Ch. 7 Nutrition for Life Section 3 Meeting Your Nutritional Needs Section 4 Choosing a Healthful Diet

Key Terms Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs): recommended nutrient intakes that will meet the needs of almost all healthy people Daily value (DV): recommended daily amount of a nutrient; used on food labels to help people see how a food fits into their diet Food Guide Pyramid: a tool for choosing a healthy diet by selecting a recommended number of servings from each of the five food groups Dietary Guidelines for Americans: a set of diet and lifestyle recommendations developed to improve health and reduce nutrition-related disease risk in the U.S. population

Key Terms Nutrient density: a measure of the nutrients in a food compared with the energy the food provides Vegetarian: a dietary pattern that includes few or no animal products

What Are RDA’s Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the recommended nutrient intakes that will meet the needs of almost all healthy people Not exact requirements but are meant to serve as general guidelines for correct nutrient intake

Understanding Food Labels Food labels provide a convenient source of nutrition information about foods and the way foods fit into your diet. Food labels include a set of nutrition facts, information about the processing of the food, and a list of ingredients Serving Size Single serving size shown at the top of the Nutritional Facts panel The amounts of nutrients given before this are the amounts found in this serving size Calories Label must list total calories and the calories from fat in a seving of the food Also list descriptions for foods that are lower in calories

Understanding Food Labels Daily Values Nutrients are listed on food labels by weight and as a % of a 2000 Calorie diet Total fat Listed by weight and as a % of DV Cholesterol Sodium Listed by weight and as a% of DV Total carbohydrates Nutritional Facts Labels includes all sugars whether they are natural or added Protein Must be listed in grams The % of the DV is not usually listed Vitamins and Minerals Calcium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A and some B vitamins are given on labels only as a % of the DV

Understanding Other Terms on Food Packaging Ingredient List Listed on the label in order of weight—those present in the largest amounts are listed first Calories Some foods are calorie free(less than 5 calories), light or lite(1/3 fewer calories that the regular brand has), low calorie(no more than 40 Calories), or reduced calorie(25% fewer calories than the regular brand has) to help a person reduce his or her calorie intake Cholesterol Low cholesterol(20 milligrams or less), or cholesterol free(less than 2 milligrams) Sugars Added to food s are included in the ingredient list Sugar free(less than .5 grams of sugar), No sugar added, without added sugar, or reduced sugar (25% less sugar than the regular brand has Fats Fat free (less than .5 grams of fat), low fat (3 grams of fat or less), extra lean (less than 5 grams of fat), low in saturated fat (1 gram or less) Important to remember that even though a food may be labeled low fat, it can still be high in calories

Food Guide Pyramid Visual tool for planning your diet that divides foods into six food groups Shows the number of servings needed from each group to make a healthy diet Serving recommendations are given in ranges so that people with different calorie needs can use the pyramid Choose a variety of foods from each group

Dietary Guidelines for Americans The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a set of diet and lifestyle recommendations developed to improve health and reduce nutrition-related disease risk in the U.S. population Guidelines are designed for all Americans over the age of two

Know the ABC’s for Good Health Aim for Fitness Aim for a healthy weight Be physically active each day Build a healthy base Let the Food Guide Pyramid guide your food choices Choose a variety of grains, especially whole grains on a daily basis Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily Keep food safe to eat Choose sensibly Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars Choose and prepare foods with less salt Adults who drink alcohol should do so in moderation

Choose the Right Snacks Snacking isn’t a “bad habit” When done right, it increases your nutrient intake and helps you maintain a healthy weight A piece of fruit and a yogurt on the way to school is much better than not having any breakfast. The problem with snacking is that we don’t always choose healthy foods High nutrient density foods

Nutrition Throughout Life A Healthy Start in Infancy Diet is fairly simple Diet is high in fat to provide energy and to allow their rapid growth and development Continuing Good Nutrition in Childhood From 2 years of age onward, children can generally meet their nutrient needs by following the recommendations of the food guide pyramid but choosing smaller portions Teens Need to Eat Right to Grow Eat meals on the run or skip meals all together because of busy schedules Too little milk and too many sodas resulting in diets low in important nutrients As growth and development speeds up, your body needs more energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals

Nutrition Throughout Life Adults Aren’t Growing As you enter adulthood, growth in height slows and then stops. As a result, the number of calories a person needs to maintain a healthy weight decreases As adults become less active, their calorie intake needs to decrease A person’s nutritional needs change at each stage of life—infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood Infants and children need more food energy per pound of body weight than adults do

Special Dietary Needs Athletes, pregnant women, and people who are ill have special dietary needs. Special Requirements of Athletes Whether training, competing, or just staying fit, athletes need extra energy and water to maintain their performance and endurance Follow a diet based on the Food Guide Pyramid and rink plenty of water Diet high in carbohydrates to provide the quick energy required for exercise (complex carbs and B vitamins ) Two hours before exercising, you should eat a high carbohydrate snack