HEALTHY DIET AND NUTRITIONAL LABELS

TEACHING

GUIDE

TEACHING UNIT

Introduction

Objectives

Content

Competences

Participants

Timing

Place to carry out

Materials

Exercises

Activity

Materials needed

Solutions

Theory

Interesting websites

HEALTHY DIET AND NUTRITIONAL LABELS

INTRODUCTION

In our daily life, many of the risk factors in terms of health are

related to the way we eat and move. As the childhood obesity

is increasing in recent years, we get the need to promote

healthier eating and living habits in all sectors of the

population.

Good nutrition is very important to keep a healthy lifestyle. In

food stores we can find foods that give us energy and

nutrients; and supply, both in quantity and variety is

increasing. Therefore, it is very important to know how to read

the nutritional label of each food, so that we are aware of

what we are eating and we can choose among all the products

that we find in the market.

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS

Objectives•Recognize the importance of proper nutrition to develop health.

•Be certain that each group of food takes part in our body in a

different way and that we need to eat food from everyone.

•Promote the adoption of food consumption habits of all groups,

performing a diet as varied as possible.

•Incorporate classroom resources for information, consultation

and exchange opinions, in order to further knowledge of the

characteristics of our diet and eating habits.

•Understand the concepts that all food labels must contain, the

function of each of them and the nutrients it provides.

Content•Food wheel

•Food pyramid

•Healthy diet

•Nutritional labeling

COMPETENCES

Secondary Education, Higher Education, PCPI-s and groups with school origin 

•Scientific, Technologic and Health Culture

•Learning to learn

•Mathematics

•Linguistic Communication

•Social and Citizenship

•Autonomy and Personal Initiative

 Other groups 

•Foreign Language Communication

•Mathematics based on science and technology

•Learning to Learn

•Social and civic

•Conscience and Cultural expression

HOW TO CARRY OUT

Participants

This material is for students who are more than 12

years old. The ideal class will be divided in groups

of 4-6 people.

Timing of the activity

It lasts one session of 1 hour, depending on the

previous knowledge of the group.

Place to carry out the activities

It will be held in a classroom with Smart Board.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Technological equipment Teaching material Consumables

Computer This resource book Pen and pencils

Smart Board * Laminated tabs and notebook exercises

Blackboard(optional)

Internet conexión(interesting websites)

Photocopies of the exercises

Materials needed to develop the taching unit:

* Site to download the software that allows views and interact with SMART Notebook software files without a software license.SMART Notebook Interactive Viewer:(http://smarttech.com/es/Solutions/Education+Solutions/Products+for+education/Software/SMART+Notebook+collaborative+learning+software/SMART+Notebook+Interactive+Viewer)

HEALTHY DIET AND NUTRITIONAL LABELS

EXERCISES

EXERCISES

ACTIVITY NEEDS TIMING

0.- Introduction of the topic Blackboard 5 minutes

1.- Food wheel

Second page of the Notebook for the Smart Board 5 minutes

Theory to explain the food wheel

2.- Join the food with its function

Third page of the Notebook for the Smart Board 10 minutes

3.- Balanced menu

Fourth page of the Notebook for the Smart Board.

15 minutes“Menu” page

Food piramid printed (its also in the Notebook)

4.- Menu labeling

Notebook of the Smart Board, page 5

15 minutes“Menu” page

Laminated tabs of food

5.- True or false Notebook of the Smart Board (sixth and seventh slides). 10 minutes

ActivityThe teacher introduces the topic by asking the students some

questions about healthy life and healthy diet, if water and sport

are essential for a healthy diet, etc.

Then, the teacher follows with the topic by asking them what they

have eaten for breakfast. He or she writes down in the blackboard

every food and ask the students what they think is the best option

and why. The teacher will not correct students’ answers, he or she

only has to guide them and make them think.

Materials neededThere is no material for this activity.

SolutionsThis is an exercise to know the previous knowledge of the students

and their thoughts; the teacher does not need to correct them.

