The Pursuit of a Healthy Diet

1. 2 The Pursuit of a Healthy Diet

2. Chapter Objectives 2.1 List and describe six characteristics of planning a healthy diet. 2.2 Describe the purpose of each of the four categories of nutrient intake values that make up the DRI for nutrients. 2.3 Describe three major goals for building healthy eating patterns as emphasized by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

3. Chapter Objectives 2.4 Explain how the MyPlate Food Guide incorporates the principles of diet planning to help consumers make healthy meal choices. 2.5 List four nutrients whose intakes are low enough to be of public health concern in the United States.

4. Chapter Objectives 2.6 List the information found on food labels that is useful to use when making comparisons between similar products based on health goals. 2.7 Discuss tips for incorporating ethnic food choices into a healthy eating pattern.

5. 2.1 The ABCs of Eating for Health • Diet planning principles • Adequacy: provide enough of the essential nutrients, fiber, and energy • Balance: avoid overemphasis on any food type or nutrient at the expense of another • Nutrient density: create a healthy eating pattern • Meet nutrient needs and stay within calorie limits

6. 2.1 The ABCs of Eating for Health • Diet planning principles • Calorie control: supply the amount of energy you need to maintain a healthy weight • Moderation: avoid excess amounts of unwanted constituents • Variety: incorporate a wide selection of different foods • Within and among the different food groups

7. 2.2 Nutrient Recommendations • Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) a set of reference values for energy and nutrients • Estimate the energy and nutrient needs of healthy people • Separate recommendations are made for different groups of people • Age and gender groups, e.g. children ages 4 through 8, adult, men and pregnant women

8. 2.2 Nutrient Recommendations • Nutrient requirement: amount that will prevent deficiency symptoms • DRI terms • Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) • Amount of a nutrient that is estimated to meet the requirement for the nutrient in half of the people of a specific age and gender • Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) • Average daily amount of a nutrient that meets the nutrient needs of 97 to 98 percent of healthy individuals of a specific age and gender

9. 2.2 Nutrient Recommendations • DRI terms • Adequate Intake (AI) • Average amount of a nutrient that appears to be adequate for individuals when there is not sufficient scientific research to calculate an RDA • Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) • Maximum amount of a nutrient that is unlikely to pose any risk of adverse health effects to most healthy people

10. 2.2 Nutrient Recommendations • DRI terms • Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) • Average calorie intake that is predicted to maintain energy balance in a healthy adult of a defined age, gender, weight, height, and level of physical activity, consistent with good health • Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) • Range of intakes for a particular energy source that is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease while providing adequate intakes of essential nutrients

14. 2.2 Nutrient Recommendations • The DRI for nutrients • EAR • RDA • AI • UL • The DRI for energy and the energy nutrients • EER • AMDR

16. 2.3 The Challenge of Dietary Guidelines • Key recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans • Balancing calories to manage weight • Foods and food components to reduce • Foods and nutrients to increase • Building healthy eating patterns • Goal of the Dietary Guidelines • Decrease the risk of lifestyle diseases

17. 2.4 Introducing the MyPlate Diet-Planning Tool • What are ten tips to a great plate? • Balance your calories. • Enjoy your food, but eat less. • Avoid oversized portions. • Eat some foods more often. • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

18. 2.4 Introducing the MyPlate Diet-Planning Tool • What are ten tips to a great plate? • Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. • Make half your grains whole grains. • Eat certain foods less often. • Compare sodium in foods. • Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

20. 2.4 Introducing the MyPlate Diet-Planning Tool • Using MyPlate to achieve a healthy lifestyle • Key components in achieving a healthy lifestyle • Activity • Variety • Proportionality • Moderation • Personalization • Gradual improvement

21. 2.4 Introducing the MyPlate Diet-Planning Tool • Use the simplicity of MyPlate to build a healthful diet • Steps to meeting personal energy needs and promoting a healthy weight • Step 1: Estimate Your Daily Energy Needs. • Step 2: Build Your Daily Eating Plan. • Step 3:Let MyPlate Guide Your Food Choices.

22. 2.4 Introducing the MyPlate Diet-Planning Tool • Using MyPlate to meet nutrient needs • Grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy groups serve as the foundation of a healthful diet • Supply vitamins, minerals, and fiber • Protein selections should be chosen wisely • Include lean meats, skinless poultry, fish, and dry beans • A small amount of oil is needed for vitamin E and essential fats

23. 2.5 How Well Do We Eat? • Americans’ diets have • Too many calories and too much fat, added sugars, refined grains, and sodium • Too few vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products

26. How Well Do We Eat • Using MyPlate to improve nutrient and energy intakes • Implement a diet that is • Energy balanced, limited in total calories, and portion controlled • Nutrient-dense and includes vegetables, fruits, high-fiber whole grains; fat-free or low-fat dairy products; and seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, soy products, nuts, seeds, and oils • Very low in solid fats and added sugars and low in sodium

27. The Savvy Diner • Rules of thumb for portion sizes—it’s all in your hands • Visual references for choosing the right amount of food to eat • One fist, clenched = 8 fl oz • Two hands, cupped = 1 cup • One hand, cupped = 1/2 cup • Palm of hand = 3 oz • Two thumbs together = 1 tbsp

28. 2.6 More Tools for Diet Planning • Food labels • Required components • Name of the food • Name of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor, and contact information • Net contents of the package • Ingredients list • Nutrition Facts panel

29. 2.6 More Tools for Diet Planning • Using the nutrition facts panel • Keep serving sizes in mind • Notice the total calories and calories from fat per serving • Check out the nutrient information that must appear in the Nutrition Facts panel, e.g., total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, etc. • Look for the percent Daily Values

30. Eat Well Be Well • Color your plate for health with a variety of fruits and vegetables Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day for better health • Recommended steps in daily food planning • Color your plate with health-protective foods. • Be adventurous: select from as wide a variety of fruits and vegetables as possible. • Make It Easy on Yourself!

31. 2.6 More Tools for Diet Planning • Using the Percent Daily Values (%DV) • Example using 2,000 calories per day • No more than 65 fat grams a day • A cereal containing three grams of fat in a serving has a Daily Value of five percent

32. 2.6 More Tools for Diet Planning • Nutrient content claims (see Table 2-7) • Calorie-free: less than five calories per serving • Good source of fiber: 2.5 g to 4.9 g per serving • Low-fat: three grams of fat or less per serving • Reduced Sodium: at least 25 percent lower in sodium than the regular product

33. 2.6 More Tools for Diet Planning • Health claim • Statement linking the nutritional profile of a food to a reduced risk of a particular disease • Strict rules established by the FDA • Products must also identify other contributing factors, e.g., exercise • The claim must be phrased to explain the relationship between the nutrient and the disease (see Table 2-8)

34. 2.6 More Tools for Diet Planning • Exchange lists • Lists of categories of foods, e.g., fruit, with portions specified in a way that allows the foods to be mixed and matched • Example: exchanges for one fruit are • One-half cup of orange juice • One small banana • One small apple • Useful tools for diabetics or people following calorie-controlled diets to lose weight

35. 2.7 Spotlight: A Tapestry of Cultures and Cuisines • Ethnic and regional food practices • Mexican food: traditional diet draws largely from Spanish and Indian influences • Mostly vegetables, including beans, squash, and maize (corn) • High in complex carbohydrates, e.g., rice, vitamins A- and C-rich fruits and vegetables • Drawbacks: fried foods; and high-fat meats and eggs

37. 2.7 Spotlight: A Tapestry of Cultures and Cuisines • Ethnic and regional food practices • Chinese food: the traditional diet has the majority of calories from grains, legumes, and vegetables • Four schools of cooking • Peking • Shanghai • Szechwan or Hunan • Cantonese

39. 2.7 Spotlight: A Tapestry of Cultures and Cuisines • Ethnic and regional food practices • Italian food: as prepared and served in the U.S. is very high in fat and calories • Healthy substitutions are possible: vegetables for sausage and pepperoni on pizza; reduced-fat cheeses for the high-fat versions; and olive oil in place of butter • Some scientists advocate a “Mediterranean diet” that includes generous amounts of olive oil

41. 2.7 Spotlight: A Tapestry of Cultures and Cuisines • Ethnic and regional food practices • Indian food: traditional diet is known for heavy use of vegetables and spices • Distinct characteristics are based on geographic location, religious beliefs, and availability • Vegetarianism is predominant • Meat as part of the diet is eaten in moderation • Prepared in a traditional manner, the cuisine provides benefits of a high-carbohydrate, low-fat, low-cost diet that is as tasty as it is healthy

43. 2.7 Spotlight: A Tapestry of Cultures and Cuisines • Ethnic and regional food practices • African American diet: traditional soul food has West African origins • Slaves brought to the U.S. changed diets to match foods that were provided, e.g., corn, salt pork, garden vegetables (cabbage, collard and mustard greens, black-eyed peas, etc.) • Fried chicken and fried catfish were included in diets of those cooking for their owners • Today’s diets are influenced by economic status and geographic location along with tradition

45. 2.7 Spotlight: A Tapestry of Cultures and Cuisines • Ethnic and regional food practices • Jewish foods: kosher • Rules of kashrut specify the kosher foods (fit to eat) • Jewish dietary laws are considered divine commandments set forth to maintain spiritual, not physical, health • Examples: pork is forbidden; only animals with cloven hooves that chew their cud are allowed (cattle, sheep, goats, and deer); birds of prey and shellfish are not allowed; etc. • Diet is high in sodium