Nutrition Tips
Just because a food is high in vitamins it doesnt mean its overall healthy
Eating healthy means: eating different types of foods throughout the day to get nutrients you need such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fibers, and even fats
Nutrition facts labels gives you information that can help you decide what to eat as part of a healthy diet
Food labels provide whats in a packaged food (ingredients)
People with allergies need to check the ingredient list on the nutrition fact labels
Food labels also provide which country the food came from
Food that are labeled “USDA organic” have at least 95% organic ingredients with no synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, biotechnology, synthetic ingredients or irradiaton
Always look at serving size first. Some things might have more than 1 serving and if you eat it, you might get stuff you might not want like calories, sugar and fat
Calories measure how much energy a food provides to your body. The label tells you how many calories in one serving.
The percent daily value is to see if a food is high or low in nutrients. 5% or less = low / 10%-19% = good / 20% or more = high.
The average adult diet should be 2,000 calories per day. For kids, it depends on age, weight, gender, and physical activity.
The total fat shows how much is in one serving of food. Our bodies need fat, but not too much. Unsaturated fats are good fats because they don't raise cholesterol levels. Saturated and trans fats are bad because they increase a person's chance of getting heart disease. Trans fats should be less than 1%
Cholesterol is important to make Vitamin D, hormones, and healthy cells. Its found in the foods we eat. It can become a problem if the amount in the blood is too high. It can increase a persons chances of having a heart attack or stroke later in life
Sodium is basically how much salt there is. Almost all foods contain sodium (processed, packaged, canned foods.) Too much sodium can increase blood pressure but it also helps keep proper body fluid balance.
Total Carbohydrates include dietary fiber, total sugar, and added sugars. Some food has natural sugar like fruit and milk but snacks, candies, and soda have added sugars which add calories.
Fibers have no calories and they can help you feel full and lower cholesterol. It's good to choose foods that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
Muscles, skin, the immune system, and most of the body are made up of protein. Protein is used for energy if the body doesn't get enough fat and carbohydrates.
Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium to build bones and make them strong and fighting infection. Calcium is needed for strong bones and to keep nerves and muscles working and for a healthy heart. Iron helped the body make healthy red blood cells. Not enough of it leads to anemia. Potassium is important for fluid balance and blood pressure
Has sections for vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein (a cup on the side for dairy)
Green for veggies, red for fruits, orange for grains, purple for protein, and blue for dairy
Have variety in your food, half vegetables half fruits, half of grain servings whole grains, fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk and water instead of soda, sports drinks, etc, avoid large portions
Vegetables are the largest section because it provides many vitamins and minerals we need for good health. They are lower in calories and have fibers that make us feel full.
Fruits also have vitamins, minerals, and fibers and is a slightly smaller than the vegetable section. Fruit juices have more sugar and calories
Grains is one quarter of the plate. Whole grains are nutritious and have lots of dietary fiber. Refined grains have less vitamins, minerals, and fibers. Most are enriched which means the nutrients are added back after processed except fiber
Protein is also a quarter of the plate and help the body build and maintain muscles, skin, blood, and other tissues. They have important vitamins l and minerals like iron. Beef, Poultry, seafood, dry beans, peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds all have good protein. Vegetarian options are also good sources of protein.
Dairy is the smallest section and have foods that are rich in calcium like milk, yogurt, and cheese. These build strong bones and teeth. They also have protein and vitamin D.
A healthy sandwich has two slices of whole wheat bread (grains) slice of meat, cheese (proteins) and then lettuce and tomato or grated carrots (vegetables). You can add a side of fruit and/or a cup of low fat white milk which will make a good balanced meal.
For a dish, half should be vegetables and fruits, a quarter of protein and another quarter of grains. Whole weat pasta is good with a meatball with chopped tomato and other veggies.
MyPlate is only a guide, Not all means will have every food group but its important to atleast try to include three or more.
People think fat and calories are bad and it can be true but it's also necessary to have them in our diets to fuel our growth and activities.
Fats are nutrients in food that the body uses to build cell membranes, nerve tissue, and hormones. When you eat more calories than needed, the energy is stored as body fat.
Calories are a unit of energy that measures how much energy food provides to the body. The body needs calories to work
To figure out how many calories you're eating you need to look at the serving size, see how many calories are in 1 serving, and multiply the number of calories by the number of serving you're going to eat.
By law, Fat-free foods cant contain more than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. Low-fat foods may contain 3 grams of fat or less per serving.
For a food to be labeled lite, the food must have 50% less fat or one-third fewer calories per serving than regular. Reduced fat must have 25% less fat per serving.
A gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories, a gram of protein has 4 calories and a gram of fat has 9 calories. This is why one food with the same serving size as another may have far more calories.
