Question

1. Discuss the purpose, function, and problems with nutritional recommendations.
2. In a discussion format, interpret a nutrition facts label from a food label of your choice.
3. Discuss the purpose, function, and problems with using the MyPlate Planner.
4. Discuss the major types and causes of foodborne illness and contamination.
5. Discuss the purpose, process, and possible risks from food irradiation.
6. Discuss and describe the consumer-level techniques for avoiding foodborne illness.

Answer 1

Ans.

1 )

The main purpose of the Dietary Guidelines is to inform the development of Federal food, nutrition, and health policies and programs. The primary audiences are policymakers, as well as nutrition and health professionals, not the general public.

One of the purposes of nutrition is to keep the digestive system healthy. By reducing stress during meals, chewing food properly, and avoiding eating on the run, the digestive system can function better with the foods provided.

Nutritional fact labeling helps to select some alternative, which can satisfy taste with a balanced pattern. Therefore, the basic importance of Nutrition fact label is to promote the selection of foods that can provide low calories, less saturated fats, and refined carbohydrate content.

Function -

Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and promote your overall health.

They are categorized as proteins, fats, carbohydrates (sugars, dietary fiber), vitamins, and minerals, and perform the following vital functions.

• 1Building all parts of the body such as muscle, bone, teeth, and blood.
• 2Producing energy (power and heat)
• 3Keeping the body in good working order.

A healthy human diet involves seven different kinds of nutrient:

• carbohydrates.
• proteins.
• lipids (fats and oils)
• minerals.
• vitamins.
• dietary fibre.
• water.

Nutrients are compounds in foods essential to life and health, providing us with energy, the building blocks for repair and growth and substances necessary to regulate chemical processes. There are six major nutrients: Carbohydrates (CHO), Lipids (fats), Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, Water.

Major nutritional problems include: 1) Maternal nutritional anemia; 2) protein energy malnutrition; 3) vitamin A deficiency; 4) lactation failure; 5) addiction to milk feeding; and 6) inadequate preparation and use of artificial milk products.

These problems include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke, type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis and so on. Poor nutrition leads an individual to illness or lead to headaches and stomachaches [6]. Poor intake of nutrition is a part of one behavior.

Nutritional deficiencies can lead to conditions such as anemia, scurvy, rickets.

• Vitamin B6. Pyridoxine, commonly known as vitamin B6, is crucial for brain development among unborn babies as well as infants and toddlers, and is important for the immune system. ...
• Iron. ...
• Vitamin D. ...
• Iodine. ...
• Vitamin C. ...
• Vitamin B12. ...
• Calcium. ...
• Magnesium.

2 )

The Basics of the Nutrition Facts Label -

Step 1: Start with the Serving Size

• Look here for both the serving size (the amount people typically eat at one time) and the number of servings in the package.
• Compare your portion size (the amount you actually eat) to the serving size listed on the panel. The Nutrition Facts applies to the serving size, so if the serving size is one cup and you eat two cups, you are getting twice the calories, fat and other nutrients than what is listed on the label.

Step 2: Check Out the Total Calories

• Find out how many calories are in a single serving.

Step 3: Let the Percent Daily Values Be a Guide

• Use percent Daily Values (DV) to help evaluate how a particular food fits into your daily meal plan. Percent DV are for the entire day, not just one meal or snack. Daily Values are average levels of nutrients for a person eating 2,000 calories a day. A food item with a 5 percent DV of fat provides 5 percent of the total fat that a person consuming 2,000 calories a day should eat.
• You may need more or less than 2,000 calories per day. For some nutrients you may need more or less than 100 percent DV.
• Low is 5 percent or less. Aim low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium.
• High is 20 percent or more. Aim high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Step 4: Check Out the Nutrition Terms

• Low calorie: 40 calories or less per serving.
• Low cholesterol: 20 milligrams or less and 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving.
• Reduced: At least 25 percent less of the specified nutrient or calories than the usual product.
• Good source of: Provides at least 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving.
• Excellent source of: Provides at least 20 percent or more of the Daily Value of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving.
• Calorie free: Less than five calories per serving.
• Fat free/sugar free: Less than ½ gram of fat or sugar per serving.
• Low sodium: 140 milligrams or less of sodium per serving.
• High in: Provides 20 percent or more of the Daily Value of a specified nutrient per serving.

Step 5: Choose Low in Saturated Fat, Added Sugars and Sodium

• Eating less saturated fat, added sugars and sodium may help reduce your risk for chronic disease.
• Saturated fat and trans fat are linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
• Eating too much added sugar makes it difficult to meet nutrient needs within your calorie requirement.
• High levels of sodium can add up to high blood pressure.
• Remember to aim for low percentage DV of these nutrients.

Step 6: Get Enough Vitamins, Minerals and Fiber

• Eat more fiber, potassium, vitamin D, calcium and iron to maintain good health and help reduce your risk of certain health problems such as osteoporosis and anemia.
• Choose more fruits and vegetables to get more of these nutrients.
• Remember to aim high for percentage DV of these nutrients.

Step 7: Consider the Additional Nutrients

You know about calories, but it also is important to know about the additional nutrients on the Nutrition Facts label.

• Protein: A percentage Daily Value for protein is not required on the label. Eat moderate portions of lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese, plus beans and peas, peanut butter, seeds and soy products.
• Carbohydrates: There are three types of carbohydrates: sugars, starches and fiber. Eat whole-grain breads, cereals, rice and pasta plus fruits and vegetables.
• Sugars: Simple carbohydrates, or sugars, occur naturally in foods such as fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose) or come from refined sources such as table sugar (sucrose) or corn syrup. Added sugars will be included on the updated Nutrition Facts label. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming no more than 10 percent of daily calories from added sugars.

Foods with more than one ingredient must have an ingredient list on the label. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Those in the largest amounts are listed first. This information is particularly helpful to individuals with food sensitivities, those who wish to avoid pork or shellfish, limit added sugars or people who prefer vegetarian eating.

3 )

MyPlate is a reminder to find your healthy eating style and build it throughout your lifetime. Everything you eat and drink matters. The right mix can help you be healthier now and in the future. This means: Focus on variety, amount, and nutrition.

Read more about the benefits of healthy fats and oils. MyPlate is silent on fat, which could steer consumers toward the type of low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that makes it harder to control weight and worsens blood cholesterol profiles.

The MyPlate Plan shows your food group targets – what and how much to eat within your calorie allowance. Your food plan is personalized, based on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. The MyPlate Plan is also available in Spanish.

5 categories of MyPlate?

As the MyPlate icon shows, the five food groups are Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy.

MyPlate is the current nutrition guide published by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, a food circle depicting a place setting with a plate and glass divided into five food groups. ... MyPlate is based on the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

4 )

Causes of Foodborne Illness

• Biological hazards include bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Bacteria and viruses are responsible for most foodborne illnesses. ...
• Chemical hazards include natural toxins and chemical contaminants. ...
• Physical hazards can include metal shavings from cans and plastic pieces or broken glass.

the 5 major food borne illnesses?

These five foodborne pathogens, also known as the 'Big 5,' include Norovirus, the Hepatitis A virus, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella spp., and Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 or other Enterohemorrhagic or Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.

Some Common Foodborne Germs

• Norovirus.
• Salmonella.
• Clostridium perfringens.
• Campylobacter.
• Staphylococcus aureus (Staph)

However, food contamination falls under four different categories which are:

• Biological contamination.
• Chemical contamination.
• Physical contamination.
• Cross-contamination.