NUTRITION FITM 202: Wk 2 Lesson 2
Instructor: Jodi Robinson, RD
Topic Overview
1. Review questions
2. Caloric density and nutrient density
3. Planning a healthy diet – practical tips
4. Review of Assignment #1
5. Activity – 2% in-class marks
Jack has hummus, a pita bread, and red
pepper slices for lunch. How many
Food Groups did he choose?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
Jane has fruit on the bottom yogurt and
a cookie for her morning snack. How
many Food Groups is she choosing?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
Introduction
• Eating well is easy in theory
– Just choose a selection of foods that supplies
appropriate amounts of the essential nutrients,
fibre, and energy
• Without excess intakes of fat, sugar, and salt
• Be sure to get enough exercise to balance the foods
you eat
In practice, easier said than done!!!
How do I count Food Guide Servings in a meal?
Vegetable and beef stir-fry with rice, a glass of milk
and an apple for dessert
•250 mL (1 cup) mixed broccoli, carrot and sweet red pepper = 2
Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Servings
•75 g (2 ½ oz.) lean beef = 1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
•250 mL (1 cup) brown rice = 2 Grain Products Food Guide Servings
•5 mL (1 tsp) canola oil = part of your Oils and Fats intake for the day
•250 mL (1 cup) 1% milk = 1 Milk and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
•1 apple = 1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
Totals: Veg & Fruit – 3 Grain Products – 2
Milk & Alt – 1 Meat & Alt – 2
Oils & Fats – 1 tsp
Nutrient Density
• When making choices in each food group,
nutrient dense foods are the best choice.
• Nutrient density: Measure of nutrients provided
per calorie of food
(i.e. The more nutrient dense a food is, the more
vitamins/minerals it provides relative to its calorie
content)
2-7
Example: Low vs. High Nutrient Density
1 md banana + half cup
3 Oreos = 145 kcal (56 from
blackberries = 145 kcal
fat, 1 g fibre, few vitamins
(8 from fat, 7 g fibre, 608 mg
or minerals
potassium, 21 RE vitamin A,
26 mg vitamin C
Caloric Vs Nutrient Density
• Which is more calorie dense?
1. 1g CHO OR 1g Fat
2. 20g Salad Dressing OR 20g Salad
• Which is more nutrient dense?
1. 100 kcal of potato chips OR 100 kcal fruit salad
2. 100 kcal milk OR 100 kcal pop
Caloric Vs Nutrient Density
• Foods that offer the most nutrients per calorie
are vegetables
– Especially non-starchy vegetables
– These foods are rich in phytochemicals
– These foods are generally inexpensive despite
popular belief (key to buy in season and based on
sales)
Caloric Vs Nutrient Density
Nutrient Dense Food Calorically Dense Food
Baked potato Fries, chips
Tomato ketchup
Chicken breast Chicken fingers
Fresh fruit Dried fruit
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All rights reserved
Discretionary calorie allowance
– The difference between the calories needed to
maintain weight and those needed to supply
nutrients
– The discretionary calorie allowance gives people
the option to choose some less nutrient-dense
foods they may desire
COPYRIGHT © 2009 Nelson Education Ltd.
All rights reserved
Let’s Put Theory into Practice with some
Practical Nutrition Tips…
Tip 1: Eat Balanced Meals & Snacks
(starting with breakfast)
• Aim for regular meals and snacks, eating every 3-4 hours
• Include 3 – 4 food groups at each meal
• Include 1 – 2 food groups at each snack
Vegetables
• Breakfast benefits:
- Kick starts your metabolism and energy Grains & Meats &
- Improves mental concentration Starches Alternative
- Prevents overeating later on
- More likely to maintain healthy weight
Tip 2: Follow the Plate Model
1/4 plate Meat
& Alternatives
Milk
Products
1/4 plate
Can be Grain
omitted (Starch) Fruit
Products
1/2 plate
Vegetables
Tip 3: Be Portion Savvy
No matter how healthy your meal, if you eat too much you will
feel tired and sluggish and promote weight gain
Eat mindfully so you don’t overeat, forget to eat, or eat for
reasons other than hunger (most of the time)
Allow yourself to stop eating when you are 80% full (even if
there is still food left on your plate!)
200 g 50 g muffin
X muffin 140
560 calories
Handy Ways to Estimate Portions
A small fist = about 1 cup
1 serving dried fruit, nut A small palm = 3 ounce serving
butter or nuts, seeds of meat, fish, or poultry
= golf ball
A thumb-tip = 1 teaspoon of fat
1 fruit = tennis ball
A thumb = one ounce cheese
Portion Control
• Among volumetric measures
– 1 “cup” refers to a 250 mL measuring cup, filled level
• Tablespoons and teaspoons refer to measuring
spoons, filled to level
– 1 tablespoon = 15 mL
– 1 teaspoon = 5 mL
– 1 litre (L) = 1000mL
• Grams/ounces signify weight, not volume
– 1 ounce = approximately 28 grams
– *Ounces can also signify volume (1oz. = 30ml)
Tip 4: Choose Healthy Snacks
Replace one unhealthy with one healthy snack every day
Result: Prevent ~ 6000 cardiovascular deaths every year
(Public Health Nutr, Aug 2008)
Healthy Portable snacks
Fresh whole fruit or Yogurt
unsweetened fruit (containers/drinkable
cups tubes)
Cheese sticks All natural nut butter
Homemade trail mix Whole grain cracker
Fresh raw veggie sticks Dry Cereal
Granola bars (Kashi) Hummus & cracker
packs
Healthy Snacks combine CHO + PRO (2 FG’s)
Tip 5: Limit Added Sugar,
Salt, and Fat
2 large double double coffees from Tim Hortons =
Sugar equivalent to 1.5 cans of pop
Fat equivalent to 6 pats (tsp) butter
540 calories
Tip 6: Plan for Healthy Eating
Weekly: Daily:
1) Plan a menu 1) Prepare food choices for the
next day the night before
2) Grocery shop
2) In the mornings, pack your
3) Make batch food items lunch bag
- Baked chicken
- Stews/Soups 3) Put out food for dinner (e.g.
- Fruit salad thaw chicken in fridge)
- Boiled Eggs
- Cut up veggies for stir fries,
snacks
HOMEWORK
Bring 1-2 food packages that have a
Nutrition Facts table (i.e. nutrition
label) to class on Tuesday
