Nutrition Basics

1. Nutrition Basics

2. What is Nutrition? • Nutrition is the study of food, including • How food nourishes our bodies • How food influences our health • Nutrition is a relatively new discipline of science.

3. Why is Nutrition Important? • Nutrition can prevent disease. • Nutrient deficiency diseases: scurvy, goiter, rickets; • Diseases influenced by nutrition: chronic diseases such as heart disease; • Diseases in which nutrition plays a role: osteoarthritis, osteoporosis.

4. Why is Nutrition Important? • Obesity is a growing problem.

6. Why is Nutrition Important? • Good nutrition has become a national goal. Goals of Healthy People 2010 • Increase quality and years of healthy life • Eliminate health disparities

7. Nutrition Basics

8. What Are Nutrients? • Nutrientsare the chemicals in foods that are critical to human growth and function. • Nutrients are essential, i.e. we must eat them from food because they are not produced in large enough amounts (or at all) in body for good health.

9. 6 Types of Nutrients • Carbohydrates • Fats and Oils • Proteins • Vitamins • Minerals • Water

10. Nutrient Categories • Macronutrients: nutrients required in relatively large amounts. • Provide energy to our bodies • Carbohydrates, fats and oils, proteins • Micronutrients: nutrients required in smaller amounts. • Vitamins and minerals

11. Energy From Nutrients • We measure energy in kilocalories (kcal). • Kilocalorie: amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1g of water by 1oC. • On food labels, “calorie” actually refers to kilocalories.

12. Carbohydrates • Primary source of fuel for the body, especially for the brain. • Provide 4 kcal per gram. • Carbohydrates are found in grains (wheat, rice), vegetables, fruits, and legumes.

13. Fats and Oils • Fats and oils are composed of lipids, molecules that are insoluble in water. • Provide 9 kcal per gram. • An important energy source during rest or low intensity exercise. • Found in butter, margarine, vegetable oils, animal fat.

14. Proteins • Proteins are chains of amino acids. • Proteins can supply 4 kcal of energy per gram, but are not a primary energy source. • Proteins are an important source of nitrogen

15. Proteins • Proteins are important for • Building cells and tissues • Maintaining bones • Repairing damage • Regulating metabolism • Protein sources include meats, dairy products, seeds, nuts, and legumes.

16. Vitamins • Vitamins: organic molecules that assist in regulating body processes. • Vitamins are micronutrients that do not supply energy to our bodies. • Fat-soluble vitamins • Water-soluble vitamins

17. Vitamins • Fat-soluble vitamins: • Vitamins A, D, E and K • Dissolve easily in fats and oils • Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body.

18. Vitamins • Water-soluble vitamins: • Vitamin C and the B vitamins • Remain dissolved in water • Excess water-soluble vitamins are eliminated by the kidneys and cannot be stored in our bodies.

19. Minerals • Minerals: inorganic substances required for body processes. • Minerals include sodium, calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. • Minerals have many different functions such as fluid regulation, bone structure, muscle movement, and nerve functioning.

20. Water • Water is a critical nutrient for health and survival. • Water is involved in many body processes: fluid balance nutrient transport nerve impulses removal of wastes muscle contractions chemical reactions and many, many more…

21. Designing A Healthful Diet • Now that we know about nutrients, it’s time to look at how to examine a healthful diet. The tools for designing a healthful diet may include: • Food Labels • Dietary Guidelines • MyPyramid – the Food Guide Pyramid • MyPlate

22. Food Labels • The FDA requires food labels on most products. These labels must include: • A statement of identity • Net contents of the package • Ingredients list • Manufacturer’s name and address • Nutrition information ** (Nutrition Facts Panel)

23. Nutrition Facts Panel • The Nutrition Facts Panel contains the nutrition information required by the FDA. • This information can be used in planning a healthful diet. How does a food fit into a healthful diet?

25. Nutrition Facts Panel - 1 • Serving size and servings per container • Serving sizes may be used to plan appropriate amounts of food. • Standardized serving sizes allow for comparisons among similar products.

27. Nutrition Facts Panel - 2 • Calories per serving and calories from fat per serving • This information can be used to determine if a product is relatively high in fat.

29. Nutrition Facts Panel - 3 • List of nutrients • Fat (Total and Saturated) • Cholesterol • Sodium • Carbohydrates • Protein • Some key vitamins and minerals

31. Nutrition Facts Panel - 4 • Percent Daily Values (%DV) • Describes how much a serving of food contributes to your total intake of a nutrient. • Is based on a diet of 2,000 calories per day. • Can be used to determine if a product is low or high in a particular nutrient • < 5% = “low” and > 20% = “high”

33. Nutrition Facts Panel – General - 5 • Contains general dietary advice for all people; • Must be present on all food labels; • Also compares a 2,000 calorie diet with a 2,500 calorie diet.

34. Dietary Guidelines • Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 • General advice for nutrition and health from: • US Department of Health and Social Services • US Department of Agriculture • Revised every 5 years. • Emphasize good food choices and physical activity.

35. Dietary Guidelines – 2010 • Enjoy your food, but eat less. • Avoid oversized portions. • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. • Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. • Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with lower numbers. • Drink water instead of sugary drinks. • Complement healthful food choices with increased physical activity.

36. My Pyramid -- Outdated

37. My Plate – Current Logo

38. Food Groups • Fruits • Vegetables • Grains • Proteins • Dairy

39. Fruits • Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit Group • Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, dried, whole, cut-up or pureed. • Key Consumer Message: Make half your plate fruits and vegetables!

40. Health Benefits of Fruit • As part of a healthy diet fruit may reduce risk for heart disease, protect against certain types of cancers, reduce the risk of obesity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

41. Nutrients In Fruit • Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium and calories. • None have cholesterol. • Fruits are sources of many essential nutrients including: potassium; dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate.

42. Vegetables • Any vegetable of 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the Vegetable Group. • Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed. • Key Consumer Message: Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables!

43. Health Benefits of Vegetables • As part of an overall healthy diet, vegetables may reduce the risk for heart disease, protect against certain types of cancers and may reduce the risk of obesity and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

44. Nutrients in Vegetables • Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. • None have cholesterol. • BUT SAUCES OR SEASONINGS MAY ADD FAT, CALORIES OR CHOLESTEROL!!!! • Vegetables may provide dietary fiber, potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium.

45. Grains • Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. • Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products. • Grains are divided into 2 subgroups: Whole Grains and Refined Grains. • Key Consumer Message: Make at least half of your grains whole grains!

46. Whole Grains • Contain the entire grain kernel – the bran, germ, and endosperm. • Examples include: whole-wheat flour; bulgur (cracked wheat); oatmeal; whole cornmeal; brown rice.

47. Refined Grains • Refined grains have been milled. This is a process that removes the bran and the germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. • Examples of refined grains are: white flour; de-germed cornmeal; white bread; white rice. • Most refined grains are enriched – that is, certain B vitamins and iron are added back after processing, but fiber is not added back.

48. Health Benefits of Grains • Eating grains, especially whole grains as part of a healthy diet may reduce the risk of some chronic diseases: heart disease, obesity; neural tube defects during fetal development.

49. Nutrients in Grains • Dietary fiber (especially in whole grains) • B vitamins • Minerals – iron, magnesium and selenium

50. Proteins • All foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts and seeds are part of the Protein Foods Group. (Beans and peas are also part of the Vegetable Group.) • Select a variety of protein foods including at least 8 ounces * of cooked seafood per week. • Key Consumer Message: Meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat.