1 Day Diet Diary - Essay Example

Introduction The object of this work is to come up with a one day diet diary that will enable one to determine dietary macro- nutrient and micro-nutrient intake. This report also has the objective of helping one describe how food composition tables are constructed and used. From this work one will be able to figure out some of the limitations that come with the use of food composition tables. Methods The decision for choosing this day for carrying out this activity was based on the fact that this served well to illustrate my typical day. Much consideration was taken to ensure that no external factors came in hand to distort the recording of the quantities. The recording of the foods eaten was done immediately after eating and some were done just before eating. In most cases I did the latter rather than the former method. The quantities were first recorded in a rough draft before being transferred to the diet diary. The weights of the foods were measured by various means depending on the type of food. The fish was weighed using a weighing to determine its weight. The weight of the rice was estimated from the value provided on the packet. The weight of the cake was per the value I got from the bakery when I bought it. For the drinks the amount was measured by the use of measuring cylinder. The accuracy of my recordings and measurement is of a recommendable status but it’s not utterly accurate to the point. The reason for it not being very accurate is that some of the measurements were estimated especially for the foods that I bought, as I relied on the information provided by the seller. However, as per my opinion most of the recordings were accurate. Recommendations to improve diet My general strategy for improving the diet is by first and foremost cutting on the amount of sugary stuff that I take on a daily basis. The other way of improving my diet is including some vegetables into the diet diary. This is in order for me to have a high-fiber diet. Dietary fiber is mainly found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Fiber or roughage is generally well known for its ability to prevent constipation. Some of the other benefits of a fiber include :( mayo clinic, [online]) Roughage helps in regulating the bowel movements as it makes the heavier and bigger in size Roughage aids in ensuring the bowel is in good health It reduces the cholesterol levels in the body by minimizing the low-density lipoprotein It slows the absorption of sugar into the blood stream and hence helps control sugar levels It helps in the prevention of colorectal cancer. It should come to our attention that healthy eating is not all about the strict nutrition rules; but rather keeping yourself as healthy as possible. (helpguide.org, [online]) Water is also vital in keeping one healthy; hence, I have to include it in my diet. Water helps in washing away waste products and poisonous substance (toxins) from our systems. It is so unfortunate that many people are dehydrated; this is can be attributed to the fact that they either don’t know or ignore the value of water in our bodies. It is of great importance to note the ultimate goal of a healthy feeding habit is to develop and maintain a diet that will last a lifetime or until one has gained the preferred weight. However, changing one’s diet is not a one night thing that means it is not spontaneous in nature. Therefore, I have to acknowledge that it’s a gradual process that takes time; hence I will start slowly and make changes to my eating habits over time. Am well aware that every change I make to improve my diet will have an effect either good or bad, hence I will take great care. Evidently mango is the fruit of my choice that I seem to take it every time I think of a fruit. It is general knowledge that fruits are tasty and help in increasing the amount of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants in the diet. I have to try out some other kinds of fruits as they also have their own unique benefits. For example, berries are well known for their cancer-fighting ability and oranges provide vitamin c to the body. This will reduce my over-reliance on mangoes and help improve my diet. I have to try out some different types of proteins, not only looking at fish as the protein of choice. Proteins are provided by both plants and animals, therefore it would be better if I try to balance the two sources in my diet. In so doing I will focus on the quality of the source of the proteins and some of the effects that these sources may have. By upholding the above mentioned recommendations in my diet then I will be able to improve my diet to a greater height of efficiency. The ultimate goal of executing the recommendations is to get the required balanced diet that will also have the appropriate quantity of food composition. General guidelines to achieving a healthier diet Keeping a proper and honest diet diary is one of the important things for one to do. It helps you analyze what you have eaten and whether you are improving or not. Ensure that you consume the right amount of calories; balance the number of calories you consume and some physical activities to maintain a healthy body weight. Take in a variety of foods to ensure that you attain a balanced diet so as to ensure that your body is getting all the nutrients and in the right quantity. Minimize on the consumption of saturated fat and sugar; as too much saturated fat leads to an increase in the amount of cholesterol in the blood. It is recommended that we take at least five portions of different fruits and vegetables a day. This shows that you have to eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Add whole grains and high-fiber foods to the diet, as fiber helps in the management of your weight. Moderate your alcohol consumption, this is for the alcoholics. It is also known that not only sugar is dangerous but also salt is not good for your health especially in large quantities. Therefore, limit the amount of salt and sugar that you take in. Make sure you take the right amount or at least some amount of water on a daily basis so as not to be dehydrated. Results Individual’s information/body measurements ID Number Smoker/Non-smoker Non-smoker Alcoholic/Non-alcoholic Non-alcoholic Age 24 Sex male Height (cm) 154cm Weight (kg) 60kg Waist (cm) 32cm Estimated BMR 1535.9 Estimated total daily energy requirement 2244 PAL 1.4610 Day: Friday Date: 1st February 2013 Diet diary Diet Components Daytime Food/Drink Early Morning/Breakfast Pure Mango Juice Carbohydrates and fats Vitamins proteins water Mid-Morning Milk fats water proteins fiber Tea Caffeine Sugar Carbohydrates Water Eggs Carbohydrates Vitamins Zinc and Calcium Fat Lunch Pure Mango Juice Carbohydrates and fats Vitamins Proteins Water Rice Carbohydrates Fats Fiber Afternoon Cake Carbohydrates and fats proteins Fiber Water Mango Juice Carbohydrates and Fats Vitamins Proteins Water Super Fish Proteins Carbohydrates and Fats Water Minerals and Vitamins Mango Carbohydrates and Fats Vitamins Proteins Water REFERENCE LIST DIANE M P, Change in nutrient content of foods stored by Eastern Moodrats( Neotoma Floridana ) pages (835-839), Division of biology, Kansas University, Manhattan KS 66506 [online] available on http://www.jstor.org/stable/1382204 [06 Feb. 2013] Help guide.org, healthy eating [online] available on www.helpguide.org/life/healthy-eating-diet.htm [accessed on 06 Feb. 2013] HEART ORG, Healthy diet guidelines [online] available on http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyCooking/Healthy-Diet-Guidelines_UCM_430092_Article.jsp [accessed on06 Feb. 2013] MAIYO CLINIC, fiber dietary [online] available on www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033 [accessed on06 Feb. 2013] NHS UK, healthy eating tips [online] available on http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eight-tips-healthy-eating.aspx [accessed on06 Feb. 2013] Read More