Day Diet: Recommended Intake For Each Food Group

1 How does your diet compare to your recommended intake for each food group? * Grains and whole grains My consumption of grains had slightly exceeded with a value of 6.5 oz. eq. to that of the goal which was only 6.0 oz. eq. Meanwhile, the recommended carbohydrate caloric intake is 45 to 65% as it provides majority of energy requirement. Hence, an individual’s diet should consider its various sources such as grains. In this case, the slight excess was not that worrisome. However, I should consume more whole grains such as oatmeal and limit my intake of pastries with refined grains such as cupcakes and cookies, as these contain added sugars and solid fats (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Vegetables I only consumed 1.0 cup eq. as compared to the 2.5 cup. eq. target goal for the vegetable food group. In consequence of my inadequate intake, I also lacked on these nutrients: Vitamin A, Vitamin K, alpha-tocopherol, dietary fibers, potassium and magnesium as seen on my Intake vs. Goal report. Hence, I should eat dark, green leafy and orange vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots and sweet potatoes. Additionally, I should consume legumes such as beans and lentils. Moreover, vegetables should be part of my daily diet in order to meet my fiber requirement as it can help in weight management and prevention of chronic diseases (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Fruits I only consumed 1.1 cup eq. as compared to the 2.0 cup. eq. target goal for the fruit requirement. Thereby, I had deficits on some vitamins, dietary fiber and potassium as observed on my Intake vs. Goals report. Thus, I should vary my fruit intake particularly whole or sliced fruits rather than mixed fruit juices. My diet should add bananas, avocados, strawberries and dried fruits. I should refrain from taking canned fruits as it contains added sugars (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Dairy I only consumed 2.0 cup eq. as compared to 3.0 cup eq. goal for dairy requirement. As a result, I lacked in Vitamins A and D. Thus, my diet should include milk and its derivatives, cheese and egg products. Also, several dairy products nowadays are fortified with these vitamins, so I should read their food labels as it will aid me in meeting my dairy requirement. * Protein Foods I consumed 6.0 oz. eq. which is slightly greater than my goal of 5.5 oz. eq. protein requirement. Some studies revealed that an intake slightly more than the current recommendation may have benefits especially for older adults. Proteins are needed for tissue growth and repair. However, protein intake should not exceed so much as it can lead to heart and kidney diseases. Also, I should vary my protein sources as the USDA Food Patterns suggests that 20% should come from seafoods; approximately 70% from meat and eggs and the remaining 10% from nuts and legumes (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). I should also be mindful of food labels to avoid excessive protein intake. * Oils My intake of linoleic and linolenic acids were only 56% and 68% of the target recommendation, respectively. These are essential fatty acids only obtained on diet and is needed for normal growth, cognitive development and prevention of heart diseases. To make up for my deficits, I should include vegetable oils such as corn and canola oil, nuts, salmon, tuna and mackerel in my dietary plan (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Empty Calories (saturated fats and added sugars) My intake of empty calories was 841.2 kcal which was three times greater than my goal which was only 258.0 kcal. This can be attributed to my consumption of sweetened beverages such as instant mixes, orange juice, soda and coffee frappe. Hence, I should limit myself on drinking only water. Also, I can minimize my added sugars by removing syrup from my pancakes and eating unsweetened yogurt instead. I should always check food labels with regards to their saturated fat and added sugar contents. 2 Compare your 3-day average intake to the recommendations (target) for calories, protein and carbohydrate. * Total Calories vs. Target My 3-day average caloric intake amounted to 2,232.61 kcal which was equivalent to 113% of my target. This excess on my goal resulted from my over-intake of foods during weekends. My snacks and meals then included a McDonald’s McCafe Coffee Frappe and large cheeseburger with bacon, vegetables and condiments. These two alone contributed a total of 1,109.90 kcal. Moreover on these days, I tend to reward myself by eating what I wanted to satisfy my food cravings. Additionally, I had empty calories from the added sugars I consumed on drinking flavored beverages. To resolve this, I should make it a habit to drink only water every meals. Also