NUT2040: Introduction to Nutrition
Diet Analysis Project : MyPyramid Analysis and
Macronutrient Analysis
Kate S Sirota, MD
March 6, 2011
Introduction
The Diet Analysis Project strives to help students understand their eating habits by
analyzing their food intake for three days. As participants, we must enter foods into the
online MyDietAnalysis (MDA) program, taking care to enter every food and drink
consumed and their accurate amounts. The program then consolidates this information
and presents it in a user-friendly way, allowing us to see how many calories and
macronutrients we consume on average per day, and the number of servings consumed
from each food group as categorized by MyPyramid. This will allow us to determine if
our intake was adequate or inadequate, to identify foods eaten that were high in a given
macronutrient, and to examine our eating habits to make healthier changes. The
following is an analysis of my eating habits over a three-day period, with a focus on the
intake of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and overall calories.
Protein
During the three days of analysis, I consumed an average of 78.8 grams of protein daily,
which is 145% of the 54.4 grams that MDA states I should consume daily. However, this
value is the RDA for protein for sedentary people (calculated as 0.8 grams of protein per
kilogram of body weight per dayi) and does not take into account my activity level, my
vegetarian lifestyle, and the fact that I am breastfeeding. Although not stated in our
textbook, my protein consumption of 1.15 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
seems more appropriate for my profile does not give an exact RDA for this profile
(active, lactating, vegetarian) than the general recommendation of 0.8 grams per kilogram
per day. With my caloric intake averaging 2200 calories a day, the 78.8 grams of protein
contribute 315.2 calories, or 14.3%, of my total daily calories. This percentage falls
within the recommended 10-35% of total energy intake coming from protein
consumption. 1 From the standpoint of the RDA and AMDR values for protein, my
protein consumption was technically excessive but seems appropriate given the caloric
demands of exercise and lactation.
Interestingly, I did not consume as many foods from the high-protein food groups as was
recommended by MyPyramid. According to MDA, MyPyramid recommends that I eat
6.5 ounce equivalents of meat and beans and 3.0 cup equivalents of dairy daily; my actual
daily consumption was 4.9 ounce equivalents of meat and beans and 2.4 cup equivalents
of dairy.ii However, despite not meeting the MyPyramid guidelines, I was able to
consume an adequate amount of protein. This may be because a large percentage of the
grains I consumed were whole grains, which are a good source of protein. From a health
standpoint, I feel assured that I am getting enough protein to support my vegetarian
lifestyle and breastfeeding my daughter.
Careful examination of my food log shows that the foods I consumed that were highest in
protein were the chili with soy crumbles (27.7 grams of protein per serving) and Greek
yogurt (20 grams of protein per serving). Since becoming a vegetarian, I try to
incorporate soy meat substitutes into a few recipes each week. The chili I ate this week
contained not only the soy crumbles but also two cans of kidney beans, both good sources
of protein. I started eating Greek yogurt when I discovered that a one cup serving
contains 20 grams of protein; as a good source of protein and calcium, it’s a great food
for vegetarians (and lactating women).
Most of the protein I consumed during these three days was low in fat. For example, I
drink skim milk, and the soy crumbles and Greek yogurt are fat-free. The protein sources
that were highest in fat were nuts (peanut butter and almonds) and cheese (goat cheese on
salad and mozzarella on the grilled portabella). With the exception of dairy, all of my
protein came from plant sources. Because I consume dairy and soy, I do have some
sources of complete proteins in my diet, and I try to combine incomplete proteins (a salad
with a falafel sandwich, hummus, etc.) to make up for avoiding meat. I do try to limit
processed soy as a source of protein given its potential health risks; during the three days
of this project, for example, the most processed form of soy protein that I ate was the soy
crumbles.
As part of a healthful diet, my protein intake was adequate, moderate, balanced, and
varied given my particular circumstance. As mentioned above, not only did the 78.8
grams of protein I consumed exceed the 54.4 grams recommended, the percentage of
total calories made up of protein (14.3%) also fell within the AMDR recommendations.
