Eating Smart Palo Alto Medical Foundation Health Education Department Jenna Levy, Health Educator Medical Review: Leigha Winters, MD August 2016

Benefits of a healthy diet Feel better Reduce likelihood of stress and depression Skin, hair, and weight may improve Feel stronger Think more clearly

Tips for eating right 1. Eat regular meals Breakfast is especially important! (It gives you energy for the day) Keeps your body fueled, so you won’t feel you need to snack on junk food 2. Eat a variety of foods 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day Grains, dairy, protein 3. Cut down on high fat and sugar foods Don’t need to give them up completely, but try and eat them less Try fruit and popcorn instead of cookies and ice cream Water or low-fat milk instead of sugary drinks Sugary drinks = soda, fruit punch, fruit juice, lemonade, sports drinks and energy drinks

Reading food labels Try to read the nutrition label of a food before you eat it The label will help you identify ingredients and nutritional value of the food Source: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm

Nutrition Labels: Ingredients The first ingredient listed on a nutrition label is the one that makes up most of the product. The last ingredient is the smallest part of the product. Test your knowledge! In this nutrition label for frozen pizza, what are the ingredients that make up the most of the pizza, and what ingredients make up the least? Source: http://www.wphna.org/htdocs/2011_mar_wn4_labelling_fictions.htm

Nutrition Labels: Ingredients The first ingredient listed on a nutrition label is the one that makes up most of the product. The last ingredient is the smallest part of the product. Test your knowledge! In this nutrition label for frozen pizza, what are the ingredients that make up the most of the pizza, and what ingredients make up the least? Answers: Most = pizza crust Least= Pizza Sauce Seasoning Source: http://www.wphna.org/htdocs/2011_mar_wn4_labelling_fictions.htm

Serving size The nutrition facts on a food label correspond to one serving size. Let’s say a food label says there are 100 calories in one serving, and one serving = 1 cup If you eat two cups of the food, then you have consumed 200 calories (100 calories/serving x 2 servings = 200 calories)

Calories Calories are a measure of the energy a food or beverage provides from all of its nutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) Calories fuel our bodies for work, play, and sleep However, too many calories can lead to weight gain It’s important to find a balance between enough nutrients but not too many calories when picking foods If you’re looking at calories in a snack… 40 calories per serving is low 100 calories per serving is moderate 400 calories or more per serving is high "Reduced calorie” foods contain at least a 25% reduction in calories compared to the regular product

Fats Fats supply energy and provide storage and insulation for your body. Carbohydrates and proteins are converted and stored as fat when not used for immediate energy. A diet high in fats can lead to increase risk in heart disease Try to choose foods that have 35% or less of fat calories From the nutrition label, divide the fat calories by total calories and the number should be less than .35 Choose foods that are low in saturated and trans fats

Fats Fat free means less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving Low fat means less than 3 grams of fat per serving Reduced fat is used to describe a product that has the fat reduced by at least 25% as compared with a standard serving of the traditional food Lite/Light means 1/3 fewer calories or 50 percent less as compared with a standard serving size of the traditional food.

Other ingredients on food labels Fiber Adults need 25-30 grams of fiber per day Kids need more than 5 grams per day Vitamins and Minerals Listed as a percent daily value based on 2000 calories per day. If the percent is higher than 10%, the food is a good source of that particular nutrient. If it’s higher than 20%, then it’s an excellent source of that nutrient Sodium Recommended that we eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day

Other ingredients on food labels Cholesterol free Less than 2 mg of cholesterol and 2 grams (or less) of saturated fat per serving "More” A serving of food that contains a nutrient that is at least 10% of the Daily Value more than the standard food

Try using these online tools to learn more about what you’re eating: USDA National Nutrient Database at http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search Track your foods and physical activities on SuperTracker at https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/default.aspx

Remember, some of the healthiest foods won’t have a food label Remember, some of the healthiest foods won’t have a food label. Try shopping for fruits and vegetables at a local farmers market.

References and Resources Why Eat Smart?: http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/nutrition/nutrition.html USDA National Nutrient Database: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search USDA SuperTracker: https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/default.aspx Resources Sports Nutrition: http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/nutrition/sportnutrition.html ChooseMyPlate.gov Food Guide: http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/nutrition/pyramid.html Vegetarianism: http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/nutrition/veggieteens.html Female Nutrition: http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/nutrition/women-diet.html Male Nutrition: http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/nutrition/malenutrition.html