due to my Caribbean heritage. The meals that were always cooked as I grew up in this culture are still some of my favorites to date. My love for salads is also due to my mother's insistence since I was little. She always insisted that we eat a salad every day for healthy bodies.

My past will have a significant influence on the people I work with because I have had diverse experiences. The fact that I enjoy what I eat based on my past preferences, environment, culture, and experience means that I understand the importance of these factors in determining the food choices people make. This knowledge will shape my public perception since everyone has different backgrounds and hence different tastes as well.

References

Blake JS, Munoz KD, Volpe S. Nutrition: From Science to You. 4th ed. Boston, MA. Pearson; 2019. ISBN: 9780134668260

Romm C. Why Comfort Food Comforts. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/why-comfort-food-comforts/389613/. Published 2015. Accessed September 30, 2018.