Nutrition and Dieting

Digestion Digestion starts at the mouth. Teeth break down the food mixing it with saliva From mouth, food travels down the throat to the esophagus Esophagus: muscular tube extending from the end of the throat to the stomach From esophagus, food travels into the stomach Stomach: sac like organ that mixes and grinds up food using acidic acids and enzymes, turning food into a liquid or paste

Digestion Continued.. From stomach, food moves into the small intestine Small Intestine: loosely coiled up tube (20 ft. long) within the abdomen / collects nutrients from food along with breaking down food using enzymes from liver and pancreas Colon (Large Intestine): 5-6 feet in length, attached from small intestine to rectum. Waste leftover from the digestion in the small intestine is stored for “number 2” Stool leaves colon and travels through rectum and anus

Nutritional Needs – Food and Energy Nutrients in food are substances needed in the body to regulate bodily functions, promote growth, repair body tissues and obtain energy Body requires 40 different nutrients Energy is needed within the body for everything you do (breathing, studying, running, etc.) When the body uses nutrients in food they are broken down or burned, resulting in heat energy being released This heat energy released when nutrients are burned is measured in units called calories More calories a food has, more energy it contains

Nutritional Needs – Food and Energy Every person has different caloric needs depending on your activity levels, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and metabolism BMR – rate at which you use energy when you are completely at rest, varies according to age, sex, weight, and body size To maintain good health, the number of calories you eat daily should match the daily calorie needs of your body Example: Too many calories versus energy output causes weight gain / too few calories versus energy output causes weight loss Well rounded diet and daily physical activity can prevent weight gain

Calculate BMR The BMR equation for the average American woman is: (4.7 x your height in inches) + (4.35 x your weight in pounds) - (4.7 x your age in years). Add 655 to this total for the BMR The BMR equation for the average American man is: (12.7 x your height in inches) + (6.23 x your weight in pounds) - (6.8 x your age in years). Add 66 to the total for the BMR Calculate your BMR

Six Basic Nutrients: Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are broken down into two nutrients: sugars and starches Sugars: simple carbohydrates found in fruits, vegetables, and milk / can be linked together to form complex Starch: complex carbohydrate found in plant food, such as potatoes Digestive system breaks starch into simple sugars called glucose to be absorbed into bloodstream Excess glucose is stored in cells as glycogen until needed Consumption of too much carbohydrates which cannot be stored as glycogen, body stores excess in the form of fat Half of calories should come from the starch form of carbohydrates Starchy carbs are found in bread/pasta contain a variety of nutrients Sugary carbohydrates, found in candy and soft drinks, have little to no nutrients

Six Basic Nutrients: Fats Fats have the most energy content out of all nutrients / Form part of the structure of your cells Recommended no more than 30 percent of calories come from fats Classified as Saturated or Unsaturated Saturated: animal fat in beef, port, chicken, lamb, butter Unsaturated: liquid at room temp / examples: vegetables, nuts, seeds Diets high in saturated fat lead to elevated levels of cholesterol which can lead to heart disease Diets high in unsaturated fat have lower levels of cholesterol

Six Essential Nutrients: Proteins Like carbs and fats, proteins make up a part of every cell in the body and serve as a source of energy Important role – growth and repair of body tissues Proteins are made of 21 amino acids / broken down through digestion and absorbed into the bloodstream Body needs all 21AA / Makes 12 on its own, other 9 are supplied through diet Essential Amino Acids – 9 AA supplied through diet Animal protein is complete protein, has all essential AA needed to make human proteins Most plants have incomplete proteins, can be made up by combining incomplete protein foods together Ex. Beans and rice / peanut butter and bread

Six Essential Nutrients: Vitamins Vitamins: nutrients made by living things, required only in small amounts, assist in chemical reactions in the body Some vitamins are made in the body, such as Vitamin D, but most must be supplied in the food you eat Two classes: Fat-Soluble vitamins and Water-Soluble vitamins Fat-Soluble – Vitamin A, D, E and K / stored by the body Water-Soluble – Vitamin C and all B vitamins / not stored by the body

Six Essential Nutrients: Minerals and Water Minerals – nutrients that occur naturally in rocks and soil, not made by living things, and required in small amounts 24 different minerals / 6 are essential Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and choline Water – 65% of your body weight is water / primary component of blood and tissue fluids Carries dissolved waste products out of the body, helps digest food, and overall temperature regulator When the body temperature raises due to external heat or exercise, perspiring helps your body cool down Gives your energy, prevents headaches, flushes wastes out of the body, clears the skin by removing toxins, boosts metabolism leading to weight loss Should consume half of your weight in ounces of water each day

MyPlate – Diet Recommendations

Diets – Vegetarian and Vegan Vegetarian: diet includes only foods from plants: fruits, vegetables, legumes (dried beans and peas), grains, seeds and nuts Pros – lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (which causes heart attack), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer Cons – No steak, do not eat meat, fish, or poultry Vegan: In addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products People choose to be vegan for health, environmental, and/or ethical reasons. Example - vegans feel that one promotes the meat industry by consuming eggs and dairy products. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S6ELeKjPco