Nutrition for Foodservice and
Culinary Professionals
Chapter 1 – Introduction to Nutrition
Chef Martin Gilligan CEC, MCFE
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learning Objectives
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Explain what nutrition is and why it should be important to
you on a personal level, and as a culinary/foodservice
professional.
Identify three food groups we don’t eat enough of, and two
food groups we eat too much of.
Define flavor and explain how it involves all five senses.
Discuss five factors that influence what you eat.
Define kilocalories; identify the three factors that influence
the number of kcalories you use every day; and explain the
effect of the following on basal metabolic rate: gender,
age, exercise, and growth.
Name the six classes of nutrients and their characteristics.
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Learning Objectives (cont’d)
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Give two examples of foods that are nutrient dense and two
that are empty kcalorie foods. Explain why you chose these
foods.
Describe four characteristics of a nutritious diet.
Identify a given food as a whole food, processed food,
enriched or fortified foods, and/or organic food.
Explain what is meant by Recommended Dietary Allowance,
Adequate Intake, and Tolerable Upper Intake Level of a
nutrient.
Explain how food is digested and absorbed in the
gastrointestinal tract.
To run a sustainable facility, list five things chefs are doing in
the kitchen and five things managers are doing in the dining
room and production areas.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Nutrition and You
What is nutrition?
 A young science.
 Looks at nutrients—the nourishing substances in food
that provide energy and promote the growth and
maintenance of the body.
 Looks at how nutrients and other substances in food
relate to health and disease.
 Explores why you choose the foods you do – in other
words, the type of diet you eat.
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Diet and Disease
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Our choice of diet strongly influence whether we will get
certain diseases such as:
◦ Heart disease
◦ Cancer
◦ Stroke
U.S. Epidemic: Overweight and Obesity
◦ 72% of men and 64% of women are overweight or obese.
◦ 32% of children ages 2 to 19 years are overweight or
obese.
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Diet and Disease (cont’d)
What contributes to obesity? Diet and inactivity.
 What can obesity lead to? Diabetes, heart disease, high
blood pressure.
 Eating healthy can reduce your risk of:
◦ Heart disease
◦ High blood pressure
◦ Diabetes
◦ Several types of cancer
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Healthy Foods*
Fruits
Vegetables
Whole grains Beans and peas
Fat-free of low-fat
dairy
Lean meats,
poultry
Seafood
* All with minimal solid fat, sugar, or sodium
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Nuts and seeds
How the US Diet
Compares to Recommendations
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A look at restaurant customers
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In 2011, the National Restaurant Association reported that
71% of adults are trying to eat healthier at restaurants
than two years earlier.
Restaurant customers have been ordering healthier foods,
such as grilled chicken and fruit, and less high-sugar
(such as soda) and high-fat (such as hot dogs) foods.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Top Trends in Food and
Beverages and Culinary
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Nutrition/health
Gluten-free/food-allergy conscious
Sustainability and locally grown and sourced foods
Children’s nutrition and healthful kids’ meals with
whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
Restaurant gardens
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Why You Eat the Foods You Do
Flavor
 Other aspects of food (cost, convenience, nutrition)
 Demographics
 Culture and religion
 Health
 Social and emotional influences
 Marketing and the media
 Environmental concerns
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Flavor
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Includes taste, smell, texture or mouthfeel, temperature,
and sounds.
Flavor is a combination of all five senses (taste, smell,
touch, sight, and sound).
The most important
consideration when
choosing something
to eat is taste.
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Taste
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You have about 10,000 taste buds on your tongue,
cheeks, throat, and roof of the mouth.
Taste buds for each sensation are scattered around the
mouth.
Children under six have more taste buds, and adults
over 50 start to
lose taste buds.
Young children have
more taste buds, so
they can often be
picky eaters.
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Five Primary Taste Sensations
Sweet
Sour
Salty
Bitter
Unami
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Umami
◦ Umami provides a savory, sometimes meaty, sensation.
◦ Umami taste receptor is very sensitive to glutamate—an
amino acid found in protein such as meat, fish, and milk,
and in the flavor enhancer MSG.
◦ Umami flavor increases when salt is added (ketchup, soy
sauce, fish sauce).
The heat of hot peppers is felt not by the taste buds but by
pain receptors in the mouth that sense heat.
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Smell
Smell is very important to taste.
 Receptors in your nose can distinguish among about
10,000 scents.
 While cooking and while eating, you smell food.
 The sense of smell and
detecting the aromas
in wine are how wine
is tasted.
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Texture or Mouthfeel
Textures that people like:
 Crispy
 Juicy
 Creamy
 Tender
 Firm
 Crunchy
Textures people generally
don’t like:
 Tough
 Crumbly
 Lumpy
 Soggy
 Watery
Textures influence whether you like the food, and
also tells you whether the food is fresh.
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Sight and Sound
You eat with your eyes.
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Color is very important—it tells you about the flavor
and quality of food.