Not all fats are the same. Monounsaturated fats and Polyunsaturated fats are the good fats (avocado, olive, peanut, canola oil, fish, walnuts, flax seeds, corn, soybean
Saturated fats (come from animal products) and Trans fat (found in packaged goods) are usually the bad fats (Palm oil, coconut oil
Its not good to avoid fat completely because they are an important source of energy and can help you feel full.
The American Heart Association recommends that people choose healthy unsaturated fats in place of saturated fats and trans fat
You need certain amounts of calories in diet to fuel your body. There isnt one perfect number of calories that every teen should eat. Choosing a variety of foods to eat is better than keeping count of calories.
Your body needs calories to work. Muscles need calories to move
Eating more calories than needed can lead to being overwheight.
When you want a snack, go for the vegetables, fruits, whole grains. Avoid snacks that are high in sugar, salt, and fat.
Keep healthy snacks in refrigerator or pantry
Make sweets, chips, and other treats the exception rather than the rule
Have a schedule for meals and snacks Practice mindful eating
Read nutrition facts labels when buying packaged snacks
Bring healthy snacks with you wherever you go
Smoothies, Whole-grain pita, veggies, hummus, homemade trail mix, air popped or lite popcorn, banana icecream
Eating right or wrongs foods can affect mental functioning, emotional well-being, energy, strength, weight, future health
At a restaurant ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side
Use salsa and mustard instead of oil or mayonnaise
Ask for olive or canola oil instead of butter, margarine, or shortening
Choose nonfat or low-fat milk instead of whole milk or cream
Order baked, broiled or grilled instead of fried lean meats including turkey, chicken, seafood, or steak
Salads and vegetables make healthy side dishes than french fries
Choose fresh fruit instead of high fat desserts
You can eat..
Single slice of veggie pizza
Grilled snadwiches
Deli sandiwches on whole grain bread
Small hamburger with side salad
bean burrito
A baked potato topped with broccoli
Its best to pack lunch sometimes like…
Sandiwches the lean meats or fish like turkey, chicken, tuna, lean ham, or lean roast beef.
Low-fat or nonfat milk, cheese or yogurt
Fresh fruit or fruit cups packed in juice
baby carrots, green and red pepper strips, tomatos, cucumbers
whole grain breads, pita, bagels, crackers
Just because a food is high in vitamins it doesnt mean its overall healthy
Eating healthy means: eating different types of foods throughout the day to get nutrients you need such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fibers, and even fats
Nutrition facts labels gives you information that can help you decide what to eat as part of a healthy diet
Food labels provide whats in a packaged food (ingredients)
People with allergies need to check the ingredient list on the nutrition fact labels
Food labels also provide which country the food came from
Food that are labeled “USDA organic” have at least 95% organic ingredients with no synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, biotechnology, synthetic ingredients or irradiaton
Always look at serving size first. Some things might have more than 1 serving and if you eat it, you might get stuff you might not want like calories, sugar and fat
Calories measure how much energy a food provides to your body. The label tells you how many calories in one serving.
The percent daily value is to see if a food is high or low in nutrients. 5% or less = low / 10%-19% = good / 20% or more = high.
The average adult diet should be 2,000 calories per day. For kids, it depends on age, weight, gender, and physical activity.
The total fat shows how much is in one serving of food. Our bodies need fat, but not too much. Unsaturated fats are good fats because they don't raise cholesterol levels. Saturated and trans fats are bad because they increase a person's chance of getting heart disease. Trans fats should be less than 1%
Cholesterol is important to make Vitamin D, hormones, and healthy cells. Its found in the foods we eat. It can become a problem if the amount in the blood is too high. It can increase a persons chances of having a heart attack or stroke later in life
Sodium is basically how much salt there is. Almost all foods contain sodium (processed, packaged, canned foods.) Too much sodium can increase blood pressure but it also helps keep proper body fluid balance.
Total Carbohydrates include dietary fiber, total sugar, and added sugars. Some food has natural sugar like fruit and milk but snacks, candies, and soda have added sugars which add calories.
Fibers have no calories and they can help you feel full and lower cholesterol. It's good to choose foods that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
Muscles, skin, the immune system, and most of the body are made up of protein. Protein is used for energy if the body doesn't get enough fat and carbohydrates.
Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium to build bones and make them strong and fighting infection. Calcium is needed for strong bones and to keep nerves and muscles working and for a healthy heart. Iron helped the body make healthy red blood cells. Not enough of it leads to anemia. Potassium is important for fluid balance and blood pressure
Has sections for vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein (a cup on the side for dairy)
Green for veggies, red for fruits, orange for grains, purple for protein, and blue for dairy
Have variety in your food, half vegetables half fruits, half of grain servings whole grains, fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk and water instead of soda, sports drinks, etc, avoid large portions
Vegetables are the largest section because it provides many vitamins and minerals we need for good health. They are lower in calories and have fibers that make us feel full.
