basic tools in nutrition

Francis Obmerga, RN, MAN

Fundamental Tools

• are used to evaluate the amount and

variety of foods.

• Two Types:

a. Qualitative tools

b. Quantitative tools

Planning a Healthy Diet

A diet is well planned if:

• it has enough essential nutrients

• is balanced with regard to food types

• offers energy value that matches energy spent in

an activity

• is moderate in unwanted dietary constituents

• offers an array of selections

Elements Healthy Diet

• Adequacy – foods chosen provide enough of

each important nutrient, fiber, and energy.

• Proportionality / Balance – any food can be

part of healthy diet as long as the overall intake

throughout the day or week gives enough of all

the nutrients needed.

• Calorie control – food provide the amount of

calories a person needs to sustain appropriate

weight.

Elements Healthy Diet

• Moderation – having enough but not in excess

of what is needed.

• Variety - selecting food from different food

groups.

• Nutrient Density- select foods that deliver most

nutrients for the least amount of food energy.

Food Guides

• Tools devised to aid in planning,

procuring, preparing, serving, and

consuming meals for both normal and

therapeutic diets of individuals or groups.

• a.k.a. Food Groups

Uses of Dietary Guides

• Used for planning nutritious diets for

individuals and population group.

• Used in qualitative and quantitative

assessment on the nutritional adequacy of

a diet.

Food Guides

• Your Guide to Good Nutrition (YGGN)

• Plate Model

• Food Wheel

• Food Pyramid Guide

Your Guide to Good Nutrition

(YGGN)

• Provide healthy tips to plan, select and prepare

adequate meals for the family

• Provides the average daily allowance for diff.

food groups that people need to maintain good

health.

• Helps people to select the right kind of food to

eat everyday.

Your Guide to Good Nutrition

(YGGN)

Three food groups:

1. Energy foods – high in carbohydrates and fats

like rice, starchy foods and fat-rich foods.

2. Body-building foods – rich in protein and

minerals.

3. Regulating foods – rich in vitamins, minerals,

fiber, and water like fruits and vegetables.

Plate Model

A dinner plate is used as a graphical

representation of a pie chart.

• ½ plate - vegetables

• ¼ plate – grain products (pasta, potatoes, rice)

• ¼ plate - meat alternatives

• On the sides: fruit/low fat milk or yogurt/ grains

like bread, rolls

Food Wheel

• Adapted by FNRI; graphic representation of

YGGN

• Four groups or sections

1. energy giving foods (GO)

2. body building foods (GROW)

3. body regulating foods (GLOW)

4. eat the recommended amount for each

food group daily

Food Pyramid Guide

• A pictorial form of daily food guide.

• Teaches the principle of eating a variety of foods

everyday, the need for moderation in some food

groups while emphasizing the importance of

other food items.

• Ms. Sanirose Orbeta, RD - in 1996 added

another layer at the base w/c highlights the

importance of water and other fluids.

Daily Nutritional Guide Pyramid for Filipinos

(13 – 19 Years Old)

Daily Nutritional Guide Pyramid for Filipinos

(20 – 39 Years Old)

Daily Nutritional Guide Pyramid for Filipinos

(60 – 69 Years Old)

Daily Nutritional Guide Pyramid for Filipino

Pregnant Women

Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos,

FNRI-DOST

Provide the population, general public or individuals w/ primary recommendations about proper diet and wholesome dietary practices to promote good health for themselves and their families.

Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos,

FNRI-DOST

1. Eat a wide variety of foods everyday.

2. Breast feed infants from birth to 4-6 mos. and then give appropriate foods while continuing breast feeding.

3. Maintain children’s normal growth through proper diet and monitor growth regularly.

Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos,

FNRI-DOST

4. Consume fish, lean meat, poultry or dried

beans.

5. Eat more fruits, veggies & root crops.

6. Eat foods prepared w/ edible cooking oil daily.

7. Consume milk, milk products or other Calcium rich foods.

Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos,

FNRI-DOST

8. Use iodized salt, but avoid excessive

intake of salty foods.

9. Eat clean and safe foods.

10.Exercise regularly, do not smoke, and

avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.

Nutritional Guidelines for Americans

• Eat a variety of foods.

• Maintain healthy weight.

• Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and

cholesterol.

• Choose a diet w/ plenty of veggies, fruits, and

grain products.

• Use sugars only in moderation.

• Use salt and sodium only in moderation.

• If you drink alcoholic beverages, do

so in moderation.

Nutritional Guidelines For Koreans

• Eat a variety of foods.

• Keep ideal weight.

• Consume enough protein.

• Keep fat consumption at 20% of total calories.

• Drink milk everyday.

