Nutrition Basics
Nutrition Overview &
Assessment
Nutrition is
⚫ “the science of food, the nutrients and the
substances therein, their action,
interaction, and balance in relation to
health and disease, and the process by
which the organism ingests, absorbs,
transport, utilizes, and excretes food
substances”
The Council on Food and Nutrition of the American
Medical Association
What & How Much to Eat?
⚫ Learn the body’s nutrient needs
⚫ Categorize the body’s nutrient needs
⚫ Learn the foods that meet these needs
⚫ Learn how to think critically about food
choices, read labels, and evaluate foods
⚫ Apply the above information to create a
personalized food plan
Categorizing the Body’s Nutrient
Needs
⚫ 40-45 Essential ⚫ Six General Classes
Nutrients of Nutrients
– Glucose – Carbohydrates
– 2 Fatty Acids (EFA)
– Fats
– 9 Amino Acids (EAA)
– 13 Vitamins – Protein
– About 21 Minerals – Vitamins
– Water – Minerals
– Water
A Calorie
⚫ A measurement of energy measured in a
bomb calorimeter
⚫ “the amount of heat it takes to raise the
temperature of 1 gram of water by 1
degree Celsius”
⚫ Food is measured in kilocalories (kcal)
⚫ “Calories” with a large “C” on nutrition label
are in kcal
Transformation of Energy
⚫ 1,000 calories = 1 kcal = 1(food) Calorie
CHO PROTEIN FAT ALCOHOL
ENERGY SOURCES
The Energy Nutrients
Energy Nutrients
(Energy=Calories in Nutrition)
The Total Makes Up Your Daily Caloric Intake
Alcohol is a Toxin Adding 7 Calories per Gram
Carbohydrates Protein Fat
4 Calories per Gram 4 Calories per Gram 9 Calories per Gram
60-70% of Calories 10-15% of Total Calories Less than 30%
Type is Very Important Use Protein Calculation for Total Preferably 20%
Food Label Energy Nutrient Calculations
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories 80
Total Fat 1g
Total Carbohydrate 15g
Protein 3 g
⚫ Per serving
– CHO: 15g x 4 kcal/g = 60 kcal
– PRO: 3g x 4 kcal/g = 12 kcal
– FAT: 1g x 9 kcal/g = 9 kcal
– TOTAL: 81 kcal, rounded down to 80
Calculating Percent Kcal
CHO 290 grams x 4 kcal/g = 1160 kcal
Fat 60 grams x 9 kcal/g = 540 kcal
Protein 70 grams x 4 kcal/g = 280 kcal
Total 1980 kcal
% kcal from CHO = 1160 / 1980 = 59%
% kcal from fat = 540 / 1980 = 27%
% kcal from protein = 280 / 1980 = 14 %
The Non-Energy Yielding
Nutrients
Vitamins: Minerals:
⚫ Compose of various ⚫ Inorganic
chemical elements
substances
⚫ Vital to life
⚫ Needed in tiny
⚫ Needed in tiny
amounts amounts
⚫ Fat soluble ⚫ Trace minerals
⚫ Water soluble ⚫ Major minerals
⚫ Yields no energy ⚫ Yields no energy
Water
⚫ Compose of H2O
⚫ Vital to life
⚫ Is a solvent, lubricant, medium for
transport, and temperature regulator
⚫ Makes up majority (2/3) of our body
⚫ Yields no energy
General Functions of
Nutrients in Foods
⚫ Provide Water
⚫ Provide Fuel for Entire Body
⚫ Provide Building Blocks
⚫ Provide Metabolic Regulators
Influences of Food Choices
Childhood
Heredity experiences
Peer
influences
Health
belief Ethnic
identity
Health
Education
Status
Nutr. Occupation
Knowledge
Income
$$$$
Religious
belief
Flavor, Rural-urban
texture, residence
appearance
Convenience
Status of Nutritional Health
⚫ Desirable
⚫ Undernutrition
– Depleted nutrient stores
– Reduced biochemical functions
– Clinical signs and symptoms
⚫ Over nutrition
– Excess intake of Calories and Fat
– Obesity
– Use of vitamin & mineral supplements
ABCDE of Nutritional
Assessment
⚫Anthropometrics
⚫Biochemical
⚫Clinical
⚫Diethistory
⚫Economic Status
Nutrition Assessment
Basics - Examples
⚫ Anthropometric Data
Height/Weight
Body Mass Index
Body Composition
⚫ Biochemical or Lab Tests
⚫ Physical (Clinical Examinations)
⚫ Historical Information (Diet History)
Risk Factors
Diet Analysis
⚫ Economics of the Family
Learning Human Nutrient Needs
DRI (Dietary Reference Intakes)
⚫ RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances)