according to studies, fructose from fruit drinks tends to increase appetite. In this regard, I should avoid it from now on. Furthermore, I should eat foods low in energy density as these have lesser calories and it is more satiating. An example is eating vegetable salads before taking a full course meal (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). Consumerreports.org (2018) sampled a 100 calories salad fixings that includes the following: 1) ½ cup tuna fish, 2) ½ cup edamame, 3) 2 oz. California avocado, 3) 2 tablespoons of walnuts, 4) 3 tablespoons of Italian dressing, 5) ¼ cup macaroni salad, 6) ¼ cup cheddar cheese, 7) 3 tablespoons bacon bits, 8) 1 ¼ large hard-boiled eggs, 9) 8 ½ pieces croutons, 10) 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds and 11) 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of Caesar dressing. * Protein (grams and % calories) My 3-day average protein intake was 86.24 g which was 115% that of my goal. 80 grams per day is the average protein intake in the United States and a slightly higher value can be advantageous for muscle health and tissue repair. Hence, my intake is within tolerable limit; however, I should vary my protein sources, as majority comes from meat which is also high in saturated fats. I should include nuts and fish as alternative protein sources as these are also helpful in prevention of heart diseases. Likewise, I can apply USDA Food Pattern recommendations that include 6 oz. of grains, 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 3 cups of milk that can provide 18 grams, 10 grams and 24 grams of proteins, respectively (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). Meanwhile in terms of calories, my actual intake was 345 kcal amounting to 15% of my total calories. This % calories is within the acceptable limit of 10%-35% of daily protein intake. * Carbohydrates (% calories and grams, fiber, added sugars) My 3-day average carbohydrate caloric intake was 1,286 kcal which accounted to 58% of my total calories. My % calories of carbohydrates was sufficient to meet my energy requirements as it fell within normal limits of 45%-65%. However, my sources of carbohydrates seemed to be imbalanced as mostly comes from refined goods such as pancakes, white rice, biscuits and sweet beverages. As a result, my total sugar amounted to 149.63 g which is almost six times greater than the American Heart Association (AHA) recommendation of 25 g for women. Moreover, I lacked on dietary fiber with only 14.01 g far from the target of 25 g. With this trend, weight management would be difficult for me. Studies show that added sugars were linked to increase body weights and as I had insufficient fibers, fats will not be displaced effectively. In resolution, I should prioritize nutritious sources of carbohydrates such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits, so as the necessary nutrients will not be dominated by excessive sugar. Nuts and legumes are good sources of dietary fiber. A half cup of cooked baked beans in soups and salads can provide 5 to 8 grams of dietary fiber. Also, I should drink fewer sweetened beverages and replace it with water instead. I should strive to eat only small portions of sweets such as cakes and cookies and use less honey on pancakes. As it was found out that honey and white sugar have similar nutritional values. Lastly, I should always check on food labels and nutrition facts for healthier food choices (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). 3 Compare your 3-day average intakes to the recommendations. Assess % calories from: * Total Fat My 3-day average fat caloric intake was 595 kcal, which was equivalent to 27% of my total calories. This value is adequate as it is within the recommended range of 396-693 kcal (20-35%). However, most of these fats came from consumption of meats, processed foods, cheese and baked goods, which were found to sources of solid fats and only a few to none of other nutrients. In this regard, my dietary plan should include nutrient-dense foods that are also sources of healthy fats. For instance, I should eat two servings of fish weekly as recommended by nutritionists. Moreover, I should limit my intake to only 6 oz. of lean cut meat, removing fats and skin. I should also use vegetable oils in cooking and avoid stir-frying as much as possible. Most of all, I should always read food labels for fat content choices (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Saturated fat 11% of my total fat caloric intake came from saturated fats. My 3-day average saturated fat intake was 25.98 grams which was greater than the recommended amount of less than 22 g. My mindless consumption of meals with cream such as coffee frappe and meat and its derivatives such as cheeseburger, pizza with ground beef and pork spareribs