Calories, Carbohydrate,
Protein and Fat
What Did We Eat Before?
• 10,000 years ago humans did not have
agriculture
• Hunter-gatherers who ate a vegetarian
diet supplemented with meat from the hunt
• Food processing was cooking over a fire,
drying berries and meats, smoking meats.
Salt was scarce
What’s The Story?
We tend to eat:
• A low-fiber diet made up of white bread,
white rice, white pasta, and potatoes
(carbohydrates)
• Saturated fats and trans-fatty acids in
meat and processed fat (fat and protein)
• And lots of it (increased calories)
What’s The Good News?
• Modest weight loss (5-10 percent) and
daily physical activity (30 minutes) can
prevent or delay diabetes
• A low glycemic, fiber-rich, healthy eating
pattern may help in maintaining healthy
weight loss and decrease risk of chronic
diseases
Rate Your Plate
• Do you eat 5-9 fruit and vegetable
servings per day?
• How about 3 dairy servings?
• How many starch servings do you have?
• How much meat or protein per day?
• Added fats and sugars?
U.S. Plate
• Calories are up – 300 per day – that’s 2100 per
week or ⅔ of a pound of body fat
• The extra calories are coming primarily from
carbohydrate – soda, refined grains, desserts
Plate Makeover
• Keep track of what you eat
• Cut back to more normal
portions
• Avoid unhealthy fats
• Allow healthy fats
• Include lean protein
• Moderate carbohydrates
A Plate for a Healthy Weight
• Most of the plate (¾) should be salad
or non-starchy vegetables and fruits
• About ¼ of the plate should be lean
protein
• Flavor for satiety with olive oil, cheese,
nuts
Carbohydrate Cravings
• May be related to previous carbohydrate
consumption
• Cutting back on carbohydrates can help
some people control cravings
• But, we aren’t good at never having things
we really crave
Carbohydrate Counting
• Aim for 50-80 grams carbohydrate
per day to kick-start weight loss
• Use light bread (10 gm/slice)
• Avoid starches and sweets
• Eat leafy vegetables and berries
• Include generous amounts of
protein and healthy fats
Healthier Fat Choices
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Olive oil
Vegetable oils
Olives, nuts, seeds
Soy nuts and oils
Dairy foods
Salmon
The Power of Protein
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Eggs
Tuna
Soy
Salmon
Chicken
Lean beef and pork
Dairy foods
Adding Back Carbohydrate
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Beans
Barley
Whole wheat
Oats
Corn
Potatoes
Rice
Create a New Plate
• Plenty of leafy greens and juicy fruits and
vegetables
• Ample amounts of lean protein and dairy
• Dairy foods – 3 to 4 servings per day
• Healthy, satisfying fats
• Controlled carbohydrates
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Janet Tietyen, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.
Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition
Associate Professor
Department of Nutrition and Food Science
School of Human Environmental Sciences
May 2008
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