NUTRITION - PROTEIN,
CARBOHYDRATES AND FAT
Topic 1
Nutrition – is it important?
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Leading cause of death in United States - Heart Disease
 Over 630,00 per year
 One main factor – nutrition such as diets high in saturated fat
Second leading cause of death - Cancer
 Nearly 560,000 per year
 One main factor – nutrition such as excessive alcohol intake
Third leading cause of death - Stroke
 Over 135,000 per year
 One main factor – nutrition such as diets high in sodium and saturated fat
Sixth leading cause of death - Diabetes
 Over 70,000 per year
 One main factor – nutrition such as diets high in saturated fat, sodium, and refined sugars
Number of deaths per year with a direct link to nutrition,
 1,395,000
Diseases can be prevented or lessened with good nutrition
What is Nutrition?
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Nutrition is the process by which humans take in and
use food in their bodies
Food can be used to help prevent or improve
diseases, conditions or problems
Food Breakdown

Food – broken down into ‘macronutrients’ and
‘micronutrients’
 Macronutrients
- need in large quantities and provide
calories
 Protein,
fat and carbohydrates
 Calories are a measure of the energy food provides for the
body
 Micronutrients
 All
– need in small quantities
vitamins and minerals
 Regulates body processes
Macronutrients – Protein

Protein
 Builds
and repairs muscles
 Makes hair and skin
 Fights against infections
 Supplies energy to the body

Protein ~25% daily calories
 Calories
 Sedentary
men 1800 calories/day
 Sedentary women 1500 calories/day
 Sample
Calculation
Sample Calculation

1800 Calories (sedentary men, active women)

~25% Protein
 1800
x .25 (or 25%) = 450 calories
 450
calories divided by 4 (number of calories per gram
of protein)
 OR 450/4 = 112.5 grams of protein each day
 Summary
each day
– Approximately 110 grams of protein
Foods with Protein
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Meat and meat alternatives
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Examples:
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Milk and milk products
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Beef, chicken, pork lamb and wild game
Fish, scallops and shrimp
Beans and dried peas, lentils
Eggs, nuts and tofu
Examples include milk, cottage cheese and yogurt
Limited amounts of protein in bread and starch foods, vegetables
and fruits
See handout for more complete listing and amounts
Macronutrients – Carbohydrates
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Carbohydrates
 Provides
energy for daily activities
 Helps mental function
 Needed for heart to beat, muscles to move and lungs to
breathe

Carbohydrates ~50% daily calories
 Calories
 Sedentary
men 1800 calories/day
 Sedentary women 1500 calories/day
 Sample
Calculation
Sample Calculation

1800 Calories (sedentary men, active women)

~50% Carbohydrates each day
 1800
x .5 (or 50%) = 900 calories
 900
calories divided by 4 (number of calories per gram
of carbohydrate)
 OR 900/4 = 225 grams of carbohydrates each day
 Summary
- Approximately 225 grams of
carbohydrates each day
Foods with Carbohydrates
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Bread, grain and cereal
 Examples
 Bread,
tortillas, cereal
 Potatoes, corn and starchy vegetables
 Rice, beans and nuts
 Fruits
and vegetables
 Limited amounts found in meat and meat alternatives,
and fats and oils
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See handout for a recommended list of carbohydrates
Macronutrients – Fat
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Fat
 Provides
insulation to the body
 Helps store fat-soluble vitamins
 Protects the heart, kidneys, and liver
 Supplies energy to the body

Fat ~25% daily calories
 Calories
 Sedentary
men 1800 calories/day
 Sedentary women 1500 calories/day
 Sample
Calculation
Sample Calculation

1800 Calories (sedentary men, active women)
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~25% Fat
 1800
x .25 (or 25%) = 450 calories
 450 calories divided by 9 (number of calories per
gram of fat)
 OR 450/9 = 50 grams of fat each day
 Summary – Approximately 50 grams of fat each
day
Foods with Fat
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Fats and oils
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Examples
Butter and margarine, lard
 Oils such as olive, canola, peanut, safflower, etc.
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Milk and dairy products, and some meat and meat
alternative foods
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Examples include whole and 2% milk, regular yogurt and cottage
cheese (not reduced fat), fatty cuts of meat (filet mignon, dark
meat chicken, etc.)
Limited amounts found in vegetables and fruit
See handout for recommended fats to consume
How Many Macronutrients are in My
Food?
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Reading labels
Reference books such as Calorie
King
Internet resources such as
www.mypyramid.gov and
www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/
search/
Micronutrients – small amounts
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Vitamins: A, B, C, D, E and K
 Needed
for healthy teeth and skin (vitamin A)
 Converts carbohydrates into energy (B1-thiamin)
 Maintenance of normal brain function (B-6 pyridoxine)
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Minerals/Electrolytes: Iron, zinc, calcium, potassium,
magnesium, etc.
 Builds
strong bones and teeth (calcium)
 Formation and repair of muscles (magnesium)
 Maintenance of blood sugar levels (chromium)
How Many Micronutrients are in My
Food?
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Reading labels
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Reference books
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Internet resources such as
www.mypyramid.gov and
www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp
/search/
How Many Micronutrients do I need?
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Individual to each person based on
 Sex
 Age
 Disease
state
 Pregnant or lactating
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Dietary Reference Intakes can be found at
www.fnic.nal.usda.gov
Example of DRI Table
Bringing it all Together
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Macronutrients and micronutrients are found
together in most foods
 Balance
of both makes a nutrient dense food
 Examples:
 Banana-
Carbohydrate and potassium
 Oatmeal- Carbohydrate, folate, and B vitamins
 Salmon- Protein, fat and vitamins D and E
 Avocado- Fat, B vitamins, vitamins E and K
 Broccoli- Carbohydrate, vitamin A and C
Techniques to use in the Real World
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Plate Method
½
of plate of foods with carbohydrate
 Rice,
¼
breads, pasta, fruits, vegetables etc
of plate of foods with protein
 Salmon,
¼
beans etc
of plate or less of foods with fat
 Dressings,
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Calculations
sauces etc
Snacks Count Too!
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Snacks should be included in your total carbohydrate,
fat and protein daily percentages
1 – 2 each day
~150 calories each
Examples:
Low fat yogurt and granola (1 cup)
 Air popped popcorn, unbuttered (2 cups)
 Apples and peanut butter
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Handout for snack options
Practice Makes Perfect
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Calculate YOUR numbers for daily protein,
carbohydrates and fat
 ~2200
calories for active men and very active women
 ~1800 calories for sedentary men and active women
 ~1500 calories for sedentary women
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Split into groups based on daily calorie levels
Come up with a one day sample menu with ~25%
Protein, ~25% Fat and ~50% Carbohydrates. Don’t
Forget to Include Snacks!
Sample Menu
Breakfast:
 Hot Cereal w/ Blueberries
 Scrambled Egg
Snack:
 Apple Slices w/ Peanut Butter
Lunch:
 Turkey Sandwich on Wheat w/ LTO & Mayo
 Grapes
Snack:
 Yogurt w/ Granola
Dinner:
 Salmon w/ Brown Rice and Green Beans
Dessert:
 Strawberries w/ Cool Whip
Discussion
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Thoughts?
Questions?
Reference Materials
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Mayo Clinic - http://www.mayoclinic.com/
American Dietetic Association – http://www.eatright.org/
MyPyramid - http://www.mypyramid.gov/
American Heart Association - http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
American Diabetes Association - http://www.diabetes.org/
Center for Science in the Public Interest - http://www.cspinet.org/
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/