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Nutrition Guidelines in the US
Proper nutrition is essential for good health. We need calcium (1,000mg),
potassium (3500 mg), magnesium (400 mg), vitamins A 5,000 IU), C (60mg) and
E (30 IU) and fiber. People over 50 and women of childbearing age also need
vitamin B12 (6mcg), iron (18mg), folic acid (400mcg), and vitamin D (400 IU).
We can take supplements to get the vitamins missing from the foods we eat.
Without good nutrition, our bodies and our minds will not function properly.
We will grow sick and die. Heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2
diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers are linked to poor diet. Poor diet
and physical inactivity cause us to gain weight or become obese. Evidence
has shown that death from any cause could be reduced by about 16 percent
(men) and 9 percent (women) with proper diet.
In 2005, the United States Department of Agriculture published its
Dietary Guidelines in 2005. The USDA recommends nine servings (4.5 cups)
of fruits and vegetables daily on a 2,000 calorie a day diet. Fresh, frozen,
canned or dried whole fruits, as well as 100% fruit juice and pure fruit
juice smoothies, provide the daily fiber we need. Keep in mind that juices
or smoothies only count as one portion daily, regardless of how much you
drink. When it comes to vegetables, colours are important, especially dark
green, red and orange, which are valuable sources of Vitamin A, C, E,
folates and potassium.
Whole grains are an important source of fiber, calcium, magnesium and
potassium. Some ideal sources are popcorn, rice, rye, barley, multi-grain
breads, potatoes, plantains, sweet potatoes and yams. During refining, most
of the bran and some of the germ is removed from the whole grains. This
means that much dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals is lost. Some
manufacturers add bran to grain products to increase the dietary fiber
content. Refined grains are enriched with folic acid, as well as thiamin,
riboflavin, niacin, and iron before being processed into foods. Eating as
little as 3 ounces of whole grains daily reduces your risk of several
chronic diseases and may help with weight maintenance. Some of you may be
thinking that because beer is made from grains it should be good for you.
Unfortunately, it has little nutritional value, but lots of calories
depending on its alcohol and sugar content.
You should consume 3 servings of milk and milk products daily. One serving
is one cup of milk or yogurt, 1.50 ounces of cheese or 2 ounces of processed
cheese. Milk products, such as yogurt and cheese, contribute to bone mineral
content and density in our skeletons. Fat-free, low-fat and lactose-free
milk and milk products also supply the calcium we need.
The fourth food group includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, tofu,
mycoprotein, textured vegetable protein, beans and lentils. They provide
protein, fiber and iron. Beans and lentils generally lack zinc and provide
no vitamin B12 unless fortified. Foods from this group should be eaten in
moderate amounts. Frying should be avoided.
Fats are sources of energy and allow our bodies to absorb vitamins A, D, E,
and K and carotenoids. They are also used to construct cell membranes and
regulate many biological functions. Dietary fat has two sources. A good
source of omega-3 fatty acids is fish and shellfish. Studies have shown a
link between the consumption of fatty acids in fish and reduced risk of
death from cardiovascular disease. Plant fats are derived from soybean,
olive, canola, corn, sunflower and safflower oils, walnuts, and flaxseed.
Less than 10 percent of our total calories should be from saturated fat. The
recommended daily total fat allowance is between 20 and 35% of daily
calories for adults, 30-35% for children 2 to 3 years of age and 25-35% for
children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age. It’s essential to start
reading food labels to find the foods that are lowest in saturated fat,
trans fats and cholesterol.
The USDA recommends that we eat “Nutrient-dense (ND)” foods. These provide
large amounts of vitamins and minerals and few calories. Low ND foods
provide calories but little in the way of nutrients. Unfortunately, most of
the snack foods we crave fall into this category. The solution is to consume
ND foods and only a few foods or drinks with added fats, sugars or alcohol.
Sorry, you also have to cut way back on salty foods. Hard to do, yes, but
better for your overall health.
References
International Food Information Council. (2006).
Dietary Reference Intakes: An Update. URL:
http://ific.org/publications/other/driupdateom.cfm?renderforprint=1
Merck.com. (2003) Nutritional Requirements. Merck Manuals Online Library.
URL:
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec12/ch152/ch152f.html
United States Department of Agriculture. (2005) Dietary Guidelines
MyPyramid.Gov. URL:
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/default.htm
USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine.
(2004) How do the Daily Values found on food labels compare to the
nutritional recommendations for children? Baylor College of Medicine. URL:
http://www.kidsnutrition.org/consumer/archives/percentDV.htm
Vitamedica. (2005) Recommended Daily Intakes: RDIS. URL:
http://www.vitamedica.com/html/rdis.html
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