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 – usually measured in milligrams)
Calories – The energy produced when our body breaks down the macronutrients
Carbohydrate: Primary source of energy for the body
Protein: Used for developing new tissue (muscle), 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 Americans 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?
Funded by USDA SNAP, known in California as CalFresh. •California Department of Public Health
4. 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
b. Carbohydrates: 1,100/ 4 = We should eat around 275 grams of carbohydrates per day
c. Proteins: 400/ 4 = We should eat around 100 grams of protein per day
d. Fats: 500/ 9 = We should eat around 56 grams of total fat per day
e. Saturated Fat: 200/9 = We should eat LESS THAN 22 grams of saturated fat per day
5. 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?
b. How does the balance of nutrients in this meal compare to the percents recommended for these
macronutrients in a healthy daily diet?
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.
____________calories of Carbohydrates per day
____________calories of Protein per day
____________calories of Fat per day
3. Let’s look at some food labels now that we understand the recommendations for macronutrients. Use
the handout: Label Examples and Healthy Choices Chart.
4. Is the distribution of macronutrients (fat, carbohydrate, protein) the only thing a person should consider
in choosing healthy foods
Developed By HBUHSD Network for a Healthy California