For eye appeal, consider color, size, shape, consistency,
and arrangement.
Eye appeal is especially important for cold foods.
Sounds—the sizzle of fajitas—stimulate appetite along
with sight.
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Other Aspects of Food
Food cost
 Convenience
 Availability
 Familiarity
 Habits
 Nutrition
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Do these factors impact what
you decide to eat?
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Demographics
Women and older
 Demographics affect food choices. adults tend to
consider nutrition
 Demographic factors:
more than men or
◦ Age
young adults.
◦ Gender
◦ Educational level
◦ Income
People with
higher incomes
◦ Cultural background
and education
tend to consider
nutrition more.
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Culture and Religion
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Culture is the behaviors and beliefs of a certain social,
ethnic, or age group
Religion can affect day-to-day food choices. An example
is dietary laws.
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Other Influences on What You Eat
Health concerns (such as dieting)
 Social influences (peer pressure)
 Emotional influences (comfort foods)
 Marketing and the media
 Environmental concerns
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
What are Kilocalories?
A measure of the energy in food
 One kilocalorie raises the temperature of one kilogram
of water one degree Celsius.
 Abbreviated as kcalorie or kcal.
 When you hear “calorie,” it is really a kilocalorie.
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Number of Kcalories Needed
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The number of kcalories needed is based on three
factors:
1. Basal metabolism (about two-thirds of total energy
needs for individuals who are not very active)
2. Physical activity
3. Energy used to digest and absorb food (about 10% of
total energy needs)
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
BMR depends on factors such as:
Gender
Height
Age
Temperature
Growth
Fever and stress
Exercise
Smoking and caffeine
Sleep
Physical activity accounts for 25 to 40 percent of your
total energy needs.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
What Are Nutrients?
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Carbohydrates
(4 kcal/g)
Fats (9 kcal/g)
Proteins (4 kcal/g)
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Vitamins
Minerals
Water
No kcalories in vitamins, minerals, or water.
Alcohol supplies 7 kcal/g but is NOT a nutrient
because it does not promote growth or
maintenance of the body.
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Macronutrients vs.
Micronutrients
Macronutrients
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Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Micronutrients
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Vitamins
Minerals
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Carbohydrates
A large class of nutrients, including:
◦ Sugars
◦ Starch
◦ Fibers
 Sugars and starches function as the body’s primary
source of energy.
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Fats and Oils
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Fats and oils provide a
rich source of energy.
Examples:
◦ Butter
◦ Margarine
◦ Vegetable oils
◦ Mayonnaise
◦ Salad dressings
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Fats and Oils (cont’d)
Found in:
 Fatty streaks in meat
 Poultry skin
 Fat in milk, cheese, ice
cream
 Baked goods
 Fried foods
 Nuts
Foods with little to no fat:
 Vegetables
 Pasta
 Bread
 Cereals
 Fat-free milk and cheese
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Protein
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Only about 15% of total kcalories come from protein.
Protein is part of every cell, tissue, and organ in the
body.
Animal foods are good sources of proteins.
Proteins are present in smaller quantities in plant foods
such as grains, beans, and vegetables.
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Vitamins and Minerals
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Noncaloric, nutrients found in a wide variety of foods
that are essential to:
◦ regulate body processes.
◦ maintain the body.
◦ allow growth and reproduction.
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Water
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Inorganic nutrient that makes up just over half of the
body’s weight
Plays a vital role in all bodily processes
Supplies the medium in which chemical change of the
body occur
Aids digestion and absorption, circulation, and
lubrication of body joints
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Your body is about 60% water
and 20% to 25% fat.
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Essential Nutrients
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Essential nutrients either cannot be made in the body or
cannot be made in the quantities needed by the body.
Examples are vitamins and minerals.
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Characteristics of a Nutritious Diet
Which food is more nutrient dense?
8 fluid ounces of 1% milk
OR
8 fluid ounces of cola
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What is nutrient density?
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Nutrient density is a measure of the nutrients provided in
a food per kcalorie of that food.
Empty-kcalorie foods provide few nutrients for the
number of kcalories they contain.
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Nutrient Density Comparison:
% DRI Intakes for Selected
Nutrients
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Characteristics of a Nutritious Diet
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Adequate
Balanced
Moderate
Varied
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How to Recognize Whole, Processed,
Fortified, and Organic Foods
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Whole foods: Foods pretty much as we get them from
nature (eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans and peas,
whole grains, fresh meat, milk)
Processed foods: food prepared using milling, cooking,
freezing, canning, dehydrating, or culturing with
bacteria (bread, cookies, cereals, sauces, soups, baking
mixes, frozen entrees, pasta, snack foods)
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Whole vs. Processed Food
Whole foods are generally
not processed or refined.
Processed foods are
prepared using various
techniques such as milling,
cooking, freezing, or
canning.
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Enrichment and Fortification
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Fortification: a food is fortified when nutrients are added
that were not present originally, or nutrients are added
that increase the amount already present.
