Calculating Nutrition Recommendations and Making Healthy Choices
Objective:
1.
Students will be able to calculate their recommended amount of macronutrients
needed for a balanced diet.
2.
Students will analyze several food labels and choose which option is a healthy
choice.
Vocabulary:
Macronutrients – Nutrients that provide the body with calories and are needed in large
amounts (carbohydrates, proteins and fats – usually measured in grams)
Micronutrients - Nutrients that are needed in small amounts and do not provide the body with
calories (vitamins and minerals)
Calories – The energy produced when our body breaks down the macronutrients
Carbohydrate: Primary source of energy for the body
Protein: Used to build and repair tissue (i.e. muscle), also used to make hormones
Fat: Storage of energy, protects organs
Saturated Fat: Saturated fats lead to higher levels of LDL Cholesterol (bad cholesterol). High
cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease which is the leading cause of death in the US
Background Information
1. When eating healthy, a balance diet should include these percentages for macronutrients:
a. 45-65% calories from carbohydrates
b. 10-35% calories from proteins
c. 20-35% calories or less from total fats
d. 10% or less should be saturated fats
Information from the Food and Nutrition Board – Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range
2. If we are supposed to eat 2,000 calories a day (average for adults and what the food label
uses for its Daily Value percentages) how many calories should be eaten daily to meet the
recommendations for carbohydrates, proteins, fats and saturated fats?
a. CALCULATION:
i.
ii.
iii.
Carbohydrates: 2,000 X 55% = 1,100 calories should come from carbohydrates
Proteins: 2,000 X 20% = 400 calories should come from protein
Fat: 2,000 X 25% = 500 calories should come from total fat
1. Saturated Fat: 2,000 X 10% = 200 calories OR LESS should come from
Saturated fat
3. Now, knowing the calories for each daily recommendation for macronutrients, how many
grams should we eat of each nutrient?
We use the conversion:
i. 1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories
ii. 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
iii. 1 gram of fat = 9 cal
a. Carbohydrates: 1,100/ 4 = We should eat around 275 grams of carbohydrates per day
b. Proteins: 400/ 4 = We should eat around 100 grams of protein per day
c. Fats: 500/ 9 = We should eat around 56 grams of total fat per day
d. Saturated Fat: 200/9 = We should eat LESS THAN 22 grams of saturated fat per day
4. REVIEW When looking at a food label, we see that there is a % Daily Value column in
addition to the grams for each nutrient. % Daily Value is meant to be a tool to compare
different food products. For example, look at the Label Example handout. When looking at the
Double Cheese Burger, we can see that if we eat the double cheese burger, we would be
eating 75% of our daily recommendation of saturated fat! This means that we only have 25%
of our total recommendation left for the rest of the day. Compare the Double Cheeseburger to
the Grilled Chicken Sandwich with only 10% of your daily recommendation for saturated fat;
we see that the grilled sandwich is a much healthier choice.
PRACTICE:
1. Assume you consume 25 g of fat, 75 g of carbohydrate, and 65 g of protein in a particular
meal.
a. How many calories will you have eaten?
Fat: 25 g x 9 calories = 225 calories
CHO: 75 g x 4 calories = 300 calories
Pro: 65 g x 4 calories = 260 calories
Total calories: 785 calories
b. How does the balance of nutrients in this meal compare to the percents recommended
for these macronutrients in a healthy daily diet?
Fat = 29 % CHO = 38% Pro = 33%
Fat and protein are within appropriate percent ranges - CHO is low, however, it’s
more appropriate to view % ranges as a total for the day rather than looking at a
single meal.
2. The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges for appropriate daily macronutrient intake
are: Carbohydrates should comprise 45% to 65% of a person’s daily calories, Proteins 10% to
35% and fats a maximum of 20% to 35%. Using these guidelines for a 2500-calorie diet
(recommendation for a VERY ACTIVE male or female), find the recommended range of values
in calories for each macronutrient.
1125-1625 calories of Carbohydrates per day
250-875
calories of Protein per day
500-875
calories of Fat per day
3. Is the distribution of macronutrients (fat, carbohydrate, protein) the only thing a person should
consider in choosing healthy foods
a. ANSWER: No. Even if the fat in a particular food comprises less than 30% of the total
calories, the total calories in the food and the total amount of fat might be rather high. It
is also important to note the amount of saturated fat, which should not exceed 10% of a
person’s daily caloric intake. Other things a wise consumer might consider are the
amounts of sodium, cholesterol, and sugar in products, as well as the vitamin and
nutrient content. The number and amount of food additives is also worth considering
(this is particularly pertinent in lower fat and lower sugar foods where additives might be
included in greater measure in order to boost taste). Moderation and variety in food
choices are always the most important considerations.