BASIC NUTRITION AND FOOD SCIENCE
> Menu planners must have a basic understanding nutrition because the human body requires a variety of foods in order to function and be healthy. The food service workers responsibility to provide nutritious food and well-balanced menus depends. In part, on the operation. School and hospital food services must of course, plan menus carefully to meet basic nutritional needs.
NUTRIENTS
> Nutrients are certain chemical compounds that are present in foods and that fulfill one or more of the following functions:
Supply energy for body functions
Build and replace cells that make up body tissues.
Regulate body processes.
Six Categories of Nutrients:
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Vitamins
Minerals
Water
CALORIES
> Calorie is a unit of measurement of energy. It is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1C.
> One of the functions of nutrients is to supply energy to the body.
> The calorie is used to measure how much energy certain foods supply for these functions.
> Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fats can be used by the body to supply energy.
1 gram of carbohydrates supplies 4 calories
1 gram of protein supplies 4 calories
1g of fat supplies 9 calories
> There is a direct connection between calorie intake, physical activity, and weight gain.
> If you consume more calories than you burn then you gain weight
> If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.
> Losing weight is possible only by eating fewer calories, by burning more calories through exercise or preferably by both.
> In order to lose weight while maintaining good nutrition and health, one should avoid empty calories as much as possible and eat primarily foods of high nutrient density.
> Empty calorie foods are those that provide few nutrients per calorie.
> Refined sugars and starches are examples of empty calories. Foods of high nutrient density are those that have relatively many nutrients per calorie.
> Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are examples of foods with high nutrient density.
KINDS OF NUTRIENTS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE
> Each of the nutrients listed has certain characteristics and functions in the body. Many fad diets emphasize either the good or the bad qualities of one particular nutrient.
> For example, a particular weight loss diet may advise eating mostly protein foods and eliminating carbohydrates as much as possible. However because all nutrients are essential, such diets can lead to nutritional imbalances, Thus, it is necessary to understand the function and importance of all nutrients.
> The amount of each nutrient needed daily varies from person to person, depending on such factors as age, sex, general health and level of activity.
Carbohydrates
> are compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms bound together in chains of varying lengths. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Simple sugars, such as glucose, are small compounds containing 6 carbon atoms. > Table sugar or sucrose is a larger sugar molecule with 12 carbon atoms. Sugars are found in sweets and to a lesser extent in fruits and vegetables.
> Starches are complex carbohydrates consisting long chains of simple sugars bound together. They are found in such foods as grains, bread, peas and beans, and many vegetables and fruits.
> Carbohydrates are the body's most important source of food energy. Fats and proteins can also be burned for energy, but the body uses carbohydrates first. .
> If no carbohydrates are available, the body then burns fat. However, if fats are burned with no carbohydrates present, toxic compounds called Ketone bodies are produced. If too many ketone bodies accumulate a condition called Ketosis develops and the blood becomes unable to carry oxygen properly. The result can be fatal
> One of the important function of carbohydrates is to help the body burn fat properly about 50 to 100g of carbohydrates are needed everyday to prevent ketosis.
> A lot of sugar in the diet may contribute to heart and circulatory diseases. Simple sugars and refined starches are primary sources of empty calories.
> The term fiber refers to a group of carbohydrates that cannot be absorbed and used by the body. Therefore, fiber supplies no food energy. However it is important for the proper functioning of the intestinal tract and the elimination of body waste.
> In addition, there is evidence that sufficient dietary fiber helps prevent some kinds of cancers and helps decrease cholesterol in the blood. Fruits and vegetables especially raw and whole grains supply dietary fiber.
Soluble Fiber - absorbs water and forms a kind of gel. It is found inside and between plant cells.
Insoluble Fiber - also absorbs water, but less and forms bulk in the intestines. It is found in cell walls and other structural parts of plants.
FATS
> Fats supply energy to the body in highly concentrated form. Also some fatty acids are necessary for regulating certain body functions. Third, fats act as carriers of fat soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K). Because of these important functions it is necessary to have some fats in the diet.
> Fats may be classified as saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated.
PROTEINS
> Proteins are known as the building blocks of the body. They are essential for growth, for building body tissues and for basic body functions. They can also be used for energy if the diet does not contain enough carbohydrate and fats.
> Proteins consist of substances called amino acids. The body is able to manufacture many of them, but there are 9 amino acids it cannot manufacture and must get from foods.
> A food protein that contains all nine essential amino acids is called complete proteins. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products contain complete proteins.
> Proteins that lack one or more of these essential amino acids are called incomplete proteins. Foods high in incomplete proteins include nuts, grains, and dried beans and other legumes.
> Foods that, if eaten together, supply all the amino acids are called complementary proteins. For example, cornmeal tortillas topped with chili beans supply complete protein because the corn supplies the amino acids lacking in the beans.
> The average adult needs adult needs about 50 to 60 grams of protein a day. Greatly excessive protein in the diet can lead to a variety of health problems, including kidney and liver damage.
VITAMINS
> Vitamins are present in foods, in extremely small quantities, but they are essential for regulating body functions. Unlike proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, they supply no energy, but some of them must be present in order for energy to be utilized in the body. Also, lack of certain vitamins causes deficiency diseases.
> Vitamins are classified as water soluble and fat soluble.
> The water-soluble vitamins (the B vitamins and vitamin C) are not stored in the body and must be eaten every day.
> Fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E and K) can be stored in the body, so they do not need to be eaten everyday as long as the total amount eaten over time is sufficient.
MINERALS
> Minerals, like vitamins, are consumed in very small quantities and are essential for regulating certain body process.
> Minerals that must be consumed in relatively large amounts more than 100 milligrams daily are called major minerals. These include Calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, sulfur, sodium, and potassium.
> Minerals that must be present in smaller amount are called trace minerals. These include chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.
WATER
> The adult human body is 50 to 60 percent water by weight. Water plays a role in all the body's functions, including metabolism and other cell functions, digestion, delivery of nutrients, removal of waste, temperature regulation and lubrication and cushioning of joints and tissues.
THE BALANCED DIET
> In order to stay healthy, we must limit our in-take of foods that can be harmful in large quantities.
Getting Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs
MANAGING WEIGHT
ENGAGING IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
SELECTING FROM THE RIGHT FOOD GROUPS
MANAGE CONSUMPTION OF FATS
MANAGE CONSUMPTION OF CARBOHYDRATES
MANAGE CONSUMPTION OF SODIUM AND POTASSIUM
MANAGE CONSUMPTIONOF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
COOKING HEALTHFUL MEALS
Using less fat in cooking
Using unsaturated fats
Emphasizing flavor
Using the freshest, highest quality foods possible
Storing foods properly
Modifying portion sizes
Giving customers a healthful choice
Training the dining room staff
Using nutritional information