• Reduce salt intake.

• Keep good dental health.

• Refrain from smoking, alcohol, and

caffeine consumption.

• Keep the harmony between diet and daily life.

• Enjoy your meals.

Dietary Standards

• Computations of energy and nutrient requirements or allowances that are stated qualitatively.

• REQUIREMENT – minimum amt. of energy and nutrients to maintain good health under specific conditions like age, weight, physical activity, sex, and physiological conditions.

• ALLOWANCE – minimum amount of energy and nutrients + a margin of safety to allow for individual differences and fluctuations in health.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

• Are intended to promote optimal health by establishing nutrient intake that would lower the risk of nutrient deficiencies and reduce the incidence of chronic disease.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

• Average daily amount of nutrient considered enough to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy people.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

• Adequate Intake (AI) – is the value used as a guide for nutrient intake when no RDA exists. It is the average amount of nutrient that appears to sustain a desired indicator of health.

• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) – refers to the highest amount of s nutrient that appears safe for regular consumption and beyond which there is an increased risk of adverse effects.

Recommended Energy and Nutrient

Intakes (RENI)

• Revised (RDA)

• Provides the public about the level of

essential nutrient that must be taken.

Difference Between

Guidelines and RENI

Guidelines – emphasis is on food groups and overall dietary patterns and their impact on chronic disease (CA, HPN..)

RENI – focuses on energy and specific nutrients and the prevention of specific nutrient deficiency syndromes (VAD, IDA, IDD)

Nutrients Covered for

Recommendation:

1. Energy

2. Macronutrients

3. Minerals: Ca, Mg, P, Fe, I, Se, Zn, Mn, F

4. Fat-soluble vitamins (ADEK)

5. Water-soluble vitamins (C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, niacin, Folate, B6, B12)

6. Water and electrolytes

Uses & Application of RENI

• As a goal for energy & nutrient intakes of groups and nutrient intakes of individuals

• As a reference std for assessment of the habitual energy & nutrient intakes of the population sub-groups

• As a goal for agricultural production

• As a reference std for assessment of the adequacy of food supplies

• As a tool for nutrition education & advocacy

• As a basis for public health & food nutrition policies.

Food Exchange List (FEL)

• A list of common foods grouped in terms of equivalent amounts of CHOs, CHONs, fats and calories.

• “EXCHANGES” – a food item may be replaced or substituted with, or “exchanges” for another food item belonging in the same list since food in the same amounts of energy and energy-giving nutrients.

Food Exchange List (FEL)

Examples:

1 cup noodles/ pasta = 3 pcs. Pandesal = ½ cup rice cooked, packed

Uses of FEL

1. Meal planning

2. Diet instruction

3. Estimating the energy & macronutrient (normal & therapeutic diets)

4. Teaching tool (principle of basic nutrition, nutrient composition, & caloric density)

5. Reference for expressing household measures of food into approximate weight in grams.

Food Exchange : Vegetables

One serving for vegetables in food exchange list

contains 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrate.

One serving of vegetables equals to:

1/2 cup Cooked vegetables (carrots, broccoli,

zucchini, cabbage, etc.)

1 cup Raw vegetables or salad greens

1/2 cup Vegetable juice

Food Exchange : Medium Fat Proteins

One serving has 75 calories and 5 grams of

fat. One serving equals to:

1 ounce Beef (any prime cut), corned beef,

ground beef **

1 ounce Pork chop

1 each Whole egg (medium) **

1 ounce Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup Ricotta cheese

4 ounces Tofu (note this is a Heart Healthy

choice)

Food Composition Table (FCT)

• Dietary tool that contains numerical values indicating the total amount of constituents in food not the amount absorbed but the maximum amount of nutrient available to the body.

• Used to calculate nutrient intake of individuals or population group.

• Used to prescribe diet w/ nutrient restriction or modifications.

Food Labels

are the primary means of communication between the producer or the manufacturer and the purchaser or consumer.

Information about the product’s contents, ingredients, and nutritional value.

Helps consumer see how food fits into their overall diet.

Food Labels

Mandatory Information on Food Labels

Name of product

Name and address of manufacturer, packer, or distributor

Place of origin

Preparation instructions

Weight or quantity

Storage instructions

Food Labels

Open-date Markings

“Consume before” or “use before” or “expiration date”

“Best use by”

The Ingredient list

• List of ingredients of food w/c are arranged in descending order.

• Must include additives – valuable to people who suffer adverse reaction. to specific product ingredients.

The Ingredient list

SERVING SIZE

Reflects the amount that people customarily consume.

Expressed in common household measures.

Servings per container - number of servings in the food package.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS PANEL