gave these unwanted saturated fats. These fats are known to increase bad cholesterol responsible for many heart diseases. To cut off saturated fats, I should eat salmon instead of spareribs, sauté foods in olive oil, eat mixed nuts as snacks, cook pasta with tomato sauce rather than cream and use avocado as sandwich filling (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Cholesterol My 3-day average amount of cholesterol intake reached 250.15 mg. As dietary cholesterol do not significantly affect blood cholesterol, there are no recommended limits. Meanwhile, large portions of my cholesterol intake came from eating scrambled eggs (146.89 mg), pork spareribs (102.91 mg), cheeseburger (97.5 mg), grilled chicken broiler (90.15 mg) and fried chicken breast, batter coated (72.79 mg). However, as I previously mentioned I should select healthier fat alternatives like fatty fishes and vegetable oils. I should also take more vegetables as meals and snacks (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Trans fatty acid My 3-day average of trans fatty acids was 1.15 grams. Current recommendations should be little to none as this type of fat also raises bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol; thereby increasing the risks for heart diseases. On the other hand, my consumption of creamy parmesan pasta (0.90 g), coffee frappe (1.0 g) and cheeseburger (1.51 g) were the main sources of trans fatty acids. As a solution, I should lessen cream and cheese intake from my foods and replace it with low-fat or fat-free milk products. Most importantly, I should read nutritional facts that indicate trans fatty acid content of food products. * Linolenic acid My 3-day average intake of linolenic acid was 0.75 g which was short from the recommended value of 1.10 g. Moreover, my % calories from polyunsaturated fats was only 3% out of 27% of my total fat calories. Majority of my linolenic acids came from consumption of French fries (0.76 g), spaghetti (0.36 g), buttermilk biscuits (0.2 g), pizza with ground beef (0.16 g), batter coated fried chicken (0.13 g), vanilla yogurt (0.12 g), and mixed grain bread (0.11 g). To make up for my inadequacy, my diet should include foods rich with omega-3 polyunsaturated fats such as fish, walnuts and canola oil. A 3-5 oz. serving of tuna, scallops, shrimps, mackerel can give 150 mg up to 500 mg of omega-3 fatty acids; These foods are found to effective in lowering blood pressure and improving blood lipids and immune system. They also carry fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and D (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). 4 Evaluate your mineral intake. * Calcium My calcium intake was 117% of the recommended amount; hence, it is within tolerable limit. Majority of this calcium came from my consumption of low fat milk (305 mg), hot milk chocolate (300 mg), omelette with vegetables and cheese (300 mg), cheeseburger (267.15 mg), oatmeal cooked with milk (264.42 mg) and coffee frappe (250 mg). Meanwhile, high calcium intake is found to beneficial for bone health and nerve functioning. With my average calcium intake, this can help me in osteoporosis prevention as I get older. Most abundant calcium food sources are milk as seen in reports. Other sources include broccoli, mustard, almonds, oysters and fortified mineral waters. However, I should be wary of calcium content on every food as excessive intake may cause constipation and kidney problems (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Iron My iron intake was 119% of the recommended amount; thus, it is still acceptable. Current guidelines for my age and gender suggest 18 milligrams per day, necessary for maintaining blood hemoglobin and energy utilization, preventing anemia. On the other hand, large amount of my iron came from intake of omelette with uncured turkey bacon, vegetables and cheese (34.2 mg), cheeseburger (4.04 mg) and pizza with ground beef topping (3.28 mg). Although I met my iron requirements, I should vary my iron food sources to include fish, legumes and dried fruits. An excellent source of iron is 1 cup of raw parsley that can provide up to 4 mg of iron (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). * Magnesium My magnesium intake was insufficient as it was only 71% of the recommended 310 mg amount. To increase the amount of magnesium in my diet, I can take 1 oz. of cashews that can provide up to 75 mg of magnesium. I can also add two tablespoons of peanut butter on my bread that can give 50 mg of magnesium. Likewise, ½ cup of cooked pinto beans can give 50 mg of magnesium (Whitney and Rolfes, 2019). Magnesium deficiency can worsen inflammation and can lead to chronic diseases such as hypertension. An individual may also experience weakness and unusual muscle movements of eyes and face. In this regard, I sh...