Although the 78.8 grams per day of protein I consumed were 145% of the 54.4 grams
recommended by MDA, this may not be excessive due to my activity level, vegetarian
lifestyle, and my breastfeeding my daughter. Finally, the protein I consumed came from
a variety of sources (dairy, soy, beans, and whole grains) and thus provided a proper
balance of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals (not analyzed in Part 1 of the Diet Analysis
Project).
Carbohydrate
During the three days of this project, I consumed on average 328.78 grams of total
carbohydrates daily, which is 96% of the 341.06 grams recommended by MDA. Of this,
156.63 grams were sugar and 35.41 grams were dietary fiber. The RDA for carbohydrates
for a lactating woman of my age is 210 grams per day, which I easily surpassed. With a
caloric intake averaging 2200 calories a day, the 328.78 grams of carbohydrate I
consumed contribute 1315 calories, or 59% of my total daily calories. This percentage
falls within the AMDR of 45-65% of total energy intake coming from carbohydrate
consumption.1 From the standpoint of the RDA and AMDR values for carbohydrates,
my consumption was adequate.
The 35.41 grams of dietary fiber I consumed daily were 102% of the 34.73 grams of fiber
MDA recommended I consume. This recommendation is based on the Adequate Intake
for fiber, which is 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 kilocalories per day that a person
eats.1 I also ate 156.63 grams of sugar daily (47.6% of total carbohydrates), more than
half of which was from healthful food sources such as fruit or milk. The foods I
consumed with the most added sugars were a mocha, chocolate soy milk, and No Pudge
Fudge (a brownie mix to which fat free yogurt is added; the final brownie itself has no
fat, but does contain 22 grams of sugar per serving).
As with my protein intake, I also did not consume as many foods from the grain group as
was recommended by MyPyramid. While I consumed 6.0 ounce equivalents of grains,
MyPyramid recommended 8.0 ounce equivalents. My vegetable consumption (2.3 cup
equivalents) was also under the recommended 3.0 cup equivalents, but my fruit intake
was adequate (I ate the 2.0 cup equivalents of fruit recommended).2 The explanation for
why I consumed an adequate amount of total carbohydrates while not eating the
recommended amount of grains and vegetables recommended by MyPyramid is twofold.
First, I also consumed carbohydrates in the form of dairy and soy or beans, and second,
some of the carbohydrates I consumed were “empty calories” like the mocha I drank
during the project.
The foods I consumed that were highest in carbohydrates were the sesame bagel, the chili
with soy crumbles, and the mocha with soy milk. Interestingly, the high total
carbohydrate value of each was due to a different type of carbohydrate:
Total Carb
Dietary Fiber
Sugars
Other Carb
Bagel
60.36 g
3.35 g
8.79 g
48.22 g
Chili
46.45 g
20.95 g
8.57 g
16.93 g
Mocha
43.41 g
2.02 g
38.36 g
3.03 g
The high amount of carbohydrates in the bagel was due to other carbohydrates (starches).
The chili was high in carbohydrates mainly due to the high amount of dietary fiber from
the kidney beans. Finally, the mocha was high in carbohydrates because of the high
amount of sugars it contained.
Regarding the quality of the carbohydrates I consumed, more than half of the grains I ate
were whole grains (rather than refined; 227.8 grams total over three days vs. 163.6
grams) as recommended by MyPyramid. My consumption of simple and complex
carbohydrates was roughly equal, although many of my simple carbohydrates came from
healthy sources such as dairy and fruit. Refined sugars were very limited in my diet.
When grocery shopping, I buy all of my bread products as whole grain, although some
items (pita chips, No Pudge Fudge, etc.) do not offer a whole grain option.
One area in which I would like to improve is my consumption of sugary coffee drinks.