0) INTRODUCTION OF THE TOPIC

ActivityThe teacher has to explain or make the students remember the

food wheel, relying on the material prepared for the Smart Board,

in the second page, where a food wheel appears. This image is

hidden, and to be able to see it, it is necessary to click on it. In the

top-left site of the image, the yellow group can be found; in the

top-right site, the red group; in the bottom, the green group; and,

finally, in the middle of the three groups, the blue group.

Materials neededThe material needed is in the second page of the Notebook for the

Smart Board. It is an image of the food wheel and each part of the

food wheel appears when clicking on it.

1) FOOD WHEEL

Theory to explain the food wheel

Yellow color: food high in fats and carbohydrates. In this group oil,

butter, cereals, pasta, bread, etc. can be found. These foods’ main

function is the energetic function, and comparable with the fuel

that our body needs to work properly. It is recommendable to eat

4-6 servings per day between pasta, cereals and potatoes; and 3-6

serving per day of oil and fats.

Red group: food high in proteins. Daily products, meat, fish, eggs

and legumes belong to this group. Plastic function is their main

function; they are similar to the bricks, as they are aware of the

processes of construction and repair of the human body. 2

servings of them per day should be eaten, preferably different

each day (each week 3-4 of each one), and 3 servings per day

from daily products.

Green group: food high in vitamins and minerals. This group

includes fruits and vegetables. Their main function is the

regulative one. It is similar to a traffic light, as they are

responsible of controlling or regulating all the processes that

happen inside our body. It is advisable to eat 3 fruits and 2

vegetables (among them one serving has to be raw) per day,

different if possible.

1) FOOD WHEEL

Theory to explain the food wheel

Blue group: water and physical exercise. More than 60% of our

body is water and every function and process is carried out thanks

to it. To replace all that water, experts recommend drinking 1.50-

2L per day and eating products which contain water, such as

fruits, vegetables, soups, etc. For our body to stay fit, we must

make a minimum 60 minutes a day of exercise.

1) FOOD WHEEL

ActivityThere is a board which contains the three main functions of the

food: plastic function, energetic function and regulative function.

Students have to classify the food in the right function, according to

which nutrient each food provides the most.

This activity can be done the whole class together and aloud or in

small groups of 4-6 people. If it is done in groups, students think

and debate first where to place each food and later on they

complete the activity all the class together, by contending why they

believe that the food has to belong to that group.

When all the food images are placed and students are convinced

that it is right, the teacher clicks on the bottom “Check” and it says

which image is right and which one is wrong.

Materials neededIt is in the third page of the Notebook for the Smart Board.

The theory to explain solutions is in the second page of the

Notebook for the Smart Board.

Solutions•Plastic function: ice cream, eggs, dried fruits, cream, potatoes

•Energetic function: bacon, chocolate, rice

•Regulatory function: mushroom, strawberry

2) JOIN THE FOOD WITH ITS FUNCTION

ActivityThe exercise consists of carrying out a balanced menu that achieves

the amount of food everyone has to eat per day/week from each

group. The students are in groups of 4-6 people and they possess a

menu which they should modify, taking off some food and adding

new one (always from the box), until the menu is completely

balanced. It may happen to include more food than the one they

remove.

To make easier for the students to complete the exercise, the

teacher should put in the Smart Board the food pyramid, where it

appears how much food from each group they should eat per

day/week. In case the school has no Smart Board, the food pyramid

can be found in the page 19 and can be printed for the students.

The correct menu is included after the wrong one.

Materials neededFor doing this activity, the fourth page of the Notebook for the

Smart Board is needed.

The teacher will have to print for the students the “MENU” (menu to

modify) that appears in the following page.

3) BALANCED MENU

Exercise 3: Menu to modify What would you change in this menu to make it a balanced menu?

BALANCED MENU

Breakfast

•Milk

•Pastries

Morning Snack

•Chocolate biscuits

Lunch

•Rice

•Vegetables

•Meat

•Fruit

•Bread

•Coke

•Oil

Food you can add or replace in the menu: •Fruit•Bread with cheese•Water•Soft drink•Vegetables•Cereals•Juice

Afternoon Snack

•Chocolate pastry

Dinner

•Fish

•Yogurt

•Oil

•Water

Correct menu (Solution)

3) BALANCED MENU

Theory

3) BALANCED MENU

* You can also find the food pyramid in the page 4 of the Notebook for the Smart Board

Activity

First of all, the teacher can carry out the activity that is on the

Notebook of the Smart Board, where students have to link the word

with the meaning. The words are taken from the nutritional label, so

that students know what the meaning of each word is. The teacher

should leave the meanings in the Smart Board, as it will be helpful

for the students while they are searching through the nutritional

labels.

After the first exercise is corrected and reviewed, students

are placed in the same groups as in the previous exercise. Following

the menu prepared in the previous activity, and now they know the

meaning and importance of nutrients, they must choose between

different types of food, those which are most suitable for integration

into a balanced diet. To know which food is the healthiest one, they

have to read the nutritional label (the nutritional labels of each food

are printed in laminated tabs).

Materials needed The following material is needed:

•The Notebook of the Smart Board, page 5, to do the exercise of

linking the words with the meaning.

•The MENU: it is located on the following page, print one for each

group.

•The nutritional labels of the food: laminated tabs, printed.

Click here to open them.

4) MENU LABELING

Exercise 4: MenuWhat is the healthiest option ? Look at the nutritional label and choose it

MENU LABELING

BreakfastBox orange juice / oranges for doing juiceCereals / croissant / biscuitsWhole Milk / Fat-free milk

Morning SnackChocolate biscuits / Apple

LunchWhite rice / brown riceVegetablesHamburger / grilled chicken- whole wing / roasted chickenPineapple / syrup pineappleBrown bread / white breadWater / Soft drink Olive oil

Afternoon SnackBrown bread / white breadCheese / Cream cheese

DinnerSalad / RatatouilleHake in green sauce / hake coated in batterYogurt / CustardBrown bread / white breadWater / Soft drinkOlive oil

Solutions

4) MENU LABELING

The exercise of the Smart Board:

•Energy: It expresses the calories a food gives to our body.

Our body uses as much as it needs, and the rest becomes fat.

•Carbohydrates: they supply the body with energy. They

include sugars, polysaccharides and fiber.

•Proteins: they help our body growing and repairing itself.

•Sodium: it hydrates the organism and the excessive use is

related to hypertension.

•Cholesterol: It is a type of lipid that can be found in the

animal food.

•Fat: it gives lots of energy but not many nutrients. Try not to

have too many of them.

•Nutritional label: It offers to the consumer information about

nutritional properties of a food.

4) MENU LABELING

BreakfastOranges for doing juiceCerealsFat-free milk

Morning SnackApple

LunchBrown riceVegetablesRoasted chickenPineappleBrown breadWater/Olive oil

Afternoon SnackBrown breadCheese

DinnerSalad (we have to eat at least one raw vegetable per day, so ratatouille here is impossible)

Hake in green sauceYogurtBrown breadWaterOlive oil

The activity of the healthiest menu:

Solutions

Theory

4) MENU LABELING

• The natural orange, from which you can make juice, is the best

one, as it provides more nutrients and less sugar than the

orange juice from the box.

• Whole grains retain the shell, and this involves that the fiber

contribution is higher.

• Fat free milk provides the same nutrients but less fat than the

whole milk.

• Apple is the healthiest one, as it doesn’t contain any fat and it

is higher in Vitamin C.

• Brown rice has more fiber than the white rice.

• It is recommendable to eat more than one type of vegetables.

• Roasted chicken is the best option and fast food should be

avoided, as they are high in fats.

• Syrup pineapple has more sugars (carbohydrates) and fats, and

less Vitamin C than the pineapple. For that reason, pineapple is

healthier.

• The human body needs a lot of fiber, and products that are

high in fiber should be eaten; brown bread is one of them.

Theory

4) MENU LABELING

• Calcium is essential mineral that the human body needs. It can

be found in dairy products, such as in the cheese. Cheese is

also high in Vitamin D, iron and proteins.

• When eating vegetables, it is recommendable to eat at least

one raw vegetable per day, as when cooking the vegetables,

they lose the vitamins and minerals. For that reason, students

have to choose the salad.

