Chapter 2
The Pursuit of a
Healthy Diet
Ask Yourself:
True or False?
1. It is wise to eat the same foods every day.
2. Milk is such a perfect food that it alone can
provide all the nutrients a person needs.
3. Cookies cannot be included in a healthful
diet.
4. When it comes to nutrients, more is always
better.
5. A person’s energy needs are based on his or
her age, gender, and physical activity levels.
True or False?
6. From a nutritional standpoint, there is nothing
wrong with grazing on snacks all day, provided the
snacks meet nutrient needs without supplying too
many calories.
7. If you don’t meet your recommended intake for a
nutrient every day, you will end up with a
deficiency of that nutrient.
8. If a food label claims that a product is low fat, you
can believe it.
9. Most dietitians encourage people to think of their
diets in terms of the four basic food groups.
10. According to the government, people should try to
eat at least two cups of fruit and two and a half cups
of vegetables—totaling nine servings—a day.
The ABCs of Eating for Health
• Adequacy
Characterizes a diet that provides all of the
essential nutrients, fiber, and energy (calories) in
amounts sufficient to maintain health.
• Balance
A feature of a diet that provides a number of types
of foods in balance with one another, such that
foods rich in one nutrient do not crowd out of the
diet foods that are rich in another nutrient.
• Calorie control
Control of consumption of energy (calories); a
feature of a sound diet plan.
The ABCs of Eating for Health
• Moderation
The attribute of a diet that provides no
unwanted constituent in excess.
• Variety
A feature of a diet in which different
foods are used for the same purposes
on different occasions—the opposite of
monotony.
Nutrient dense
• Refers to a food that supplies large
amounts of nutrients relative to
the number of calories it contains.
• The higher the level of nutrients
and the fewer the number of
calories, the more nutrient dense
the food is.
Nutrient Recommendations
• Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
A set of reference values for energy and
nutrients that can be used for planning and
assessing diets for healthy people.
 Established by a committee of nutrition experts selected
by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
 Based on latest scientific evidence regarding diet and
health
 Aim to prevent nutrient deficiencies
 Separate recommendations are made for different
groups of people
 DRI take into account differences among individuals and
establish a range within which the nutritional needs of
virtually all healthy people in a particular age and
gender group will be covered
Nutrient Recommendations
• EAR: Estimated
Average Requirements
• RDA: Recommended
Dietary Allowances
• AI: Adequate Intakes
• TUL: Tolerable Upper
Intake Levels
• EER: Estimated
Energy Requirements
• AMDR: Acceptable
Macronutrient
Distribution Ranges
DRI Terms
• Recommended dietary allowance (RDA): The
average daily amount of a nutrient that is sufficient
to meet the nutrient needs of nearly all (97%–
98%) healthy individuals of a specific age and
gender.
The Correct View of the DRI
DRI Terms
• Estimated energy requirement: (EER):
The average calorie intake that is predicted to
maintain energy balance in a healthy adult of
a defined age, gender, weight, height, and
level of physical activity, consistent with good
health.
• Acceptable macronutrient distribution
range (AMDR):
A range of intakes for a particular energy
source (carbohydrates, fat, protein) that is
associated with a reduced risk of chronic
disease while providing adequate intakes of
essential nutrients.
Estimating calorie needs
From the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
The DRI for Energy and the Energy
Nutrients
• To reduce risk of
chronic disease
balance caloric
intake with physical
activity

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Height
Weight
Gender
Activity from sedentary
to very active
Nutrient Recommendations
• Fortified foods:
Foods to which nutrients have been added,
either because they were not already present
or present in insignificant amounts.
• Examples:
 Margarine with added vitamin A
 Milk with added vitamin D
 Certain brands of orange juice with added
calcium
 Breakfast cereals with added nutrients and
nonnutrients
The Challenge of the Dietary Guidelines
• People vary in the
amount of a given
nutrient they
need.
• The challenge of
the DRI is to
determine the
best amount to
recommend for
everybody.
The Goal of the
Dietary Guidelines
• To help people
decrease their risk
of some forms of
the so-called
lifestyle diseases
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Cancer
Heart disease
Obesity
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Stroke
Osteoporosis
Liver disease
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Balance calories with
physical activity to
manage weight.
• Consume more
nutrient-dense foods
• Consume fewer
foods with sodium
(salt), saturated
fats, trans fats,
cholesterol, added
sugars, and refined
grains.
