Food provides:* Energy to do work (KCAL)* Materials to build compounds, and regulate life activity. (Nutrients)

NUTRIENTS

These Nutrients Provide Kcals: Carbohydrate 4 kcals/gram

Sugar Starch Some sugar alcohols

Protein 4 kcals/gram Fat 9 kcal/gram

Alcohol in a non-nutrient, but contains 7 kcals/gram

Nutrients

These nutrients regulate body functions and chemical reactions. They DO NOT provide energy (kcal) Vitamins: organic compounds Minerals: inorganic compounds. They

are basically earth elements. Water: The solvent in our bodies in

which all nutrients conduct their activity. Our bodies are 60% water, close to the % of water found on earth.

Guidelines for Nutrient Intake

Recommendations for every dietary nutrient exists for people of all ages.

Recommendations for caloric intake are also established according to age groups

The government also has constructed a list of dietary guidelines that apply to healthy individuals wanting to consume a healthy diet.

Setting Nutrient Recommendations

Who does it? The committee of the Food and Nutrition Board in the Institutes of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Sometimes the USDA and HHS have a say in general Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The WHO makes dietary recommendations world wide.

Dietary Reference Intakes

DRI. A set of four values for the dietary intake for healthy individuals. The DRI consists of: EAR. Estimated Average Requirements. Population-

wide average nutrient requirements used in nutrition research and policy making. RDA values are set using EAR.

RDA. Recommended Dietary Allowances. Nutrient intake goals for healthy individuals.

AI. Adequate Intake. Nutrient intake goals for individuals set whenever scientific data are insufficient to allow establishment of RDA

UL. Tolerable Upper Intake Levels. Suggested upper limit of intake for potentially toxic nutrients.

Other Dietary Recommendations Energy Requirements. Energy

requirements for individuals are set at the population average.

Food Labels. Use the Daily Value (DV). This is a standard that allows comparison among products for nutrient content. Used on food labels only. NOT part of DRI.