◦ Example: calcium in orange juice
Enrichment: a food is enriched when nutrients are added
to replace nutrients that were lost in processing.
◦ Example: breads enriched with iron and
several B vitamins
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Natural Foods
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Natural means there are no added colors, artificial
flavors, or synthetic ingredients.
Natural meat or poultry contain no artificial ingredients
or added colors and are only minimally processed.
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Organic Foods
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Organic food is produced without using most:
◦ Conventional pesticides
◦ Petroleum-based fertilizers or sewage sludge-based
fertilizers
◦ Bioengineering
◦ Ionizing radiation
Organic farms must be inspected annually.
All organically raised animals may not be given
hormones or antibiotics, and must have access to a
pasture.
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Labeling of Organic Foods
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100% organic
95% organic
These can use USDA
Organic seal.
70% organic ingredients:
These can use the phrase
“made with organic
ingredients.”
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The sample cereal boxes show the four
labeling categories.
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Organic Foods: Controversies
Taste
 Nutrition
 Safety
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Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
Recommended Dietary
Allowance (RDA)
How much you need to take in
on a daily basis.
Adequate Intake (AI)
Intake value used when an RDA
cannot be established because
there’s not enough scientific data.
Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
Maximum intake level above which toxicity would increase.
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Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR)
for adults
◦ Carbohydrate 45–65%
◦ Fat 20–35%
◦ Protein 10–35%
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What Happens When You Eat?
The
Gastrointestinal
Tract
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Digestion, Absorption, and
Metabolism
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Digestion: Process by which food is broken down into
its components in the gastrointestinal tract with the help
of digestive enzymes.
Absorption: The passage of digested nutrients through
the walls of the intestines or stomach into the blood,
where they are transported to the cells.
Metabolism: All the chemical processes by which
nutrients are used to support life.
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The Digestive System
Mouth –
Oral Cavity
• Tongue and teeth help chew food.
• Saliva contains digestive enzymes and
lubricates the food to move further along GI
tract.
• Tongue rolls chewed food into a ball to be
swallowed.
From Mouth • The food moves from the mouth through the
to Esophagus
pharynx to the esophagus.
• What is peristalsis?
Stomach
• Food passes from esophagus into the stomach.
• Stomach holds about four cups of food.
• Makes an acid that helps in protein digestion
and destroys bad bacteria.
• Fatty foods leave stomach after carbohydrates
and protein.
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The Digestive System (cont’d)
Small
Intestine
• Nutrients are still being digested.
• Site of most nutrient absorption.
• Most nutrients pass through villi into blood
vessels—or are transported to the blood.
• Nutrients travel in the blood throughout the
body where they can enter the cells.
Large
Intestine
• Connects small intestine to the rectum.
• Receives waste products of digestion and
passes them on to rectum.
• Absorbs water, some minerals, and a few
vitamins (such as vitamin K) made by
bacteria residing there.
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Hot Topic:
Sustainable Food Systems
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Producing meat uses many resources and has serious
environmental consequences:
◦ Forests are cut down to create pastures.
◦ Livestock farms pollute water and air and produce
manure and greenhouse gases.
◦ Enormous amounts of water, fuel, fertilizers, and
pesticides are required to grow livestock feed.
Fertilizers require a lot of energy to make and wind up
polluting waterways.
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Sustainable Food Systems
(cont’d)
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To produce 100 kcalories of plant food only requires 50
kcalories from fossil fuels—but to get the same amount
of kcalories from beef requires almost 1,600 kcalories.
The money you spend on a hamburger doesn’t even start
to cover the environmental costs of producing it.
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What is sustainable agriculture?
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Sustainable agriculture
produces food without
depleting the Earth’s
resources (water, soil, fuel)
or polluting its
environment.
It is agriculture that follows
the principles of nature to
develop systems for raising
crops and livestock that are,
like nature, self-sustaining.
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What is a sustainable food
system?
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Sustainable agriculture is part of a sustainable food
system.
Sustainable food systems involve not only growing
crops and producing livestock in a sustainable manner,
but also processing, packaging, and distributing foods
without depleting the Earth’s resources or causing
excessive pollution.
In a sustainable food system, food should be affordable
and workers, such as farm workers, should make a living
wage.
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What are restaurants doing in
terms of purchasing food?
Chefs are:
1. Sourcing local foods
2. Buying organic foods
3. Buying sustainable fish
4. Starting gardens to grow herbs, veggies, etc.
5. Serving meals that are lower on the food chain
6. Buying coffee and tea from sustainable operations
7. Reducing bottled beverages
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To maintain a sustainable
operation:
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Save energy.
Save water.
Use washable, reusable
plates, cups, and
silverware.
Reduce the amount of
trash produced.
Set up recycling bins and
communicating to staff
and customers.
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Use green cleaning
products.
Take nonchemical
preventative measure to
eliminate need for
pesticides.
Train employees to save
energy.
Remodel or build green.
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