Nutrients in

Your Food

Created by: Michelle Darr Presented by:

Food Groups

Recommended Cups of Fruits and Vegetables for Adults

Based on less than 30 minutes per day of moderate Physical Activity

Gender Age Vegetables Fruits

Men 19-30 years old 3 cups 2 cups

31-50 years old 3 cups 2 cups

51+ years old 2 ½ cups 2 cups

Women 19-30 years old 2 ½ cups 2 cups

31-50 years old 2 ½ cups 1 ½ cups

51+ years old 2 cups 1 ½ cups

Based on less than 30 minutes per day of moderate Physical Activity

Gender Age Total Grain Amount from Whole Grains

Men 19-30 years old

8 ounce equivalents

4 ounce equivalents

31-50 years old

7 ounce equivalents

3.5 ounce equivalents

51+ years old 6 ounce equivalents

3 ounce equivalents

Women 19-30 years old

6 ounce equivalents

3 ounce equivalents

31-50 years old

6 ounce equivalents

3 ounce equivalents

51+ years old 5 ounce equivalents

3 ounce equivalents

Recommended Ounces of Grains for Adults

Based on less than 30 minutes per day of moderate Physical Activity

Gender Age Dairy

Men 19-30 years old 3 cups

31-50 years old 3 cups

50+ years old 3 cups

Women 19-30 years old 3 cups

31-50 years old 3 cups

51+ years old 3 cups

Recommended Cups of Dairy for Adults

Based on less than 30 minutes per day of moderate Physical Activity

Gender Age Protein

Men 19-30 years old 6.5 ounce equivalents

31-50 years old 6 ounce equivalents

51+ years old 5.5 ounce equivalents

Women 19-30 years old 5.5 ounce equivalents

31-50 years old 5 ounce equivalents

51+ years old 5 ounce equivalents

Recommended Ounces of Protein for Adults

Why Eat These Food

Groups ?...

… •  Can help control weight •  Provide water •  Provide fiber •  Help reduce certain diseases •  Help keep you full

•  Important nutrients

Nutrients Such As:

Vitamins

& Minerals

Nutrients are like Jobs Different nutrients perform different jobs within your body, just like people perform different jobs in society. Different jobs are important to get different tasks done. Similarly, different nutrients help get different tasks done within your body to keep you healthy!

Health Benefits &

Functions of Nutrients

from Your Food

Vitamin

•  Vision •  Role in immune system •  Bone growth in children •  Development of separate organs and tissues during

fetal growth •  Sperm production in men and normal reproductive

cycle in women •  Shown to possibly lower risk of skin, bladder, lung,

and breast cancers

Vitamin

•  Night blindness or blindness •  Decreased immune system •  Stunted growth in children

•  Carrots •  Sweet Potatoes •  Spinach •  Broccoli •  Cheddar Cheese •  Fortified Milk and Yogurt •  Cantaloupe •  Liver

Vitamin

•  Needed for the synthesis of collagen. Collagen is in bone, connective tissue teeth, tendons, and blood vessels

•  Aids on the absorption of iron, especially the iron from plant food sources

•  Important role in immune system cells •  Acts as an antioxidant

Vitamin

•  Bleeding gums, joint pain, and skin hemorrhages

•  Possible iron deficiencies •  Decrease in immune system or longer

duration/severity of colds

•  Oranges, lemons, limes •  Strawberries •  Red bell peppers •  Broccoli •  Pineapple

Vitamin

•  Helps maintain calcium and phosphorus (minerals) levels in

blood •  Plays role in cells of nervous system, pancreas, skin,

muscles, and reproductive organs •  Influences normal development of cells- reducing cancer

risks •  Controls growth of parathyroid gland

Vitamin

•  Decrease in calcium absorption from small intestine decrease in calcium/phosphorus deposition bone synthesis reduced weakened bones (rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults )

•  Sun! •  Baked Salmon •  Canned Tuna •  Milk •  Raisin Bran Cereal

Vitamins Thiamin (B1) Riboflavin (B2) Niacin (B3) Pantothenic Acid (B5) Biotin (B7) Pyridoxine (B6) Folate (B9) Cobalamin (B12)

•  Act as coenzymes in metabolic

processes, helping convert macronutrients to usable energy

•  Aid in fat and protein synthesis •  Help form DNA in red blood cells

Vitamins •  Anemia, Beriberi, Pellagra •  Muscle weakness •  Problems with brain, nervous system,

skin, GI tract functioning

•  Whole grain foods •  Eggs •  Meats & poultry •  Tortillas •  Peanuts •  Milk

Vitamin

•  Important for blood clotting •  Might play role in maintaining

strong bones in the elderly

Vitamin

•  Increased bleeding and bruising •  Deficiencies are rare as the vitamin

is made in the human gut by bacteria

•  Romaine lettuce •  Spinach •  Broccoli •  Green peas •  Kale

Vitamin

•  Acts as an antioxidant (Vitamin C is also an antioxidant)

•  Helps maintain nervous tissue and immune system

•  Important in red blood cell formation •  Role in prevention of blood clots by widening

blood vessels

Vitamin •  Muscle weakness, vision problems,

immune system effected, poor sense of balance

•  Deficiencies are very rare and are usually due to inability to absorb the vitamin

•  Plant oils •  Wheat germ •  Almonds •  Avocado

•  Part of hemoglobin in red blood cells

(important for oxygen and carbon dioxide transport)

•  Used in energy production and part of protein

•  Plays role in immune system and brain function

•  Helps detoxify drugs in liver

•  Decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit iron- deficiency anemia ( fatigue, weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, etc.)

•  Beans •  Flour tortilla •  Fortified Cereals (look on

nutrition label) •  Spinach •  Chicken, turkey, meats

Calcium (Ca)

•  Strengthen bones and teeth (especially early in life)

•  Role in blood clot formation •  Muscle contraction and nerve

functioning •  Helps regulate blood pressure and

glucose levels •  Reduce risk of color cancer

Calcium (Ca)

•  Osteoporosis: bone disease in which degradation of bone is greater than resynthesis

•  Bone fractures, curved spine, difficulty breathing or standing straight, loss of height

•  Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese •  Fortified Orange Juice •  Broccoli •  Fortified Soy Milk

Potassium (K)

•  Plays important role in the function of the heart, muscle, nerve, kidney, and digestive system

•  Water balance (it is an electrolyte) •  Blood pressure

Potassium (K)

•  Hypokalemia (low blood levels of K) •  Muscle weakness, slight increase in

blood pressure and abnormal hearts rhythms

•  Bananas •  Cantaloupe •  Pinto Beans •  Plain Yogurt •  Tomatoes •  Baked Potato

Sodium (Na)

•  Helps maintain fluid balance and control blood pressure

•  Role in proper functioning of muscles and nerves

Sodium (Na) •  Possibly vomiting, diarrhea, muscle

cramps, etc. if low sodium diet and coupled with excessive loss of fluids

•  Be careful not to consume too much sodium as it can cause high blood pressure

•  Processed foods •  Found in table salt •  Crackers •  Lunch meat •  *Sodium is often very high in processed/

packaged foods- read nutrition labels on food