Balancing Calories to Manage Weight
• Prevent and/or reduce overweight and obesity
through improved eating and physical activity
behaviors.
• Control total calorie intake to manage body
weight. For people who are overweight or
obese, this will mean consuming fewer calories
from foods and beverages.
• Increase physical activity and reduce time
spent in sedentary behaviors.
• Maintain appropriate calorie balance during
each stage of life
Foods and Food Components to Reduce
• Reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg
• Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated
fat by replacing it with mono and polyunsaturated fats.
• Consume less than 300 mg per day of dietary cholesterol.
• Keep trans fat consumption as low as possible by limiting
foods such as partially hydrogenated oils & other solid fats.
• Reduce the intake of calories from solid fats/added sugars.
• Limit the consumption of foods that contain refined grains,
especially refined grain foods that contain solid fats, added
sugars, and sodium.
• If alcohol is consumed, consume in moderation
 Up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per
day for men.
Foods and Nutrients to Increase
• Increase vegetable and fruit intake.
• Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green and red
and orange vegetables and beans and peas.
• Consume at least half of all grains as whole grains.
• Increase intake of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk
products
• Choose a variety of protein foods
• Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed
• Replace protein foods that are higher in solid fats with
choices that are lower in solid fats and calories and/or are
sources of oils.
• Use oils to replace solid fats where possible.
• Choose foods that provide more potassium, dietary fiber,
calcium, and vitamin D
Building Healthy Eating Patterns
• Select an eating pattern that meets nutrient
needs over time at an appropriate calorie
level.
• Account for all foods and beverages consumed
and assess how they fit within a total healthy
eating pattern.
• Follow food safety recommendations when
preparing and eating foods to reduce the risk
of food borne illnesses.
Nutrition Action
Tools Used in Diet Planning
Food group plan
• Separates food
into groups
• Specifies number
of portions from
each group
• MyPlate food
guide includes 5
food groups and
tips for choosing
foods
MyPlate will help you:
• Make smart choices from every
food group
• Find your balance between food
and physical activity
• Get the most nutrition out of your
calories by focusing on nutrientdense foods in sensible portion
sizes.
Using MyPlate to Achieve a Healthy
Lifestyle
1. Activity
• Regular physical activity and reduced
sedentary activities
• Balancing caloric intake
• Adults should do at least
 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of
aerobic physical activity at a moderate level
OR
 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of
aerobic physical activity at a vigorous level.
Using MyPlate to Achieve a Healthy
Lifestyle
2. Variety.
• MyPlate creates a foundation for good
nutrition and health by guiding us to make
food selections from all food groups and
subgroups.
• Different foods contain different nutrients and
other substances known to be protective
against chronic diseases.
• No one food or no single food group provides
all essential nutrients in amounts necessary
for good health.
Using MyPlate to Achieve a Healthy
Lifestyle
3. Proportionality
• Shows the proportions of foods that should make up a
healthful diet.
• Illustrates the five food groups using a familiar
mealtime visual, a place setting.
• The plate is split into four sections: red for fruits,
green for vegetables, purple for protein, and orange
for grains
• A separate blue section, shaped like a drinking glass,
represents dairy foods.
• Fruits and vegetables form the foundation of a healthy
diet and should fill at least half of your plate at every
meal
Using MyPlate to Achieve a Healthy
Lifestyle
4. Moderation
• Americans eat and drink too many foods containing
empty calories—calories from solid fats and/or added
sugars.
• Solid fats and added sugars add calories to the food but
few or no nutrients and are called empty calories
• A small amount is fine but most people eat far more than
what is healthy.
• Emphasize nutrient rich foods in the diet and limit empty
calories appropriately
• Make better choices
Using MyPlate to Achieve a Healthy
Lifestyle
5. Personalization
• One size doesn’t fit all. MyPlate can help you
choose the foods and amounts of food that are
right for you.
• For a quick estimate of what and how much
you need to eat, checkout the Daily Food Plan
at www.ChooseMyPlate.gov
Using MyPlate to Achieve a Healthy
Lifestyle
6. Gradual improvement
• Individuals can benefit from taking
small steps to improve their diet
and lifestyle every day
• For example, taking the stairs
instead of the elevator or
escalator, or ordering a green
salad instead of fries.
