Recorded intake of macronutrient. Based on my daily intake of recorded foods, foods that provided proteins include chicken, beans, dairy (including yoghurt and milk), egg, bread etc. Carbohydrates were provided by bread, pasta, cereal, dairy, beans and fruits. Lipids or fats were provided by chicken and dairy, eggs and the oil that was used in preparation of food.
Based on the three day recorded protein intake the amount of carbohydrate and protein (approximately 55 gm protein and approximately 180-200 gm carbohydrates) compared well with the recommended dietary reference intake for an adult. However the level of lipids or fats were lower (approximately 48 gm) than DRI. However, the DRI are recommended values and probably indicate the higher limit of the required amount. I would try to limit my carbohydrate intake some more while trying to consume a bit more of ‘good fat’ such as extra virgin olive oil and fish such as Salmon.
I believe I am receiving complete protein from the foods I consume; including fish, chicken dairy (yoghurt and milk) and bean burgers. However I am going to try to incorporate another vegetarian complete source of protein ‘Quinoa’ in my diet based on the reading I did for this assignment. It is critical to either consume complete protein sources or combining complimentary proteins to make it complete since the human body cannot synthesize 9 amino acids. These essential amino acids have to be incorporated into the meal. These essential amino acids are vital for adequate anabolism of muscles (Volpi, Kobayashi, Sheffield-Moore, Mittendorfer, & Wolfe, 2003).
Based on my food diary that I maintained for three days I consumed close to 200 gm carbohydrates daily, 48 gm lipids and 55 gm or so proteins. These numbers are however approximate as I might have missed counting some of the food/snacks consumed. I would try to intake fats which provide more HDL such as fish and olive oil and consume carbohydrates with more whole grains such as whole grain pasta. I would try to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed to a small degree also. According to DRI an adult has to consume approximately 225 gm carbohydrate, 66 gm fat and 45-55 gm of protein daily. However it is also important to remember that these values are a point of reference and need to be adjusted based on age and physiological level of an individual (Yates, 2006). I was satisfied by my food intake (it could also be due to the fact that I was keeping a log of everything I ate).
Macronutrient intake ranges. Inadequate consumption of macronutrients causes imbalance in nutrients and can cause fatigue, deficiency in immune function, improper vitamin absorption, depression etc. Excess consumption of macronutrients especially carbohydrates and lipids can cause diabetes, elevated blood cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
Fiber Intake. The daily dietary fiber requirement is based on the daily calories consumed by an individual. For an adult who is >50 years of age and consumes between 1500 and 2200 calories daily, 25-35 gm of fiber should be consumed every day (Palmer, 2008).
My fiber intake was only 75% of the DRI based on calculation from iprofile website.
I was surprised to see that I fiber intake was lower than recommended dose. I was able to consume 20-25 gm fiber every day. On the day I consumed chili my fiber intake was around 30 gm. I usually eat an apple, blue berries, cherries and citrus foods daily. However there are other fruits including guava, raspberries and pear provide more fiber. I also need to intake foods containing bran, and other sources containing insoluble fiber. I was a bit confused about the requirement of soluble and insoluble fiber in food. I was also surprised to find the amount of fiber provided by lettuce and other salad greens. Each serving of salad green provided 2-3 gm of fiber (high in insoluble fiber).
In my case the highest amount of fiber was contributed by whole grain pasta, rolled oats cereal and the occasional bean burger. I believe chicken wings that I ate today had almost no fiber. I would also try to incorporate more green peas and other beans and lentils at least a couple times a week, which provide lot of fiber (15-17 gm/ cup).Dietary modification. I tend to eat more chicken based salads and sandwiches with turkey/chicken for my meals. I tend to eat pizza at work (when it is free, often). I think I generally eat a good breakfast. I eat old fashioned oats cooked with low fat milk and topped with raisins, strawberries and banana. I need to be aware of not consuming refined carbohydrate based snacks and meals (pizza, muffins). I think I eat enough protein and fats. I was thinking too much about the fat I consumed every day, however I need to be more cognizant of consuming fats that are better source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and high density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL is the good cholesterol. I also don’t think I drink enough water.
I will try to eat more variety of fruits. I realize that I am also consuming fewer than recommended quantitiy of vegetables and getting fewer grams of fiber from vegetables than recommended amount. Artichokes, sweet potato, broccoli and carrots are excellent source of fiber. I will try to incorporate vegetables in salads and soups. I will also try to replace chicken with fish a few times a week and furthermore with beans, tofu and lentil at least once or two times every month. There are many varieties of fish which are good source of omega 3 fatty acid with low level of mercury contaminant including Alaskan Salmon, Mackerel and Arctic Char. I am excited to learn about ‘quinoa’ and chia seeds and will try to incorporate them in my diet.
I do not consume bean rich dishes regularly. I realize beans and lentils are excellent source of fiber.
I do not drink juice. Consumption of juice usually provides fewer gram of fiber compared to eating the whole fruit. Fruit juice is missing the fruit skin and fruit pulp which is the primary source of fiber of fruits. The calories provided by fruit juices come from sugars.
It is important to consume sufficient amount of protein, fats and proteins based on the daily recommended values. People who do not consume adequate amount of protein and lipids can experience fatigue and lack of energy to complete day to day tasks. Chronic deficiency of protein is responsible for wasting of muscle mass, deficiency in immune function that increases susceptibility to disease and decrease in bone density (Cunningham-Rundles, McNeeley, Moon, 2005). Inadequate consumption of lipids is associated with poor vitamin absorption, depression and nutrient imbalance. In order to compensate for the calories, increased consumption of carbohydrates usually occurs.
References
Cunningham-Rundles S, McNeeley DF, Moon A (2005). Mechanisms of nutrient modulation of the immune response. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 115(6):1119-28
Palmer S (2008). The top fiber rich food list. Today’s Dietitian. 10 (7), 28.
Volpi, E., Kobayashi, H., Sheffield-Moore, M., Mittendorfer, B., & Wolfe, R. R. (2003). Essential amino acids are primarily responsible for the amino acid stimulation of muscle protein anabolism in healthy elderly adults. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 78(2), 250-258.
Yates, A. (2006). Which Dietary Reference Intake Is Best Suited to Serve as the Basis for Nutrition Labeling for Daily Values? The Journal of Nutrition. 136(10), 2457-2462
