Food Label Analysis

In life, many people participate in various daily events and activities that help them enjoy being who they are. People may enjoy getting together with friends, going to the mall, going to an amusement park or simply finding relaxation in nature. However, a big part of everyone’s life is of course eating and many people find pleasure in doing so. Eating is a very enjoyable and delectable must for everyone but should be done so, like everything in life, in a smart and intelligent way. Being smart and perceptive when eating is a large part of nutrition.

Based on a 24 Hour Recall of my diet, results using NutriCalc Plus report that my food intake lacked a healthy balance of all food groups. My Grain intake reached only 60% of the My Plate daily recommendations. My Vegetable intake was a mere 50% of the recommended servings. Additionally, I consumed 84% of the daily recommendations for the Dairy Group. Nonetheless, I did exceed the recommendations for the Fruit Group and Protein Group with intakes of 155% and 107%, respectively.

As a childcare provider I must ensure quality meals are served to children and that nutrition education is encouraged. I offer a variety of foods for our preschoolers and toddlers. Each meal has whole grain bread, a serving of vegetables, and a serving of fruit, with a meat or meat alternate, and milk is served with each meal. I believe that my menu meets all the requirement for a child’s nutritional needs according to the “National Standards for Child Nutrition Programs”

Many people are unaware of the difference between a serving and a portion. A serving is a

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends eating a variety of foods to have good nutritional health. Dark green, yellow and orange vegetables and fruit should also be included in a good diet each day. They also suggest eating lean, low-fat meats and poultry, increase amounts of seafood, and healthy fats such as olive oil and omega-3 fatty oils but advise against eating trans and saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium. The USDA also recommends that at least half of the grains eaten should come from whole grains and not refined grains. (U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

An adult should follow the ratio consumption of: 60% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 10% protein. All of these are essential macronutrients for adult bodies as they are a main source of energy. However, it is important to note that the ratios may vary from person to person due to physiological demands (1). Examples of sources of protein are milk, eggs, meat, fish, and nuts. Sources of healthy fat include avocados, peanuts, and soybeans. Carbohydrate sources derive from foods such as bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes.

Children and young people’s health and development is closely linked to their dietary choice as they need the right amount of nutrients necessary to keep their energy and to maintain the body for growth, tissue repair, healthy skin, hair and teeth, red blood cells and strong immune system.

The recommendation for carbohydrates for my kcal goal was 130g; I actually consumed 380g but fell short of the recommended %calories by 3% with a consumption of 42% calories. The amount of fiber consumed was also lower than the recommended; the recommended intake of fiber was 38g and I consumed 28g. To adjust my intake closer to the recommended amount of carbohydrates and fibers, I could increase my intake of unpeeled fruits and lower the intake of wheat.

When analyzing the comparison of the percentages intake of carbohydrates, the dietary recommended intake (DRI) in iprofile was 45-65%. The outcome of the three-day process displays that I am within an acceptable range of 57%. However, the foods that were part of the three-day diet consisted of various carbohydrates such as complex, simple, and fiber. Despite, that many people try to avoid or cut starches, they are vital to an individual health for several reasons. However, the body used carbohydrate as the primary source for providing energy, to protect against diseases, controlling weight, which all factors are important in a healthy diet (Mayo Clinic, 2016). An importance of carbohydrates in the diet, it can easily store in both the muscles and liver for future use and plays a role in the organs such as the kidneys, brain, and the heart for operating properly (Medline Plus, 2016).

The 60:30:10 diet (Week 3, Slide 18) suggests that 60 per cent of a person’s daily food intake should be from carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and grains), 30 per cent from fats (milk, cheese, and yoghurt) and 10 per cent from proteins (lean meat, fish, chicken, and eggs). These macronutrient ratios provide a balanced diet by portioning carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Sources of Calories: Current recommendations for macronutrients are 45-65% of calories from carbohydrates, 20-35% calories from fat and 10-35% calories from protein. Compare your intakes with the recommendations. Use your 3 day average for the calculations below.

In looking over my Food Journal Summary and my Intake Compared to DRI dealing with micronutrients; I noticed my intake of Vitamin A was 88 micrograms and my DRI was 700 micrograms. I got 49% from the grilled cheese and 1% from the banana chips. To improve my Vitamin E intake I should eat more beef and cooked vegetables such as carrots. My Vitamin D intake was below the recommended range at 0 mg; I should eat more fish such as salmon or possibly find a Vitamin D supplement. My consumption of Vitamin E or Alpha-Tocopherol was an intake of 1 mg and my DRI was 15 mg. 28%, 3%, 19%, and 15% came from the chicken tenders, banana chips, grilled cheese, and French fries. To get a

The general proportions a person should stick to in a day is 40% carbs, 30% fats, and 30% proteins, but varies from person to person. Make sure the carbs are complex carbs such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, etc. Bad carbs are not part of the percentage. Good fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, etc. are the best to eat.

Usual diet consist of a large amount of carbs and sugars, low amounts of protein and fat

They focus on the 100% juice that’s in bold red writing to have buyers conclude that the rest of the meal is also harmless. The already packaged meal comes off to parents as time saving. Take the Lunchables turkey & cheddar cracker for stackers instance, this meal consists of turkey, cheese and crackers. This meal is a total of 330, not bad calories wise. Well this Lunchables has over 90 ingredients requiring a master’s degree in order to pronounce some of the words. “This meal contains 9 grams of saturated fat, which is 45% of our daily maximum. There’s also 1 gram of Trans fat. Something you never want to consume even in small quantities” (inside the label). On top of all that this Lunchables offers very little to no nutrients at all. With the increases of childhood obesity leading to diabetes parents need to choose wisely what they are feeding their children. Consumers also need to keep in mind that just because something is easily accessible, doesn’t make it the best option.