• Eating fish 2-4times per week is advisable, as it high in proteins

and iron. From both fish, hake in green sauce is the best one,

as it has less fat than the hake coated in batter.

• Sweetened yogurt is better than custard; it provides less fats

and more proteins and calcium.

• Experts claim that 3-6servings/day of oil should be eaten. It is

advisable to consume olive oil, as it has monounsaturated fats

and it withstand better the heat when cooking it.

• More than 60% of the human body is liquid, and we have to

renew the liquid every day by consuming 1.5-2 liters of liquid,

preferably water, as it has no fats or sugars.

Activity

This last activity consists of reading some sentences and deciding

whether they are true or false. To carry out the activity, the teacher

reads aloud each sentence and asks the groups if it is true or false

and why. Afterwards, the teacher (or a student) will move it to the

true or false image. If it is right, the sentence disappears, but if it is

wrong, it returns to its own position.

Materials needed To perform this activity, the Notebook of the Smart Board is

essential (sixth and seventh slides).

5) TRUE OR FALSE

Solutions and theory

In the 7th slide there are all the sentences classified in True/False,

in case they want to read them again and say something about

them.

•The vegetal oil is healthier that the animal oil. TRUETRUE. The

animal oil’s fat is more harmful for our health and has cholesterol.

•It is the same to eat an apple peeled or with the peel. FALSEFALSE.

Just under the peel, there are lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber,

and if you peel it, you can lose them.

•We have to eat at least one raw vegetable. TRUETRUE. When we

cook the vegetables, they lose some nutritional substances, which

disappear or remain in the water. That’s why it is recommendable to

use the water where we have cooked the vegetables.

•The liquid your body needs only can be obtained by

drinking water. FALSEFALSE. You can also get the liquid when you eat

fruits, vegetables, soups, etc.

5) TRUE OR FALSE

Solutions and theory

•It is better if we drink the juice just after making it. TRUETRUE. If

you wait some time, the juice rusts and loses its vitamins (vitamin c

for example).

•Every day we have to eat food from all the groups. TRUE.TRUE.

Each group provides our body with different nutrients, and everyone

is essential for us.

•We can eat as much cold meat as we want. FALSEFALSE. Cold meat

should only be eaten occasionally.

•We have to eat 3 times per day. FALSEFALSE. It is recommendable to

eat 5 times per day.

•Meat and fish are low in proteins. FALSEFALSE. They are high in

proteins.

•Strawberries, oranges, kiwis and lemons are high in Vitamin

C.TRUETRUE. All those four fruits have a lot of Vitamin C, recommended

to prevent colds.

5) TRUE OR FALSE

INTERESTING WEBSITES

HEALTHY DIET AND NUTRITIONAL LABELS

INTERESTING WEBSITES

Nutritional labels•American Heart Association (2014). Dictionary of nutrition. Dallas.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/Dictiona

ry-of-Nutrition_UCM_305856_Article.jsp

•Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad (xxxx). Nutrition and healthy eating

habits. Spain.

http://www.naos.aesan.msssi.gob.es/en/csym/nutricion_saludable/

•The Dairy Council (2014). Nutrients and their functions. London.

http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=130

•U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2014).How to Understand and Use the

Nutrition Facts Label. Silver Spring, MD.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/

ucm274593.htm

 

Balanced or healthy diet•NHS Gov.uk (2014). A balanced diet. UK.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Healthyeating.aspx

•American Heart Association (2014). The American Heart Association's Diet and Lifestyle

Recommendation. Dallas.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/The-

American-Heart-Associations-Diet-and-Lifestyle-

Recommendations_UCM_305855_Article.jsp

 

 

INTERESTING WEBSITES

 

Download the food Wheel in high resolution•Sociedad Española de Dietética y Ciencias de la Alimentación (2007). La nueva rueda

de alimentos. Spain.

http://www.nutricion.org/img/rueda_alimentos_ar.jpg

 

Activities•British Nutrition Foundation (2014). Explore Food. Great Britain.

http://explorefood.foodafactoflife.org.uk/

•Food at the fact of life (2014). Love your lunch. Great Britain.

http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=20&sectionId=85&contentId=692