Nutrition Tips from the Zoo

Pete Genot

Guest Author

Name: Pete Genot
Website: www.TheHealthyMinute.com
Twitter: @healthyminute
Email: editor@thehealthyminute.com

I recently took my 2 youngest children to visit our local zoo. I thought we were going to have a fun day exploring the zoo, looking at all the animals, playing at the children’s area, etc.

But it turns out I actually picked-up some excellent nutrition tips related to HUMAN health and wellness.

Let me explain…

One of our favorite places in the zoo is the Great Apes Exhibit. My kids love to watch the apes play with each other and sometimes they even interact with visitors through the glass.

We’ve been there many times in the past, but I never noticed the part of the exhibit dedicated to the nutritional guidelines of the apes. Check out this picture I snapped below of the types of food the Great Apes cannot eat:

Hmmm…so the Great Apes are NOT fed any processed foods filled with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, unhealthy fats, preservatives, artificial ingredients, etc.

The picture included many things found in U.S. households, including: Chips, Popcorn, Candy, Donuts, Crackers, Soda (Pop” for my fellow Mid-Westerners), Burger and Fries, Ice cream, and so on…

It states right on the sign that eating these types of foods will make the apes sick and cause them to become overweight.

Interesting!

OK…so what CAN the Great Apes eat? Check out this picture:
They are fed a strict diet of whole, nutritious foods. This helps to regulate their weight and keep them strong and healthy. Examples include:
Fresh fruits like apples, oranges, lemons, cherries, pears, strawberries and bananas (of course). Fresh vegetables like celery, yams, eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli, squash and lettuce. Raw nuts.

Wow…did you find that information as shocking as I did!

Of course I’m being just a little sarcastic there. Obviously, these types of foods have the exact same effect on humans that they do on the Great Apes.

So which picture resembles your home?

The one with the healthy and nutritious whole-foods? Or the one with the unhealthy processed foods that even apes cannot eat because it makes them overweight and sick?
So, the lesson is simple…

By following the same nutritional principles as the Great Apes at the zoo, you too can avoid becoming sick and overweight.

About the Author

Health Advocate Pete Genot is the Founder and Editor of The Healthy Minute. He is a former college athlete with nearly 25 years of health and fitness experience. He emphasizes maintaining optimal health through a balance of nutrition, exercise and personal growth.