Nutrition!

What is Healthy Eating? Enjoying a wide variety of foods from each food group every day and choosing lower-fat foods more often as recommended in Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. It is the overall pattern of foods eaten and not any one food, meal or even a day’s meal that determines if an eating pattern is healthy.

What is Healthy Eating? Healthy eating is essential for meeting energy and nutrient needs for growth, development and overall health and well being. It also means recognizing the body’s cues for hunger and satiety (fullness), eating meals/snacks throughout the day and enjoying the pleasures of eating for good health.

Canada’s Food Guide Suggests: enjoy a variety of foods. emphasize cereal, breads, other grain products, vegetables and fruit. choose lower fat dairy products, leaner meats and foods prepared with little or no fat. achieve and maintain a healthy body weight by enjoying regular physical activity and healthy eating. limit salt and caffeine.

Canada’s Food Guide: Grain products Vegetables and Fruit Milk Products Meat and Alternatives

Not “Good” or “Bad” All foods can be a part of healthy eating. There are no “bad” or “good” foods. It is important that healthy eating is the sum total of all foods choices made over time.

Calories and Nutrients Healthy eating enables us to meet energy needs for growth, development and activity. There are approximately 50 known nutrients that the body needs to be healthy. Nutrients are components in foods that provide energy, facilitate growth, and help the body function properly. Nutrients are divided into 6 classes: carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals and water. Carbohydrate, fat and protein are the nutrients that provide energy for the body. Energy from food is measured in calories. Vitamins, minerals and water perform specific functions and also help the body use the energy.

Three Nutrients Often Lacking in Adolescents: Calcium - It helps build strong bones. The more you take, the stronger your bones. It prevents osteoporosis. The best sources of calcium include milk, yogurt, cheese and soy beverages.

Three Nutrients Often Lacking in Adolescents: Iron - It’s found in our blood and it carries oxygen to blood cells. Oxygen helps cells produce energy. When there is little iron in the blood, there is less oxygen to help produce energy, and thus, one feels very tired. During these times, you need plenty of iron, especially for developing muscle mass. Iron is found in such foods as meat, poultry, seafood, grains and some vegetables

Three Nutrients Often Lacking in Adolescents: Fibre - Dietary fibre is found in the parts of plants we cannot digest. It plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Fast foods and other ready-to-eat foods contain little fibre. Fibre can be found only in foods of plant origin such as grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Healthy eating and active living reduces the chances of disease

Healthy Body Weight A weight range for adults that is related to good health. Being above or below the range increases the risk of health problems, and decreases the likelihood of good health. Since adolescents grow at different rates there is no way to accurately measure their healthy body weight.

Malnutrition Any condition caused by excess or deficient energy or nutrient intake, OR by an imbalance of nutrients.

Metabolism All the chemical processes in a living organism (e.g. human) producing energy and supporting growth.

“Sometimes” Foods Foods from the food groups and/or Other Foods category that are high in energy and not very nutrient, such as cookies, cake, potato chips, cream cheese, fruit drinks, and pop.

Overeating Eating more food on a daily basis than the body’s requirement. Eating past satiety (fullness), and above maintenance and growth needs.

Undereating Eating less food on a daily basis than the body’s energy and nutrient requirements for growth, development and overall health and well-being. Not eating in response to internal hunger cues.

“Everything in Moderation” To use something in small quantities rather than in excess (e.g. to drink pop once a week instead of every day or to put a little bit of butter on your popcorn instead of a lot).

Designing a NEW Food Guide Goal: to design and create a Food Guide poster that will inform individuals and promote healthy eating based on Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Part 1: Food Guide Poster Part 2: 2-Day Meal Plan

Part 1: Food Guide Poster  You will choose a specific target group and design the Food Guide poster with them in mind.  Include the information that is in Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating (i.e. the 4 food groups, and the serving numbers/sizes)

Part 2: 2-Day Meal Plan  Create meal plans for two (2) days for your target group. It must include breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, supper, snack. Your daily meals must meet the daily requirements and have a variety of foods.  The meal plans can be made into a pamphlet that would be found in the poster, or typed out on sheets and attached to the poster.

These are some factors to consider when you are determining your target group. You don’t have to limit your target group to these factors…this is just to get you thinking!

Target Group Profile Gender(s)  Male  Females Males and Females Lifecycle Stage School Age Children  Preschoolers Young Adults  Adolescents  Middle aged adults  Pregnant women Elderly Interests/Lifestyle Factors  Sports: specifically ___________  Vegetarian Reading  Lactose Intolerance Music  Food Allergies Dance University /college student Limited mobility (physically disabled)

Assessment Criteria Food Guide Poster: Content: (K/U) (25%) Target Group is clear Correct Serving Numbers presented Correct Serving Sizes presented 4 food groups represented Presentation: (Communication) (25%) Creativity demonstrated Use of colour, graphics Neat lettering Neat cutting Correct spelling and grammar

2-day meal plan: Content: (Application) (25%) 2 complete days with all meals/snacks included Serving sizes are correct Number of servings is appropriate for target group Variety of foods are presented Food choices are appropriate for target group Presentation: (Communication) (25%) Use of titles/subtitles Well organized (easy to follow) Neat (straight lines, easy to read lettering) Correct spelling and grammar

Canada’s Food Guide: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/food-guide-aliment/print_eatwell_bienmang-eng.pdf http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/eating-nutrition/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php

Good Luck 