Fruits also have vitamins, minerals, and fibers and is a slightly smaller than the vegetable section. Fruit juices have more sugar and calories
Grains is one quarter of the plate. Whole grains are nutritious and have lots of dietary fiber. Refined grains have less vitamins, minerals, and fibers. Most are enriched which means the nutrients are added back after processed except fiber
Protein is also a quarter of the plate and help the body build and maintain muscles, skin, blood, and other tissues. They have important vitamins l and minerals like iron. Beef, Poultry, seafood, dry beans, peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds all have good protein. Vegetarian options are also good sources of protein.
Dairy is the smallest section and have foods that are rich in calcium like milk, yogurt, and cheese. These build strong bones and teeth. They also have protein and vitamin D.
A healthy sandwich has two slices of whole wheat bread (grains) slice of meat, cheese (proteins) and then lettuce and tomato or grated carrots (vegetables). You can add a side of fruit and/or a cup of low fat white milk which will make a good balanced meal.
For a dish, half should be vegetables and fruits, a quarter of protein and another quarter of grains. Whole weat pasta is good with a meatball with chopped tomato and other veggies.
MyPlate is only a guide, Not all means will have every food group but its important to atleast try to include three or more.
People think fat and calories are bad and it can be true but it's also necessary to have them in our diets to fuel our growth and activities.
Fats are nutrients in food that the body uses to build cell membranes, nerve tissue, and hormones. When you eat more calories than needed, the energy is stored as body fat.
Calories are a unit of energy that measures how much energy food provides to the body. The body needs calories to work
To figure out how many calories you're eating you need to look at the serving size, see how many calories are in 1 serving, and multiply the number of calories by the number of serving you're going to eat.
By law, Fat-free foods cant contain more than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. Low-fat foods may contain 3 grams of fat or less per serving.
For a food to be labeled lite, the food must have 50% less fat or one-third fewer calories per serving than regular. Reduced fat must have 25% less fat per serving.
A gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories, a gram of protein has 4 calories and a gram of fat has 9 calories. This is why one food with the same serving size as another may have far more calories.
Not all fats are the same. Monounsaturated fats and Polyunsaturated fats are the good fats (avocado, olive, peanut, canola oil, fish, walnuts, flax seeds, corn, soybean
Saturated fats (come from animal products) and Trans fat (found in packaged goods) are usually the bad fats (Palm oil, coconut oil
Its not good to avoid fat completely because they are an important source of energy and can help you feel full.
The American Heart Association recommends that people choose healthy unsaturated fats in place of saturated fats and trans fat
You need certain amounts of calories in diet to fuel your body. There isnt one perfect number of calories that every teen should eat. Choosing a variety of foods to eat is better than keeping count of calories.
Your body needs calories to work. Muscles need calories to move
Eating more calories than needed can lead to being overwheight.
When you want a snack, go for the vegetables, fruits, whole grains. Avoid snacks that are high in sugar, salt, and fat.
Keep healthy snacks in refrigerator or pantry
Make sweets, chips, and other treats the exception rather than the rule
Have a schedule for meals and snacks Practice mindful eating
Read nutrition facts labels when buying packaged snacks
Bring healthy snacks with you wherever you go
Smoothies, Whole-grain pita, veggies, hummus, homemade trail mix, air popped or lite popcorn, banana icecream
Eating right or wrongs foods can affect mental functioning, emotional well-being, energy, strength, weight, future health
At a restaurant ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side
Use salsa and mustard instead of oil or mayonnaise
Ask for olive or canola oil instead of butter, margarine, or shortening
Choose nonfat or low-fat milk instead of whole milk or cream
Order baked, broiled or grilled instead of fried lean meats including turkey, chicken, seafood, or steak
Salads and vegetables make healthy side dishes than french fries
Choose fresh fruit instead of high fat desserts
You can eat..
Single slice of veggie pizza
Grilled snadwiches
Deli sandiwches on whole grain bread
Small hamburger with side salad
bean burrito
A baked potato topped with broccoli
Its best to pack lunch sometimes like…
Sandiwches the lean meats or fish like turkey, chicken, tuna, lean ham, or lean roast beef.
Low-fat or nonfat milk, cheese or yogurt
Fresh fruit or fruit cups packed in juice
baby carrots, green and red pepper strips, tomatos, cucumbers
whole grain breads, pita, bagels, crackers