Food Journal Analysis

Essay by aimee27 February 2008

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Good nutrition is important for everyone. Healthful diets enable people of all ages to work productively and feel their best. What people eat can also help reduce the risk for chronic diseases, such as heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis, which are leading causes of death and disability among Americans (Purdue, 2001). Individuals must also ensure that his or her diet is balanced with the proper nutrients. A food journal of consumed food will allow an individual to understand which food groups provide a healthy fat content as well as vitamins and minerals. The following is an analysis of my food intake for February 1, 2008 using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) website using a food tracker program. This paper will discuss fat content as well as vitamins and minerals for that particular day.

On February 1, 2008, I consumed one medium banana, a small box of Cheerios and a cup of milk for breakfast.

Lunch consisted of a roast beef sandwich with cheese and 15 grapes. For dinner, four servings of boneless, skinless chicken breast were consumed along with a cup of corn and a medium baked potato (See Addendum 1). Once consumed foods are documented, importance must be placed on understanding the results.

Health experts suggest that individuals should not exceed 30% of calories from fat. My daily caloric intake recommendation is 2,151 calories per day (See Addendum 3). Using this figure, the amount of fat grams that can be consumed without exceeding this recommendation can be found. To calculate this, multiply the amount of calories per day by .30. After this number is found, divide by 9 to represent 9 calories per gram of fat (University of Virginia, 2007). This calculation provides me with 71.7 fat...