– Established by Food and Nutrition Board of National
Academy of Sciences and updated every 4-5 years
– Meets general nutrition needs of healthy adults
⚫ AI (Adequate Intake)
– Set when scientific data insufficient
– Example: Copper, Biotin, Chromium
⚫ UL (Tolerable Upper Intake Levels)
– Upper Intakes for possible toxic nutrients
Uses for RDAs
⚫ Personal assessment
⚫ Planning food supplies for groups
⚫ Establishing standards for food assistance
programs
⚫ Evaluating dietary survey data
⚫ Developing food & nutrition information
⚫ Helping establish food label standards
⚫ Regulating food fortification
⚫ Developing new food products
Standards For Food Labeling
⚫ RDA not used on food label since it is
gender & age specific
⚫ FDA developed the Daily Values:
– Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamins &
minerals
– Daily Reference Value (DRV) for nutrients
without RDAs
– Only used on food labels
DRV for 2000 kcal
Food Component DRV 2000 kcal
Fat <65 g
Sat. Fat < 20 g
Protein 50 g
Cholesterol < 300 mg
CHO 300 g
Fiber 25 g
Sodium <2400 mg
Potassium 3500 mg
General Food Label Nutrient
Recommendations
⚫ Look at all the
information
⚫ Look for Quality of
Ingredients
⚫ Fit the information
into your own diet
⚫ Understand DV &
how it may or may
not apply to you
Foods that Meet Nutrient
Needs
⚫ Concept of Nutrient Density
– Choose mostly foods that are higher in nutrients
for the amount of Calories
⚫ The Dietary Guidelines of 2000
⚫ The Newest Dietary Guidelines & MyPyramid
⚫ Food Guides
⚫ Exchange List Programs
⚫ Personal Food Choices
The Dietary Guidelines of
2000
⚫ Aim For Fitness
– Aim for a healthy weight
– Be physically active each day
More Dietary Guidelines
⚫ Build a Healthy Base
– Let the pyramids guide your food choices
– Choose a variety of fruits and veggies daily
– Choose a variety of grains daily, especially
whole grains
– Keep food safe to eat
More Dietary Guidelines
⚫ Choose sensibly:
– Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat
& cholesterol & moderate in total fat
– Choose beverages & foods to moderate
your intake of sugars
– Choose & prepare foods with less salt
– If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in
moderation (but not at all if you are
pregnant)
The Eatwise Dietary Guidelines for
People who enjoy Lifelong Good Health
⚫ Eat grains & related foods at each meal, mainly
whole grain, unrefined, & minimally processed.
⚫ Eat a variety of fruits & vegetables, about 7 cups
throughout the day.
⚫ Eat mostly legumes, nuts & seeds, then fish,
poultry, & then less often, red meat.
⚫ Eat moderate amounts of fats, preferably plant oils
over animal fats.
⚫ Eat small amounts of dairy foods, mostly as yogurt
& cheese & wise eaters know that soy milk are
healthful alternatives.
More Eatwise Guidelines
⚫ Eat small amounts of added sugar &
added salt.
⚫ Drink about six glasses of water a day,
& if they drink alcohol, they do so in
moderation (but none at all if pregnant).
⚫ Enjoy their pleasures of their foods &
meals.
Eatwise Program Guidelines
⚫ Breastfeeding - The best start in life
⚫ Vegetarianism - Emphasize plant foods
& minimize animal foods
⚫ Sustainability - Buy local & sustainable
⚫ Safe & Hygienic Foods - Practice food
safety in the kitchen
Using Food Guides to Plan
Meals
⚫ Five Groups (1916)
⚫ Basic 7 (1943)
⚫ Old Basic 4 (1956)
⚫ USDA Food Guide Pyramid (1990)
⚫ MyPyramid (2005)
⚫ Multi-Cultural Pyramids
USDA Food Guide Pyramid -
More details
Evaluation of American Diet Using
the old Food Guide Pyramid
Categories
⚫ Consumed 1-2 servings of fruit a day
(versus recommended 2-4)
⚫ Consumed 2-3 servings of vegetables a
day (versus recommended 3-5)
⚫ Excessive intake in the fats, oils, and
sweets group (versus use “sparingly”)
⚫ Excessive intake of high fat meats and
refined grains
What Counted as a Serving in the Old Pyramid?
Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta
1 slice of bread 1 ounce of ready to-eat 1/2 cup of cooked
cereal cereal, rice, or
pasta
Vegetable
1 cup of raw leafy 1/2 cup of other 3/4 cup of
vegetables vegetables, cooked or raw vegetable juice
Fruit
1 medium apple, 1/2 cup of chopped, 3/4 cup of fruit
banana, orange cooked, or canned fruit juice
Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese
1 cup of milk or yogurt 1-1/2 ounces of natural 2 ounces processed
cheese cheese
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts
2-3 ounces of cooked 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or ½ cup tofu
lean meat, poultry, fish counts as a serving. 2 tablespoons of peanut
butter or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of
“meat” according to the USDA.
Old USDA Categories (3)
Low Mod High
1,600 2,200 2,800
Grain Group Servings 6 9 11
Vegetable Group Servings 3 4 5
Fruit Group Servings 2 3 4
Milk Group Servings 2-3 2-3 2-3
Meat Group (ounces) 5 6 7
Total Fat (grams) 53 73 93
Total Added Sugars 6 12 18
(teaspoons)
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers,
and young adults to age 24 need 3 servings of Dairy or
other Calcium-rich foods. “Meat” group amounts are in
total ounces.
The MyPyramid of 2005
(See next slide for link & details)
The MyPyramid of 2005
⚫ Click on the following link and explore:
www.mypyramid.gov
⚫ Be sure to read on the website:
– Anatomy of the Pyramid (understand it)
– Colored coded-categories and descriptions
– What counts as an oz. (explore individual foods)
– Personalize your MyPyramid (this will be one of
your assignments in Pageout)
MyPyramid Tips
⚫ Plan your meals & take your own lunch
⚫ Include vegetable protein often
⚫ Eat a colorful salad daily including dark
green/yellow/orange/red /purple veggies
and fruits
⚫ Include a vitamin C rich food every day
⚫ Choose whole grains
Updated
Version
The Healthful House of Food
and Fitness by Cherie Moore
⚫ Click on
http://academic.cuesta.edu/cmoore/house.ht
m
Using Exchange Lists to
Plan Your Meals
⚫ What is the Exchange System?
⚫ Who Developed the Exchange System?
– American Diabetes Association
– American Dietetics Association
⚫ Who could use these Exchange Lists?
– Diabetics
– Athletes
– Someone striving for weight loss
– Anyone
Exchange System - Important
Points to Make it Work
⚫ Strict attention to portion sizes
⚫ Not categorized by vitamins and minerals
⚫ Categorized by the energy (Calories) and
energy nutrients (carbs, fats, and proteins)
– Some foods in different categories than the
food pyramid (cheese, corn, and olives)
⚫ Six general exchange categories (fat, starch,
vegetable, fruit, milk, “meat”)
Exchange System Lists
Exchange Lists Categories
⚫ Starch (80 kcal)
– 15 grams carbohydrate
– 3 grams protein
– 0-1 grams fat
⚫ Vegetable (25 kcal)
– 5 grams carbohydrate
– 2 grams protein
– 0 grams fat
Exchange Lists Categories
⚫ Fruit (60 kcal)
– 15 grams carbohydrate
– 0 grams protein
– 0 grams fat
⚫ Protein- legumes, meats, cheeses (55-100
kcal)
– 0 grams carbohydrate
– 7 grams protein
– 1-8 grams fat (depending on whether food is very
lean, lean, medium fat or high fat)
Exchange Lists Categories
⚫ Milk (90-150 kcal)
– 12 grams carbohydrate
– 8 grams protein
– 0-8 grams fat (depending on amount of fat in milk)
⚫ Fat (45 kcal)
– 0 grams carbohydrate
– 0 grams protein
– 5 grams fat