Use the Simplicity of MyPlate to
Build a Healthful Diet
• Step 1: Estimate
Your Daily Energy
Needs
• Step 2: Build Your
Daily Eating Plan.
• Step 3: Let
MyPlate Guide
Your Food
Choices
Use MyPlate to Meet Your Nutritional Needs
Use MyPlate to Meet Your Nutritional Needs
Gaining Calorie Control
• Discretionary Calorie Allowance
The balance of calories remaining in a person’s
energy allowance after accounting for the
number of calories needed to meet
recommended nutrient intakes through
consumption of nutrient-dense foods in low-fat
or no-added sugar forms
 Typically amounts to between 100-300 calories
 May be totally used by selecting foods higher in
calories
 Example: higher-fat meat, higher-fat dairy
products, sweetened bakery products)
Your empty calorie limit can be used to:
• Eat additional nutrient-dense foods
from each of the food groups
• Select limited amounts of foods that are
not in their most nutrient-dense form
and/or contain solid fats or added
sugars
• Add fats or sweeteners to foods
• Eat or drink items that contain only
fats, caloric sweeteners, and/or alcohol
How Well Do We Eat?
Rules of Thumb for Portion Sizes
One fist clenched = 8 fl oz
Palm of hand = 3 oz
Two hands, cupped = 1 cup
One hand, cupped = 1/2 c
Two thumbs together = 1 tbsp
Practice “mindful” eating carefully choosing all
foods and beverages consumed
• Energy balanced, limited in total calories, and
portion controlled
• Nutrient-dense and includes:
 Vegetables, fruits, high-fiber whole grains
 Fat-free or low-fat dairy products
 Seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, soy
products, nuts, seeds, and oils
• Very low in solid fats and added sugars and
low in sodium
Food Labels
By law, all labels must contain the following five
components:
1. The name of the food, also known as the
statement of identity.
2. The name of the manufacturer, packer, or
distributor, as well as the firm’s city, state,
and ZIP code.
3. The net contents of the package, which tells
you the quantity of the food product that is in
the container and helps you compare prices.
4. The ingredients list, with items listed in
descending order by weight.
5. The Nutrition Facts Panel
The Nutrition Facts panel
• A detailed breakdown of the nutritional
content of a serving of a food that must
appear on virtually all packaged foods sold in
the United States.
• Unless the package is small—no larger than 12
square inches of surface area (about the size
of a small candy bar or a roll of breath mints).
• Small packages must carry a telephone
number or address that consumers can use to
obtain nutrition information.
Using the Nutrition Facts Panel
1. Keep serving sizes in mind. Manufacturers
must use these recommended serving sizes on
food labels based on the amount of food most
people eat at one time
2. Notice the total calories and calories from fat
per serving.
3. Check out the nutrient information that must
appear on the Nutrition Facts panel
 Total fat, saturated fat, trans fat,
cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate,
dietary fiber, sugars, protein, vitamin A,
vitamin C, calcium, and iron
4. Look for the percent Daily Values.
Food Labels
Daily Values
• The amount of fat, sodium, fiber, and
other nutrients health experts say
should make up a healthful diet.
 The % Daily Values that appear on food
labels tell you the percentage of a
nutrient that a serving of the food
contributes to a healthful diet.
 Use them to get a good idea of how
various foods fit into a healthful diet
and to comparison-shop
Food Labels
Nutrient content claims
• Claims such as “lowfat” and “low-calorie”
used on food labels to
help consumers who
don’t want to scrutinize
the Nutrition Facts
panel get an idea of a
food’s nutritional profile.
 These claims must
adhere to specific
definitions set forth by
the Food and Drug
Administration.
Food Labels
Health claim
• A statement on the
food label linking the
nutritional profile of
a food to a reduced
risk of a particular
disease, such as
osteoporosis or
cancer.
 Manufacturers must
adhere to strict
government
guidelines when
making such claims.
Color Your Plate
• Color your plate with
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•
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•
health-protective
foods
At least 3 differently
colored fruits/
vegetables per day
Be adventurous
Select from as wide a
variety of fruits and
vegetables as possible
Make it easy on
yourself!
A Tapestry of Cultures and Cuisines
• American eating
habits have become
as diverse as the
ethnic and cultural
groups that make up
America’s people
• Examine the ethnic
and regional
pyramids to see how
they fit into a
healthful eating plan