Chapter 1 Goals
Identify the characteristics of a healthful diet.
A healthful diet provides adequate nutrients and energy and includes only moderate amounts of sweets, fats, and salt. A healthful diet also includes an appropriate balance and variety of foods.
Explain how to read and use the Nutritional Facts Panel found on food labels.
Food labels must list the identity of the food, the net contents of the package, the contact information for the food manufacturer or distributor, the ingredients in the food, and a Nutrition Facts panel.
Identify the food groups in the USDA food patterns and the amounts adults should eat each day.
MyPlate is an interactive, web-based tool developed as part of the USDA food patterns to help Americans make better food choices. It can be used to assess one's current diet and physical activity levels. The food groups in the plate include grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy foods, and protein foods. Empty Calories from solid fats and/or added sugars provide few or no nutrients. The USDA recommends that empty Calories should be limited in a daily diet. Specific serving sizes are defined for foods in each group of MyPlate. There is no standard definition for a serving size, and the serving sizes defined in the plate are generally smaller than those listed on food labels and the servings generally sold to customers.
Define the term "Nutrition". Explain why nutrition is important.
Nutrition is the science that studies food and how food affects our bodies and our health. Nutrition is an important component of wellness. A healthful diet prevents nutrient-deficiency diseases, and reduces the risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes in which nutrition plays some role. Nutrients are chemicals found in food that are critical to human growth and function.
List at least four sources of reliable and accurate nutrition information.
Quackery is the misrepresentation of a product, program, or service for financial gain. Heath professionals who provide reliable and accurate nutrition information include registered dietitians (RDs), licensed dietitians, professionals with an advanced degree in nutrition, and some physicians. The term nutritionist is not a guarantee that the individual has any training in nutrition. Reliable nutrition information is also provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and many other governmental agencies and professional organizations
Describe the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and discuss how these guidelines can be used to design a healthful diet.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize healthful food choices and physical activity behaviors. The guidelines include balancing food intake and physical activity to achieve and maintain a healthy weight; limiting sodium, fat, sugars, and alcohol; consuming nutrient-dense foods; and following healthy eating patterns, including keeping foods safe to eat.
Compare and contrast the 6 types of Dietary Reverence Intakes for Nutrients.
The Dietary Reverence Intakes (DRIs) are dietary standards for nutrients established for healthy people in a particular life stage or gender group.
Identify the 6 classes of nutrients essential for health.
The six essential nutrient groups found in foods are carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins provide our bodies with the energy we need to survive. Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for the activities of the body, whereas fats provide energy for the body at rest and during light activity. Protein contributes to tissue growth and repair and is only secondarily an energy source. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients essential to human functioning. Some vitamins are water soluble, and others are fat soluble. Two groups of minerals are trace minerals and major minerals.
Describe the steps of the scientific method used in research studies.
The steps in the scientific method are (1) observing a phenomenon, (2) creating a hypothesis, (3) designing and conducting an experiment, and (4) collecting and analyzing data that support or refute the hypothesis. If the data are rejected, then an alternative hypothesis is proposed and tested If the data support the original hypothesis, then a conclusion is drawn. A scientific theory represents a conclusion drawn from repeated experimentation.
