Foods 2030 Lessons

Healthy Eating

ENERGY INTAKE

 A calorie/kilojoule is a measure of the amount of potential energy contained in food.  [Kilojoule (kJ) is the metric unit which replaces Calorie (kcal) and 4.184 kJ = 1 kcal].  The parts of your diet that your body can derive energy from are protein (4 kcal/17kJ), fat (9 kcal/37kJ), carbohydrate (4 kcal/17kJ) and alcohol (7 kcal/29kL) per gram.  All have other functions in the body, except alcohol.  Carbohydrate is the most efficient source of energy and protein is the least.  These nutrients are found throughout the food groups and following the guidelines for Canada’s Food Guide will ensure the correct proportion of each will be available to your body.

 It is recommended that of your total food intake approximately:

  •     20% of the calories should come from protein,
  •     less than 30% from fat and
  •     50-55% from carbohydrate.

 

For example, if Judy consumes about 2200 Calories per day:

 440 Calories (20% of 2200) should be from protein, less than 600 Calories (30% of 2200) from fat and 1100 - 1210 Calories (50-55% of 2200) from carbohydrate.  This translates to 110g  of protein, less than 66g of fat and 275 - 302g of carbohydrate.

 

Jake calculated that in his diet he had 150g protein, 117g of fat and 300g carbohydrate.  Do Jake’s figures fit the recommendations above?

 

 

grams

Convert g to kcal

Calories

Total Calories

Jake’s % of total

Recommendations

protein

150

x 4

600

 

25

20

fat

117

x 9

1050

3000

35

>30

carbohydrate

300

x 4

1200

 

40

50-55

 

No.  Jake should eat less protein and fat and more carbohydrate.  To help Jake meet the recommendations you would do a 3 day food record to determine his selection of food groups.  Probably he would need to select more Vegetables, Fruits and Grain Products (carbohydrate) and less Meat, Alternates and Milk Products (fat and protein).

 

APPROXIMATE DAILY RECOMMENDED CALORIE INTAKE

 

AGE

GENDER

RECOMMENDED NUMBER OF CALORIES FOR NORMAL ACTIVITY

11 - 12 years

MALE

FEMALE

2800

2400

13 - 15 years

MALE

FEMALE

2800

2200

16 - 18 years

MALE

3200

 

FEMALE

2100

19 - 35 years

MALE

3000

 

FEMALE

2100

36-50 years

MALE

2700

 

FEMALE

1900

 

FUNCTIONS OF MAIN NUTRIENTS

 

Nutrient

Milk Products

Grain Products

Vegetables

& Fruits

Meat & Alternates

 

Function

Carbohydrate

 

 

  • supplies energy
  • assists in the utilization of fats

Fat

 

 

  • supplies energy
  • aids in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins

Protein

 

  • builds and repairs body tissues
  • builds antibodies, the blood components which fight infection

Vitamin A

 

  • aids in normal bone and tooth development
  • promotes good night vision
  • maintains the health of the skin and membranes

Thiamine

 

  • releases energy from carbohydrate
  • aids in normal growth and appetite

Riboflavin

 

  • maintains healthy skin and eyes
  • maintains a normal nervous system
  • releases energy to body cells during metabolism

Niacin

 

 

  • aids normal growth and development
  • maintains a normal nervous system and gastrointestinal tract

Folic Acid

 

 

  • aids red blood cell formation

Vitamin B­12

 

 

  • aids in red blood cell formation
  • maintains healthy nerve and gastrointestinal tissues

Vitamin C

 

 

 

  • maintains healthy teeth and gums
  • maintains strong blood vessel walls

Vitamin D

 

 

 

  • enhances calcium and phosphorus utilization in the formation and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth

Calcium

 

 

 

  • aids in the formation and maintenance of strong bones and teeth
  • promotes healthy nerve function and normal blood clotting

Iron

 

  • combines with protein to form hemoglobin, the red blood cell constituent which transports oxygen and carbon dioxide

Fibre

 

 

  • provides indigestible bulk which encourages the normal elimination of body wastes