A Pathway to a Nutritious Lifestyle

By: Kristen Mummert

America has recently ranked number one in obesity statistics compared to other countries.  In this case, being first is not a victory.  Of the total population, 30.6% have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30, when a normal BMI range is 18.5-24.9.  Most Americans have become overweight by not watching what they eat on a daily basis.  In general, people gain weight by consuming more calories than what they burn.  America can start to move down a healthier path by understanding the food guide pyramid, learning proper portion and serving sizes, and becoming more familiar with nutrition labels. 

                The food guide pyramid is something we have heard of and seen many times.  Some of us may not understand it which could lead to not following its guidelines properly.  The guide is a tool we can use to help us determine the right kinds of food to eat every day.  The food guide pyramid has been updated recently and this newer version is being used.  There are six food groups listed in the guide: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk/dairy, meat and beans, and oils.  For a person who has a 2,000 calorie intake, the guide recommends to eat 6-8 ounces of grains, 2½ -3 cups of vegetables, 1½ -2 cups of fruit, 3 cups of dairy, 5½ -6 ounces of protein (meat and beans), and  limited amounts of oils per day.  There are different amounts for different ages and sex, but I used the amount around ages 19-50 for both men and women.  Now that I have listed what the recommended daily servings are, I can talk about individual portion sizes for a single meal.

                Portion control during a meal can really help when trying to lose or maintain weight.   Knowing the recommended portion size of a certain food can assist in making sure that all food groups are incorporated into a meal.  The recommended amount of grains per day is 6-8 ounces.  One ounce is equivalent to one slice of bread, one cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or half a cup of cooked rice or pasta.  As a meal, a sandwich would yield 2 ounces of the total 6-8 ounces recommended grains in a day.  For vegetables, 1 cup of raw or cooked veggies or vegetable juice is equivalent to 1 cup of the 2 ½ to 3 cups recommended; whereas, a 2 cup serving of raw leafy greens are only considered 1 cup of the daily amount of vegetables.  Fruit is similar to veggies as its recommended daily intake is measured in cups, so 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice would be the same as 1 cup of the 1 ½ to 2 cups advised. One large orange would count as a cup of fruit. For milk and dairy, an eight ounce cup of yogurt counts as 1 cup of the 3 cups per day.  Also, 2 slices of hard cheese is equivalent to a cup or serving for one meal.  Included in this group are also milk-based desserts such as frozen yogurt and pudding.  Finally, in the protein group, one ounce is equivalent to 1 egg of the 5 ½ to 6 ounces recommended.  One can of tuna is equivalent to 3-4 ounces and a small chicken breast is equivalent to 3 ounces.  Listed are some examples of a portion for each food group, the tricky part is to incorporate all of the food groups into every day of our lives.  Below is an example of a menu that includes all recommended servings for each food group.

Breakfast:

2 scrambled eggs with salsa

1 ½ cups of grits (or other hot cereal)

½ of a small 100%whole wheat bagel with low fat cream cheese

½ cup V-8 juice

Lunch:

Turkey and cheese sandwich:

1 ounce of turkey, 1 slice of cheese, 2 slices of whole wheat bread

1 cup of low fat cottage cheese

1 cup of fat free milk

Dinner:

Romaine lettuce salad:

2 cups of romaine lettuce

½cup of chickpeas or garbanzo beans

½ cup of cherry tomatoes (5 cherry tomatoes)

2 tablespoons or ¼cup of parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons of favorite dressing

Glass of water

Snack:

Fruit smoothie:

1 ½ cups of favorite fruit

½ cup of milk, frozen yogurt, or ice cream

Lastly, if we familiarize ourselves with nutrition labels, we will be better able to determine the right portion sizes for pre-packed food.  Most prepared foods require a nutrition label under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and its amendments.  Labeling for raw produce and fish is voluntary. The example nutrition label is from a bag of thin pretzel crackers.  Starting at the top of the label, notice how it says how many servings there are per container.  This part of the label shows that the whole bag is not one serving, but seven servings.  There are many prepared foods that seem like they could be one serving, but when you look at the label, it states that there are multiple servings.  This is one particular piece of information everyone should be aware of.  Usually, labels will show how much one serving size is and how many servings are in the whole package.  In this case, one serving is 10 crackers or crisps, or 28 grams.  Moving down the label, we now see the amount of calories, fat, sodium, and other information about the nutritional value of the crackers.  The information that follows is only based on one serving and not the whole bag.  So for 10 crackers or crisps, there are 110 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of dietary fiber, and 3 grams of protein.  When I look at a nutrition label, these items are usually the ones I pay attention to most.  I tend to look for something with little or no trans fat.  I also look for food low in fat and calories; this can mean the food is better to eat.  Also, food with more protein will cause someone to feel full for longer.  The recommended amount of fat for a 2,000 calorie diet is only 65 grams per day. So, if I eat one serving of these crackers, I will have 63.5 grams left for the rest of the day.  Learning how to read and understand a nutrition label will help to reduce unwanted calories and fat by knowing the proper portion size of the package.  If you stray away from the serving it suggests, then you will be getting more calories than noted.

In conclusion, becoming healthier can be achieved by understanding the food guide pyramid, learning the proper portion and serving sizes, and becoming more familiar with nutrition labels.  Knowing what should go into your body will help reduce calories and fat from your diet while also replacing them with natural sugars from fruits, good fat from veggies, and a feeling of being full from the protein.  It’s all about learning the right way to enjoy food and making it a lifestyle change to help fight against obesity.   

Works Cited

FDA. "Labeling & Nutrition." U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page. Web. 27 Feb. 2011.  <http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/default.htm>.

MyPyramid.gov - United States Department of Agriculture - Home. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. <http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx>.

"Obesity Statistics - Countries Compared - NationMaster." NationMaster - World Statistics, Country Comparisons. OCED Health Data 2010, 26 Apr. 2010. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. <http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe-health-obesity>.

Food Guide Pyramid. Digital image. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. <http://www.uga.edu/foodservice/nutrition/foodguide.html>.