Although I buy these drinks with soy milk, the amount of sugar in them is enormous. I
did try a no-sugar mocha during the three days of this project and liked it; in the future, I
plan to exercise this option more frequently. I also would like to meet the MyPyramid
recommendation for amount of vegetables consumed; I plan to add more vegetables to
my lunches to achieve this goal.
As mentioned above, my total carbohydrate and dietary fiber intakes were adequate. The
sources of my carbohydrates were varied; I consumed simple and complex carbohydrates,
and tried to choose whole grain carbohydrates over refined carbohydrates. A lot of my
carbohydrates came from fruit, vegetable, and dairy sources as well. I do think that the
vegetables I eat could be more varied; I tend to eat the same salad every night, but would
benefit from a greater variety of vegetable sources. I plan to incorporate more dark leafy
greens and orange vegetables into my diet. I am happy with the variety of dry beans and
peas in my diet; during the three days of the project, I ate kidney beans, hummus, soy,
and tofu. My sources of carbohydrates offered a good balance of nutrients, vitamins, and
minerals. Finally, as the amount of carbohydrates consumed did not exceed the amounts
recommended, my intake was also moderate.
Fats
I consumed an average of 67.69 grams of total fat each day of this project, which was
88% of the 77.17 grams recommended. The AMDR for fat is 20-35%; my total fat
calories contributed 609 calories to my total caloric intake of 2200 calories, or 27% of
calories daily. Based on the AMDR, my total fat intake was adequate and appropriate.
Of the 67.69 grams of total fat I consumed per day, 14.38 grams were saturated fat, and
0.06 grams were trans fats. The saturated fat I consumed was 5.9% of my total energy
intake (2200 calories), which “meets” the recommended intake of saturated fat being less
than 7-10% of total energy intake. The Institute of Medicine recommends that trans fat
intake be kept to an absolute minimum (although it does not specify an amount); my
intake (0.06 grams per day) was minimal.iii Finally, my average intake of cholesterol
over the three days was 37.56 mg, well below the 300 mg maximum that is
recommended.
Regarding fat, MyPyramid recommends “to lower risk for heart disease, cut back on
foods containing saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol.” No specific amount is given,
but given that my diet is very low in all three, I meet these recommendations.
Of the foods I ate, those that were highest in total fat were peanut butter (16.1 grams of
fat per two tablespoons); Romaine salad with cranberries, goat cheese, and balsamic/olive
oil dressing (15.5 grams of fat per serving); and almonds (14.1 grams of fat in 0.2 cups).
Both the peanut butter and the salad were high in saturated fat: the peanut butter
contained 3.4 grams per two tablespoons and the salad contained 5.5 grams per serving,
mainly in the goat cheese. The remaining fat in the salad was from the olive oil in the
dressing, which contained some saturated fat but mainly monounsaturated fat. The
almonds were high mainly in monounsaturated fats.
The foods I ate that were highest in cholesterol were the corn bread (24 mg per serving,
mainly from the egg used to bake it), the mozzarella cheese (15.1 mg per slice), and the
salad (13 mg per serving, from the goat cheese). Because I don’t eat meat and I consume
very little eggs, it’s always been easy for me to keep my cholesterol intake low.
The vast majority of fats I consumed during this project (73% of fat intake) were healthy
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The fact that I do not eat meat contributes to
my low saturated fat intake, as does the fact that much of the dairy I consume is low fat
or fat-free. Even though my fat intake falls within the middle of the AMDR range (27%
of total energy, 20-35% recommended), I do think that there are ways I can improve the
fat in my diet. For example, a lot of the fat I consumed at dinner was in the romaine
salad I had every night. While the salad contains healthy vegetables and cranberries, it
also contains a lot of fat in the form of goat cheese and olive oil. I plan to eliminate the
goat cheese from the salad most nights of the week, and to limit the number of nights I
have the salad. I’d like to vary the vegetables in my diet in favor of more dark leafy
greens and healthy preparation methods (like steaming or baking) that don’t require
dressing. Finally, my intake of trans fats was so low during the three days of the project
because I didn’t consume any fried food or baked goods, my salad dressing was oil and
vinegar, and I didn’t use butter or margarine. This is typical of my diet and was not
affected by the fact that I was recording everything I ate.
