Diet Planning with the USDA Food Patterns
Diet planning connects nutrition theory with the food on the table.
To help people achieve the goals of the Dietary Guidelines, the USDA employs a
food group plan known as the USDA Food Patterns.
By using it wi
Understanding the DRI Recommended Intakes
DRI for Population Groups
The DRI committee acknowledges differences between individuals and takes
them into account when setting nutrient values.
It has made separate recommendations for specific groups of peop
The DRI Lists and Purposes
For each nutrient, the DRI establish a number of values, each serving a different purpose
Most people need to focus on only two kinds for DRI values: those that set goals for
nutrient intakes (RDA, AI, AMDR) and those that des
Setting Energy Requirements
In contrast to the recommendations for nutrients, the value set for energy, the Estimated
Energy Requirement (EER), is not generous; instead it is set at a level predicted to
maintain body weight for an individual of a particul
Eating well is easy in theory just choose foods that supply appropriate amounts of the
essential nutrients, fiber, phytochemicals, and energy without excess intakes of fat, sugar,
and salt and be sure to get enough physical activity to help balance the f
Choosing Nutrient-Dense Foods
Unprocessed or lightly processed foods are generally best because many processes strip
foods of beneficial nutrients and fiber, and others add salt, sugar, or fat.
Nutrient density: a measure of nutrients provided per calorie
How the Committee Establishes DRI Values- An RDA Example
Theoretical discussion of how the DRI committee goes about setting DRI values:
o Suppose they are with the task of setting an RDA for nutrient X (an essential
nutrient). Ideally, our first step will
Checking Out Food Labels
By law, a food label must list the products ingredients and its nutrition facts panel must
also reveal details about their nutrient composition.
o Nutrition facts: on a food label, the panel of nutrition information required to
ap
MyPlate Educational Tools
The concepts of the USDA Food Patterns are demonstrated in the MyPlate online
educational tools.
Flexibility of the USDA Food Patterns
Although they may appear rigid, the USDA Food Patterns can actually be quite flexible
once the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The U.S Department of Agricultures Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 are part of
an overall dietary guidance system and are related to the DRI values.
The Guidelines Promote Health
The Dietary Guidelines offer science-
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