Nutrition For Wellness: Analyses And Results

Nutrition for Wellness Name of Student Institutional Affiliation Date of Submission Introduction Maintaining a balanced diet is essential to keep our bodies healthy and this is governed by nutrients and portions of our food. I undertook the liberty of keeping a record of my daily diet from 2/1/2018 to 2/3/2018 using Super tracker that calculates an average calorie intake in various food groups. I used the recommended 1800 calories in a day and my food groups included grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, oil and protein foods each with its own target as recommended by USDA CITATION App18 \l 1033 (Appendix 3. USDA Food Patterns: Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, n.d.). This essay summarizes the analyses of the findings, factors affected my food choice and recommendations for improving my diet. Nutrition Analyses and Results The targeted overall nutrition of calories I had set was 1800 which is the recommended amount, but I had an overconsumption of 95 calories on average for that period and this was observed in some meals. The meals I overdid were in the food groups I marked the status to be ‘over’ and those I did not meet the expected target I marked as ‘under’. According to my food groups and calories report I did over-consume refined grains in the grains category and in the vegetables category; dark green vegetables. Additionally, I did not meet the expected target in whole grains, starchy vegetables and seafood. As compared to whole grains, refined grains do not have the bran and germ therefore containing low fiber, which is an important nutrient for the body. The refining process of grains causes an imbalance in the balance of calcium and phosphorous and consuming a lot such as the rice in my diet leaches calcium from the teeth and bones, making them weak. My consumption of refined grains was 8 ounces instead of the recommended 3 or less ounces. Dark green vegetables are broccoli, collard, kale, mustard green, bok choy and spinach and the recommended amount is 2.5 cups CITATION App18 \l 1033 (Appendix 3. USDA Food Patterns: Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, n.d.) And my consumption was 3.5 cups. Vegetables contain fiber, which unfortunately when taken in excess cause gastrointestinal problems such as cramps, gas and bloating. In the grains food group, I did hit the targeted 8 ounces, but this was only because there was an over consumption of refined grains and I left out whole grains. Whole grains contain more nutrients as compared to other types of grains; enriched and refined grains and can be eaten whole or ground. A whole grain contains all the three parts of a grain, namely; endosperm, bran and germ. They contain fiber, minerals such as potassium, selenium, folate, magnesium and iron and vitamin B and is found in whole-wheat bread, crackers, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa and whole grain cereals my meals did not include any of these. Whole grains help prevent diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and help maintain a healthy weight, in fact, whole grains are recommended for those desiring to lose weight. Under consumption of whole grains causes constipation since there is not enough fiber in the body to soften the stool. Fiber levels control blood pressure in the body and high levels lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Fiber slows down the absorption of fat and therefore reduce the risk of obesity, additionally, fiber lowers cholesterol and therefore reduce the amount of C- reactive proteins in the body that cause heart diseases, diabetes and stroke. There was also under consumption of starch, red and orange vegetables. Starchy vegetables include white potatoes, green peas, cassava, green lima beans and corn. They contain carbohydrates as well as fiber, vitamins and minerals, a deficient in starchy vegetables robs the body of healthy bones, eyes, skin and the immune system becomes crippled. Additionally, low starchy vegetables renders the body devoid of fiber that helps lower the levels of cholesterol. Red and orange vegetables are rich in vitamin A and C as well as different minerals such as potassium. A deficiency in vitamin A causes weak bones, soft and skeletal muscles, Vitamin C ensures proper healing of wounds while potassium is essential in maintaining blood pressure at healthy levels. My diet included tomatoes and carrots on limited levels. According to the data of food groups and calories report, seafood was marked ‘under’ since I had zero ounces consumption of seafood when the targeted amount was 8 ounces per week CITATION App18 \l 1033 (Appendix 3. USDA Food Patterns: Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, n.d.). Seafood is rich in iron, low fat protein, minerals and vitamins. Additionally, seafood such as oysters, shrimp, salmon, flatfish, cod and canned Tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and alpha linolenic acid. In my nutrients report I did not have a daily target for the fatty acids and this could have contributed to ...