Planning a Healthy Diet Chapter 2 Prepared by L.Nicholle Clark DTR, MS

Principles & Guidelines How well you nourish yourself depends on the selection of many different foods at numerous meals over days, months, & years. Diet-planning principles and dietary guidelines are key concepts to keep in mind whenever you are selecting foods.

Diet-Planning Principles The six basic dietary principles of which all eating plans of any kind should keep in mind. 1. Adequacy- the diet provides sufficient energy and enough of all the nutrients to meet the needs of healthy people. 2. Balance- consuming enough but not too much of each type of food. 3.kCalorie (energy) Control- Designing an adequate diet without overeating requires careful planning.The amt. of energy coming in must = the amt. of energy being used by the body.

The Six Basic Dietary Principles 4. Nutrient Density-How do you eat well without overeating? –Selecting foods that deliver the most nutrient for the least food energy. Just as a person has to pay rent, food, clothes etc. on a limited budget. We have to obtain iron, calcium, & all the other essential nutrients on a limited energy allowance 5.Moderation- Eat foods high in fat, added sugars occasionally. Regularly select foods low in fats & sugar this practice automatically improves nutrient density.

The Six Basic Dietary Principles 6. Variety- is a spice of life. People should select foods from each of the food groups daily and vary their choices within each food group contain different arrays of nutrients. Dietary Guidelines of Americans -Answers the question What should a person eat to say healthy? These guidelines provide science-based advice to promote health and to reduce risk of chronic diseases through diet and physical activity.

Dietary Guidelines of Americans People who maintain a healthy body weight do more than eat right. But also exercise the equivalent of 60 minutes or more of moderately intense physical activity daily Table 2-1. Diet-Planning Guides-Food Group plans are among the most widely used tools for diet planning.Selecting foods from each group eases the task of creating an adequate and balanced diet.

Dietary Guidelines of Americans USDA- Recommended Amts= All food groups offer valuable nutrients, & people should make selections from each group daily Table 2-3. Notable Nutrients- Each food group contributes key nutrients. A person can choose any food from a group and receive similar nutrients. Nutrients Density-By consistently selecting nutrients-dense foods, a person can obtain all the nutrients needed and still keep kcalories under control.

Discretionary KCalorie Allowance The difference between the kcalories needed to supply nutrients and those needed for energy. Added fats and sugars are always counted as discretionary kcalories. Serving Equivalents- Must be mastered in order to use the food guide correctly. How many ounces is the steak at your favorite restaurant? How many ounces of cereal do you typically pour into your bowl?

Mixtures of Foods Some foods fall into 2 or more food groups. Vegetarian Food Guide-people who do not eat meats or milk products can still use the USDA Food Guide to create an adequate diet. Ethnic Food Choices- should be sorted into their appropriate food groups. MyPyramid-Steps to a Healthier You-consumers can create a personal diet plan, and find tips to help improve their diet and lifestyle.

Exchange Lists Provide additional help in achieving kcalorie control and moderation. The exchange system sorts foods according to their energy-nutrient contents not by the vit and mineral content as the Food Guide. appendix G Putting the plan into action- Figure 2-4

Guidelines to Groceries Make your shopping list with an emphasis on whole grains fruits, veggies, lean meats, fish, poultry, low-fat milk products. Start with foods you enjoy (If you do not like it. You will not eat it!) Then make little improvements. Try to find slightly healthier choices first. Be aware that most of the food items available are processed or highly refined foods.

Guidelines to Groceries Fortified- nutrients add to improve nutrient contents. Enriched-some nutrient loss in the refining process is add back in. Whole-grained-contains all the nutritive portions of grain.

Guidelines to Groceries Vegetables- 5 a day, choose fresh vegetables often, focusing on dark green leafy & yellow- orange such as, spinach, sweet potatoes. Good source of vit, minerals & fiber. Choose often from the variety of legumes available. Fruit-Choose fresh fruits in season. Focus on citrus and yellow-orange fruits.

Guidelines to Groceries Fruit- Fruit juices are healthy beverages but contain little dietary fiber compared with whole fruits. Meat, Fish, and Poultry- choose lean cuts usually labeled round or loin (top round or pork tenderloin). Prime and choice cuts in general have more fat. 4 oz of raw meat= 3ozs of cooked meat.

Guidelines to Groceries Milk- 3 cups per day,contains vit, A,D, B12, choose fat-free or low-fat, yogurt, & cheeses to meet your vit and mineral needs while not going over your energy and fat budget, imitation food, food substitutes. Food labels- appear on all processed foods. Restaurants need not supply complete nutrition information for menu items unless claims such as “low fat” etc. are made. Remember restaurants tend to serve extra-large portions.

The Ingredient List All packaged foods must list all ingredients on the label in descending order of predominance by weight. Serving Sizes- Labels must present nutrient information per serving and it must identify the size of the serving. Ex. All serving size for all ice creams is ½ cup and for all beverages, 8floz. Do not always match USDA servings ex. 1 cup rice is a serving on most packages,USDA ½ cup is a serving.

Nutrition Facts FDA requires that the “nutrition Facts” panel on food labels present nutrient information in two ways quantities and as % of standards called the daily values. Each label must include the following: Total food energy (kcalories) Food energy from fat (kcalories) Total fat (grams & % DV)

Nutrition Facts Each label must include the following: Trans fat (grams) Cholesterol ( milligrams &% DV) Sodium (milligrams & % DV) Total carbohydrate (starch, sugar & fiber) Dietary fiber (grams & %DV)

Nutrition Facts Each label must include the following: Sugars, (naturally present in and those added to the food, grams) Nutrient content information for the following vitamins & minerals: A,C Iron,Calcium

The Daily Values Food labels list the amt. of a nutrient in a product as a % of its Daily Value. Using a 2000kcalorie diet. Nutrient Claims- maybe used on labels as long as they meet FDA definitions, which include the conditions under which each term can be used. Health Claims Structure-Function Claims- can be made without any FDA approval ex. Slow aging, improve memory.

Summary References Whitney, E., Rolfes, S., Understanding Nutrition., Belmont, CA:Thomson- Wadsworth