Nutrition Part 2 – A Balanced Diet. 
(Lesson Outline for 8/23/15)

Objective: Understand and apply principles and practices of good nutrition and how this relates to self-reliance.

PRINCIPLE 1: A balanced diet includes servings from each food group during each day.

                      Discussion A: Eating a variety of foods everyday promotes better health. What foods should be eaten to provide a good balance of nutrients? (Review the Healthy Eating Pyramid from the previous lesson, have handouts available if needed). http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/pyramid-full-story

                     Discussion B: Food must be eaten in proper amounts to maintain good health. How much of each food should I eat? The Healthy Eating Plate is a guide for creating healthy, balanced meals—whether served on a plate or packed in a lunch box.  See Handout 1 “Healthy Eating Plate” or see http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/.  

Next show Handout 2 “Portion Distortion” and Handout 3 “What Counts as One Serving?”  This handout estimates serving sizes using your hands.  

                      Discussion C:  There are foods that are “empty” calories. How can reading food-packing labels will help us make wise choices in food buying? See Handout 4  “Label Power”   http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm079449.htm   

Labels show serving size, nutrition facts, and ingredients list. Be careful of health claims such as ‘low fat’, ‘low sodium’, ‘reduced’, or ‘light’. Look at the over all values of nutrients. Some low fat may have more sodium or sugar.

PRINCIPLE 2: Food and drink must be clean and free from disease-causing germs (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) to be healthy.

                   DISCUSSION A: List ways that promote cleanliness in preparing, eating, and cleanup of food and drink. (Wash hands, prep surfaces and utensils; wash food; cook until done; clean up afterwards. “All surfaces (cabinet tops, cutting boards, dishes, plates, utensils, etc.) which come into contact with food during its preparation and serving should be cleaned with warm, soapy water or sanitizing solution and rinsed with purified water before and after using. SANITIZING SOLUTION 2 teaspoons (10 mL) fresh liquid bleach 1 quart (or liter) of water.

Surfaces which come into contact with uncooked meat (especially poultry) should not be exposed to other foods until cleaned and sanitized again. Prepared food is an excellent place for disease producing bacteria to grow and multiply enough at room temperature to make a person very ill. Illness-producing growth does not generally occur in the first two hours. All prepared food should be eaten or put into a refrigerator within two hours. An exception would be carefully prepared sandwiches that are usually safe for five to six hours. Bacteria growth and spoilage can occur in the refrigerator as well but is slowed. Prepared food should be cleaned out of the refrigerator and discarded at least weekly. If frozen, prepared food can be kept for up to a year or more.” https://providentliving.lds.org/bc/providentliving/

PRINCIPLE 3: Good Nutrition can give us power to help prevent chronic disease and other ailments and help us become more self-reliant.

                   Discussion A: “You are what you eat.”  How does knowing and following a healthy diet give us power and self-reliance?  “Chronic diseases —including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer— account for some of the most common health problems in the United States, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Yet many of these chronic diseases are preventable, as they’re linked to poor diet and lifestyle choices including tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and inadequate physical activity. The good news is that you have the power to help prevent chronic disease, as making positive diet and lifestyle changes can help reduce risk. Eating healthy foods, getting enough exercise, and refraining from tobacco and excessive alcohol use confer numerous health benefits—including possibly preventing the onset of chronic diseases.” http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/disease-prevention

HANDOUT 1

 

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/

HANDOUT 2

HANDOUT 3

Handout 4

  Explanation of Handout 4

1.    Serving Size

This section is the basis for determining number of calories, amount of each nutrient, and %DVs of a food. Use it to compare a serving size to how much you actually eat. Serving sizes are given in familiar units, such as cups or pieces, followed by the metric amount, e.g., number of grams.

2.   Amount of Calories

If you want to manage your weight (lose, gain, or maintain), this section is especially helpful. The amount of calories is listed on the left side. The right side shows how many calories in one serving come from fat. In this example, there are 250 calories, 110 of which come from fat. The key is to balance how many calories you eat with how many calories your body uses. Tip: Remember that a product that's fat-free isn't necessarily calorie-free.

3.    Limit these Nutrients (Fats, Cholesterol, Sodium)

Eating too much total fat (including saturated fat and trans fat), cholesterol, or sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, some cancers, or high blood pressure. The goal is to stay below 100%DV for each of these nutrients per day.

4.   Get Enough of these Nutrients

Americans often don't get enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron in their diets. Eating enough of these nutrients may improve your health and help reduce the risk of some diseases and conditions.

5.   Percent (%) Daily Value

This section tells you whether the nutrients (total fat, sodium, dietary fiber, etc.) in one serving of food contribute a little or a lot to your total daily diet.

The %DVs are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Each listed nutrient is based on 100% of the recommended amounts for that nutrient. For example, 18% for total fat means that one serving furnishes 18% of public health recommendations. Use the Quick Guide to Percent DV (%DV): 5%DV or less is low and 20%DV or more is high.

6.    Footnote with Daily Values (%DVs)

The footnote provides information about the DVs for important nutrients, including fats, sodium and fiber. The DVs are listed for people who eat 2,000 or 2,500 calories each day.

—The amounts for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium are maximum amounts. That means you should try to stay below the amounts listed.the total amount of fat that you could eat in a day and stay within