MODULE 1:
Nutrition Essentials - Macro-nutrients & Key Concepts
MODULE OBJECTIVES:
Upon successful completion of Module 1, each student will be able to:
purpose is, how they impact our body and what role they play in our diets.
level.
Reading from Nutrition Now
Unit 1: Key Nutrition Concepts and Terms (pgs. 1-9 to 1-20)
Unit 8: Calorie! Food, Energy and Energy Balance
Unit 12: Useful Facts about Sugar, Starches and Fiber
Unit 15: Proteins and Amino Acids
Unit 18: Fats and Cholesterol in Health
ASSIGNMENT FOR MODULE #1: NONE
DISCUSSION BOARD: NONE
I just want to make sure that you notice some important concepts in Unit 1. Go to page 1-9 of your book—there you will see an illustration of the six basic nutrients. The first three that are listed are considered – Macro-nutrients. You might want to commit those to memory and read the summary of them in Illustration 1.4. Also, which of the nutrients are "energy nutrients"? The answer is on page 1-9 (trust me you will want to know this). Finally, read Unit 8, but pay particular attention to page 8-6, Tables 8.3 and 8.5, there you will see a summary of calculations for determining estimated caloric needs, as well as how many calories each of the energy nutrients provides.
Page 1-11, Table 1.1 shows all of the nutrients needed for human life. What is the difference between essential and non-essential nutrients?
What is better for you: a can of Coke or a glass of milk? Why? Go to page 1-19 and find out—what are the words used to describe each?
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates.html
Go to the first page of Unit 12. You will see the Nutrition Scoreboard at the bottom of the page. Before you read that chapter, see if you can answer these questions correctly. Where you right? There are a lot of misconceptions about carbohydrates. What are the different types of carbohydrates (there are three)? What are their more scientific names?
The following chart will help you distinguish fiber as either soluble or insoluble with the following characteristics:
|
type of fiber |
food sources |
functions |
|
soluble |
oats, beans, fruits, vegetables |
lowers blood cholesterol, slows glucose absorption (reduces risk of diabetes), stool softener, |
|
insoluble |
whole grain products, seeds, vegetables |
increase fecal weight and speed; prevents constipation, adds to feeling of satiety |
(OPTIONAL – but may be helpful for reinforcing the module material)
As you read over Unit 12, see if you can find the answers in the following crossword puzzle.
|
Q: Does sugar make you hyper?
R.S., Omaha, NE
A: Several studies over the past 10 years have concluded that sugar in the diet does not cause hyperactivity. An analysis of these studies, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that sugar does not affect children's behavior. Other researchers, however, suggest that simply expecting sugar to make a child hyperactive can lead to the belief that this is true. A study published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology found that parents who believe their child's behavior is affected by sugar are more likely to be convinced that the child becomes hyperactive after drinking a sugary drink. Although sugar does not cause hyperactivity, most dietitians agree on this fact: Simple sugars found in candy, sodas, syrups, and many junk foods are a major source of calories with little nutritional value.
Have you ever heard an adult tell a child not to eat sugar because it will make them hyper? We probably all have. There are a lot of misconceptions about sugar and its uses; click here from some sensible information about sugar.
Most of the concern with sugar consumption lies with the added sugars that usually carry few additional nutrients with them. Added sugar consumption is at an all time high; in fact in 1999, consumption was up 30% from 1983. It is recommended that American consume 10 teaspoons of added sugar a day, while most American are loading up on a hefty 20 teaspoons/day. (click here to see more about sugar).
Increased sugar consumption usually means increase in calories as well. In Module 4 we will discuss more about obesity and foods that may be the culprit.
So, if you think that maybe you are getting too much of a "sweet" thing, check out these suggestions for cutting back on added sugars.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/protein.html
Page 15-5 discusses complete and incomplete proteins. Where do they each come from? Can a vegetarian have enough protein in his/her diet to get all of the essential nutrients? Did you know that soy is the only plant that contains all of the essential amino acids? Table 15.4 can be a valuable resource for determining the serving size, number of grams and % of total calories from protein in certain foods.
Pages 15-6 to 15-9 will provide you with important protein information. Does protein/amino acid supplements = increased muscle size? Is it possible to consume too much protein?
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html
On page 18-5, Table 18.3 you will find a helpful glossary of fats—review these terms. What are good fats and what are bad fats? It is not because one has more calories than another, but some are better for your heart. Which ones? How can you make a "good fat" into a "bad fat"—see page 18-13. Why is there so much emphasis on trans fats today – see page 18-9. Refer to Table18.9 for a list of the serving size, number of grams, and % of total calories of fat in certain foods.
Start looking on food containers to see what claims they make about fat. Now you can see terms like, "low-fat", "trans-fat free" and "cholesterol free". Sometimes these special health labels just point out the obvious, like a jar of peanut butter that states it is "cholesterol free". Why is that not surprising?
This is another recommended activity for you to assess your knowledge of the information addressed in Module 1.