My intake of fats and cholesterol came from a wide variety of sources, including dairy,
nuts, eggs, and plant oils. Because of this, I consumed an adequate amount of fat daily,
with the majority being healthy unsaturated fats. I consumed saturated fats and
cholesterol in moderation; my intake was well below the recommended intake for both.
Consuming fats and cholesterol from varied sources also provided balance in my diet, as
I was able to gain nutrients from various food sources.
Calories and Discretionary Calories
During the three days of this project, I consumed on average 2200 calories per day. This
was 89% of the recommended 2480 calories daily. This number was based on my current
weight (150 pounds) as well as my activity level (I currently walk a lot with my daughter
and dog as well as work out for 30 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week on an elliptical
machine). I was actually surprised at this number; to me, it seemed like a lot of calories
per day for me to consume. However, this doesn’t even take into account the extra
calories many women need to breastfeed.
My goal is to lose all of the extra weight I gained when I was pregnant with my daughter.
I still have about 10 more pounds I’d like to lose, but even with my activity level, my
weight has remained the same. Studies show mixed results as to whether or not
breastfeeding helps women lose weight faster than formula feeding.iv In fact, losing the
extra 10 pounds quickly may prove difficult as part of the weight that a pregnant women
gains is an "energy deposit" to meet the extra caloric demands of breastfeeding.v My
goal for now is to consume a healthful diet that is moderate, varied, and balanced, while
continuing to exercise. Even if I don’t lose the weight as quickly as I’d like, at least I
know that I am taking care of my daughter and myself by being healthy.
One area on which I’d like to focus to try to lose weight is “Discretionary Calories.”
According to MyPyramid, my recommended value for extra fats and sugars is 360
calories per day. During the three days of this project, I averaged almost exactly that
much (356 calories per day). My goal is to stop using creamer in my morning coffee, and
to replace it with skim milk and Splenda. I also plan to decrease the amount of coffee
beverages I buy per week from coffee shops; these range from 170-220 calories per
drink. While the soy in the coffee drinks does contribute nutritional value, the sugars do
not. One solution would be to switch to sugar-free coffee beverages. Other discretionary
calories in my diet came from desserts (like dark chocolate or No Pudge Fudge brownie).
As long as I stay within a serving size for these items, I’m comfortable eating them, but I
am considering not having dessert with every dinner.
Summary
Analyzing my diet for three days was an eye-opening and educational project. I learned
that even though I am vegetarian, I am consuming an adequate amount of protein every
day, and in fact, my diet falls within the AMDR for protein, carbohydrates, and fat. I did
discover ways that I could add more variety and balance to my diet, namely, consuming a
broader variety of vegetables such as leafy green vegetables. I also saw that although I
consume the amount of discretionary calories recommended for me by MyPyramid,
perhaps cutting some of these extra calories will help me to lose my baby-weight faster. I
found this exercise so helpful that I plan to monitor my diet even after this project is
completed.
References
i. Thompson J, Manore M. Nutrition: An Applied Approach (2nd ed.). San
Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings; 2009.
ii. United States Department of Agriculture, MyPyramid Food Groups.
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html. Updated February 9, 2011.
Accessed March 5, 2011.
iii. Institute of Medicine Consensus Report on Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy,
Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-EnergyCarbohydrate-Fiber-Fat-Fatty-Acids-Cholesterol-Protein-and-Amino-Acids.aspx.
Releasted September 5, 2002. Accessed March 5, 2011.
iv Wosje, K. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Aug. 1, 2004; vol 80: pp
423-429. Reuters.
v Dewey, K. et al. Maternal weight-loss patterns during prolonged lactation. Am J
Clin Nutr 1993; 58:162-66.