Unit I: Nutrition
and Diet Therapy
Allied Health II
Fundamentals of Nutrition
Nutrition: those processes that allow
the body to use food for energy,
maintenance of health, and growth.
 Nutritional status: the state of one’s
nutrition
 Wellness: state of good health with
optimal body function (requires good
nutrition)
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Fundamentals Of Nutrition
Cont.
Nutrition plays a large role in determining:
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Height
Weight
Strength
Skeletal and muscle development
Physical ability
Resistance to disease
Appetite
Posture
Complexion
Mental ability
Emotional and psychological health
Fundamentals of Nutrition…
Immediate effects of good nutrition
include:
* Healthy appearance
* Good attitude
* Proper sleep and bowel
habits
* Enthusiasm
* Freedom from anxiety
Essential Nutrients
Composed of chemical elements found
in food
 Used by the body to perform body
functions
 Nutrients in food replace those used by
the body
 Essential nutrients divided into six
groups
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Carbohydrates
Major source of human energy
 Simple carbs dissolve readily in
 cold water
 Complex carbs don’t dissolve readily and
aren’t “sweet” (oats, barley, starches)
 Main sources: bread, cereals, pasta,
crackers, potatoes, corn, peas, fruits,
sugars and syrups
 Cellulose: indigestible carbohydrates,
provides bulk (bran, whole-grain cereal,
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Fats
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Concentrated form of energy – twice as many
calories as the same amt of carbs / protein
Help cushion organs and bones
Aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
Provide flavor to meals
Main sources: butter, margarine, oils, creams, fatty
meats, cheeses, and egg yolk
Classified as saturated or polyunsaturated
Cholesterol- fatty substance found in body cells and
animal fats-found in egg yolk, fatty meats, shellfish,
butter, cream. Cheese, whole milk, and organ meats
Everyone needs some cholesterol - Excess cholesterol
is believed to contribute to arteriosclerosis
Fats…
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LDL – low density lipoproteins
(bad)…carries fat to cells
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HDL – high density lipoproteins
(good)…carries excess fat from cells to
liver to be broken down
Proteins
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Build and repair body tissue
Provide heat and energy
Help produce antibodies
Made up of 22 amino acids (9 are
essential – complete protein – body
can’t create these…must get them from
diet)
Main sources/complete proteins: meat,
fish, milk, cheese, eggs
Incomplete proteins: cereal, soybeans,
dry beans, peas and peanuts
Body can’t store excess
protein…excreted as urea
Vitamins
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Organic compounds that are essential to life
Regulate body functions
Repair body tissue
Only a small amount required-well balanced
diet provides required vitamins
Excess or deficiency can cause poor health
Water soluble (9) or fat soluble (A,D,E,K)
Minerals
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Inorganic (nonliving) elements
found in all body tissue
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Regulate body functions
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Build and repair body tissue
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They include: calcium,
phosphorus, sodium, potassium,
iron, iodine, fluorine and others
Water
Found in all body tissues
 Essential for digestion
 Makes up most of blood plasma
 Helps body tissue absorb nutrients
 Helps move waste material through
body
 Average person should drink 6-8
glasses of water a day
 Only nutrient we sense a need
for…thirst
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Utilization of Nutrients
Digestion-breaks down the foods we eat
1. Mechanical or chemical
2. Peristalsis
 Absorption-process of taking in nutrients by
the body
1. Most absorption occurs in the small
intestine
2. Water, salts, and some vitamins in
large intestine
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Utilization of Nutrients Cont.
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Metabolism-use of nutrients by the body
1. Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
Measuring Food Energy
1. Calorie-the amount of heat produced
during metabolism
2. Most people use an average of 3,500
calories per day
3. To lose weight, a person must take in
fewer calories then are burned
4. To gain weight, a person must take in
more calories then the person uses
Therapeutic Diets
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Regular Diet
A balanced diet usually used for the
ambulatory patient.
 Foods such as rich desserts, cream sauces,
salad dressings, and fried foods may be
decreased or omitted.
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Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Liquid diets
Include both clear and full liquids.
 Foods included on the clear diet are mainly
carbohydrates and water, including apple
or grape juice, plain gelatin, ginger ale,
and tea or coffee with sugar.
 Foods included in the full liquid diet are
strained soups, fruits and vegetable juices,
ice cream, custard, pudding, and eggnog.
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Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Soft diet
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Foods must require
little chewing and be
easy to digest.
Foods to avoid are
meat, shellfish, spicy
foods, rich desserts,
fried foods, nuts, and
coconut.
Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Diabetic diet
 Used for patients with
diabetes mellitus.
 The diet contains
exchange list that
group foods according
to type, nutrients, and
caloric contents.
 Patients are allowed a
certain number of
items from each
exchange list according
to there individual
needs.
Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Low-cholesterol
diet
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Foods high in
saturated fat, such
as beef, liver, pork,
lamb, egg, yolk,
cream cheese,
natural cheeses, and
whole milk are
limited.
Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Fat-restricted diets
Also called lo-fat diets.
 Examples to avoid include cream, whole
milk, cheeses, fats, fatty meats, rich
desserts, chocolate, nuts, coconuts, nuts,
fried foods, and salad dressings.
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Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Sodium-restricted
diet
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Patients should avoid
or limit adding salt to
food, smoked meats
or fish, processed
foods, pickles, olives,
sauerkraut, and
some processed
cheeses.
Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Protein diet
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Protein rich foods
include meats, fish,
milks, cheeses, and
eggs.
Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Bland diet
Consist of easily digested foods that do not
irritate the digestive tract.
 Foods to be avoided include coarse foods,
fried foods, highly seasoned foods,
pastries, candies, raw fruits and
vegetables, smoked and salted meats,
whole grain breads, etc.
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Therapeutic Diets Cont.
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Low-residue diet
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Eliminates or limits foods
that are high in bulk and
fiber.
Examples of such food
include raw fruits and
vegetables, whole-grain
breads and cereals, nuts,
seeds, beans, peas,
coconut, and fried food.