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About Nutrition
Did You Know…
• Lettuce & Fruit are carbs?
• Why would you go on a “low carb” diet? What
is wrong with lettuce & fruit…nothing!
• What people really mean is that they are on a
“low-simple carb” diet. This makes sense
because the average American should be
eating/drinking a lot less soda, juice, candy
and other desserts
About Juice…
• Today, children are the biggest consumers of fruit
juice. Children (as well as adults) should only
consume 6 oz. per day.
• “100% Juice” juices should be consumed in
moderation (why not eat the apple instead of
drinking apple juice?)
• The more pulp a juice contains the healthier it is
• Don’t fall for the “enhancements” like Vitamin C or
E added to juices. Are you really deficient
(especially if you already consume a multivitamin)?
• If the product does not say “100% juice” on the
front of the label, it does not have much (or any)
juice in it. These type drinks typically contain
about 10% juice. The rest of the ingredients are
sugars & other sweeteners, colors and flavors
Fruit or Juice?
Source: What To Eat by Marion Nestle p. 277
Soda, Should It Be Your
First Choice?
• I think you know the answer to this questions but in
case you don’t, the answer is NO!
• The calories and added sugars in sodas encourage
weight gain
• Sodas also contain phosphorus (phosphorus can also
be found in baked goods). Too much phosphorus
decreases calcium absorption. If you decrease the
amount of calcium being absorbed, you increase the
risk for osteoporosis.
• I find it humorous that 7-UP has calcium added to it. Did the
calcium even get absorbed (b/c of the phosphorus)? Can’t you
find a better source of calcium that is lower in calories and
sugars?
About Fruits &
Veggies…
• Nutrition is about where you are now & how
we can make it better
– If you currently do not eat fruit regularly & can only
stand “fruit cocktail”, then eat it regularly.
– If you currently eat fruit cocktail, rinse the fruit with
water before consuming to get rid of the sugary
syrup.
– If you do this already, try eating the fresh fruit
Nutrient Composition of
Raw, Cooked and Canned
Carrots
Source: What To Eat by Marion Nestle p. 308
White vs. Wheat bread
• White bread
– Has fewer nutrients (almost
all of which get added back
by law), more calories (from
processing), has a greater
shelf life and typically taste
better
• Wheat Bread
– Contains more fiber, does
not spike insulin levels,
fewer calories and
sometimes more nutrients
– Not all brown bread is
wheat bread. It must say
“whole wheat” as the first
ingredient
Source: What To Eat by Marion Nestle p. 310
Watch Out For Sugar!
• The average American needs no more than
about 40 g of sugar per day
• This is equal to one soda!
• Typically, processed “snacks” have a high
percentage of added sugars.
• For example: Shark’s Fruit Snacks contain 52% of it
calories from sugar
• You must get into the habit of reading food
labels
• If you see these words in the 1st five ingredients, it
has a high amount of sugar
• Check
– Sugar, high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, corn
syrup, fructose, corn syrup solids, honey or dextrose
out the 1st five ingredients in
• Kellog’s Nutri-Grain Honey Oat & Raisin Granola
Bars
Yogurt, Health Food or
Dessert?
• Yogurt is the fastest growing dairy product in the
U.S.
• The bacteria in yogurt are thought to replace
harmful bacteria in the large intestine
• Track the calories from sugar in your favorite
yogurt. It is better to consume plain yogurt &
add your own fresh fruit or tsp of sugar. There
will still be a significant decrease in sugar when
compared to flavored yogurt.
– 55% of the 80 calories in Go-GURT (kidfriendly slurpable yogurt in a tube) comes
from sugar
– 67% of the 90 calories in Danimals Drinkable
come from sugar
– Sugar constitutes 53% of the 120 calories
found in YoBaby organic yogurts
Fat & Calories
• Almost all fast foods have high amounts of fat
& calories. If you want to cut back on these
– Eat more fruits & veggies instead
– Carry food with you so you won’t be
tempted to binge on these foods
– Be aware of the caloric content of the
foods you eat. Ask for the nutritional
analysis & read food labels
Calories in Fast Food
Wendy’s
Subway
Arby’s
Burger King
McDonald's
440
Frosty, med.
450
Tuna
374
Sweet Onion Teriyaki
226
Veggie Del.
Market Fresh Roast Beef
Roast Chicken Club
520
350
Regular Roast Beef
Ice Cream Shake, med.
Double Whopper
Whopper w/ Cheese
Whopper
Large Fries
540
Chicken McGrill
400
Big Mac
590
810
760
760
850
1060
Fat Content in Fast
Food
Calories
McDonald's
Big Mac
Chicken McGrill
Large Fries
Burger King
Whopper
Whopper w Cheese
Double Whopper
Ice Cream Shake, med.
ArbyÕ
s
Reguar Roast Beef
Roast Chicken Club
Market Fresh Roast
Beef
Subway
Veggie Delight
Sweet Onion Teriyaki
Tuna
WendyÕ
s
Frosty, med.
Total Fat
Saturated
Fat
% fat
calories
590
400
540
34
17
26
11
3
9
52
38
43
760
850
1060
760
46
53
69
41
15
22
27
29
54
56
59
49
350
520
16
28
6
7
41
48
810
42
13
47
226
374
450
3
5
22
1
2
6
12
12
44
440
11
7
23
Find out the caloric
content of your
favorite fast foods
www.calorieking.com
(You will be shocked!)
