The most obvious use for cattle is that they provide food for us . Humans are designed to eat a wide variety of foods . Looking at the types of teeth that a human has in their mouth tells the story . Animals , like cows , which are designed to eat only vegetation have sharp teeth in the front to cut the vegetation and flat teeth in the back to grind the vegetation . Animals that are designed to eat only meat , like cats , have pointed teeth for tearing of meat . Humans have sharp teeth in the front for cutting vegetation , pointed teeth on each side for tearing meat , and flat teeth in the back for grinding of the vegetation .
A cow ’ s teeth and stomach are designed perfectly for the eating of grasses and the conversion of these grasses in to meat . Meats are nutrient dense foods . This means they provide a larger share of several essential nutrients than they provide in calories . For example , beef is an excellent source of protein , zinc , iron and B-vitamins .
WHY DO WE NEED ZINC ? Zinc boosts the immune system and helps wounds heal quickly . Zinc is a component of every living human cell and plays a role in growth , reproduction , appetite , food utilization , taste , night vision , production of hormones , and the immune system . Beef is an excellent source of zinc . The meat group supplies the greatest amount of zinc to the diet -- 74 % of all zinc consumed .
WHY DO WE NEED IRON ? Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen to and away from other body cells . This helps our body produce energy . Iron helps to make new blood and brain cells . Beef is rich in iron and also aids the body in absorbing iron from plants .
WHY DO WE NEED PROTEIN ? Proteins help build and maintain strong muscles . Proteins are made up of amino acids . Nine amino acids are considered essential because we must get them from food we eat . Our bodies make the remaining nonessential amino acids . While there are other plant and animal sources of protein , beef protein is a complete protein . This means beef has all nine essential amino acids our bodies need but cannot make . Proteins help build , maintain and repair body tissues , form hormones and enzymes and increase resistance to infection and disease .
WHY DO WE NEED B-VITAMINS ? B-vitamins help turn food into energy . Beef supplies five of the B-complex vitamins : thiamin , riboflavin , niacin , and vitamins B6 and B12 . Riboflavin ( vitamin B2 ) helps the body use energy and promotes healthy skin and good vision in bright light . Niacin promotes healthy skin and nerves , aids digestion , and fosters normal appetite . Vitamin B12 is needed for normal functioning of body cells and the nervous system and is only found naturally in animal foods .
Match the word to its meaning . Write the word that best describes the sentence . Words : PROTEINS , IRON , ZINC , B-VITAMINS
________________ turn food into energy ________________ helps wounds heal ________________ helps to make new blood and brain cells ________________ maintain strong muscles
________________ promotes healthy skin ________________ help you see better at night ________________ helps red blood cells carry oxygen to and away from other body cells ________________ are made up of amino acids