How to Avoid Saturated
Fat
• If the food label says that the food
has
• 20% of the daily value for saturated fat,
leave it on the shelf
• Less than 5%, it is considered low fat
• Any trans fat, consume very little of it or
consider leaving it in the store
•
Dietary Protein
Sources
Soy products offer good alternatives to meat for those who want protein.
Did you know that kidney beans are a close second?
•
Eggs are a good source of protein. The protein in an egg is found only in
the egg white, not the yolk (mostly fat & cholesterol). There is no difference
in protein or nutrients between a white and a brown egg.
•
Red meat is also a good source of protein. Unfortunately, it contains large
amounts of saturated fat
Fish
•
– Some fish like shark, swordfish and canned albacore tune contain more
methylmercury and should not be eaten often.
– Almost all fish contain some level of PCB’s (chemicals released mainly from
industrial waste) that cause skin, reproductive, developmental and behavior
problems
– Visit http://www.environmentaldefense.org/home.cfm or
www.oceansalive.org for “fish advisory cards” to help guide you to
healthier fish choices
Organic Foods
• In order for a food to be organic it MUST be
“certified organic” . You will see a seal on
organic foods that state this.
• It tells you
– that the grower has been inspected (and has
paperwork)
– did not use synthetic pesticides or herbicides
– did not use genetically modified seeds
– did not use fertilizers derived from sewage sludge
– Did not treat foods or seeds with irradiation
Are Organic Foods
Better? You Decide
• Cons
– Methods are unreliable
– Higher prices
• Pros
– Certification from an
independent
organization (instead of
the FDA which may
have a conflict of
interest) is reassuring
– Lower pesticide levels
in humans
– Better for the
environment
Don’t Be Fooled
• Many products are advertised as
“All Natural”, “Free Range”, “Cage
Free” or “Vegetarian Fed”
• These products are NOT organic
• They must have an organic seal
on the package to be organic
Genetically Modified
Foods
• Genetically modified foods
(GM foods): Foods whose basic
genetic material (DNA) is
manipulated by inserting genes
with desirable traits from one
plant, animal, or microorganism
into another one to either
introduce new traits or enhance
existing ones
GM Foods
• Crops are genetically modified to make
them resist disease and extreme
environmental conditions, require less
fertilizers and pesticides, last longer, and to
improve nutrient content and taste
• GM foods could help save billions of
dollars in more productive crops and help
feed the hungry in developing countries
around the world
GM Foods
• Concerns over the safety of GM foods have
created heated public debates
– Genetic modifications may create “transgenic”
organisms that have not previously existed and
that have potentially unpredictable effects on the
environment and on humans
– GM foods may cause illness or allergies in
humans and crosspollination may destroy other
plants or create “superweeds” with herbicideresistant genes
Super Foods
• The following “super” foods that fight disease and
promote health should be included often in the diet
Avocados
Bananas
Beans
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Butternut squash
Carrots
Grapes
Kale
Kiwifruit
Flaxseeds
Nuts (Brazil,
Walnuts)
Salmon (wild)
Soy
Oats and oatmeal
Olives and
olive oil
Onions
Oranges
Peppers
Strawberries
Spinach
Tea (green, black, red)
Tomatoes
Yogurt
Grains, Vegetables, &
Fruits
• Provide nutritional base for a healthy diet
• Daily fruits and vegetables should include
– One good source of pro-vitamin A or carotene
(apricots, cantaloupe, broccoli, carrots, pumpkin,
dark leafy vegetables)
– One good source of vitamin C
(citrus fruit, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe, strawberries,
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green pepper)
• The recommended 5 to 9 servings of fruits
and vegetables daily has no substitute
Phytochemicals
• Fruits and vegetables are the sole source of
phytochemicals
• Show promising results in the fight against
cancer
• Their actions are so diverse that, at almost
every stage of cancer, they can block, disrupt,
slow down, or even reverse the process
Functional Foods
• Functional foods:
Foods or food
ingredients containing
physiologically active
substances that provide
specific health benefits
beyond those supplied
by basic nutrition
Functional Foods
• Created by the food industry by
adding ingredients aimed at treating
or preventing symptoms or disease
• In most cases only one extra
ingredient is added (a vitamin,
mineral, phytochemical, or herb)
Functional Foods
• An example is calcium added to orange juice
to make the claim that this particular brand
offers protection against osteoporosis
• Food manufacturers now offer cholesterollowering margarines (enhanced with plant
stanol), cancer-protective (lycopene-fortified)
ketchup, memory-boosting (ginkgo-added)
candy, calcium-fortified chips, and kava-kava–
containing corn chips (to enhance relaxation)
Water & Sports Drinks
• Most Americans really do meet their water
intake on a daily basis. This is because
drinks like sodas and tea & food contain water
• Unless you are vigorously exercising or
sweating a lot for more than 90 minutes, there
is no need for sports drinks. Drink water
instead.
• Sports drinks contain calories & sugar. Read
the 1st few ingredients!
So Much To Remember!
• Target fruits & veggies
over added sugars
• Reach for nuts, seeds
and beans over foods
that contain added
saturated and trans fats
• Low-fat dairy is a better
choice than whole milk
and whole-milk foods
• Eat whole grains
(typically brown) with
fiber instead of refined
grains (typically white)
• Lean meats, poultry &
fish should be
consumed in moderation
AND in place of high-fat
meats and cold cuts
• Limit contact with highly
processed foods.
Instead, eat more
unprocessed or
minimally processed
foods
Critical Thinking
• What factors in your life
and the environment
have contributed to your
current dietary habits?
• Do you need to make
changes?
• What may prevent you
from doing so?