Nutrition Analysis

In the Falcon Market the class and I researched foods that we eat regularly, and discovered that foods that may seem healthy actually contain lots of sugar and in some cases trans fat. The "Starbucks Station" was particularly interesting because when I go their I get black or green iced tea and think that I'm making a relatively healthy choice. When in reality there is LOTS of sugar that I was unaware of and will probably ask for less or no sweetener from now on. The "Fast Food" station was very interesting but not as relevant to my life because I rarely eat fast food, but the information discovered, such as one large fries contains 500 calories, was stunning. 500 calories for a side order is extremely high and I will definitely be avoiding that. We also learned about BMI and BMR which was fun because it showed how much the body needs to function even when doing absolutely nothing.

According to my food graphs I sometimes don't even meet my BMI calorie intake requirements. This is probably because I get a pretty good breakfast and dinner, but my lunches are usually small or non-exsistent. In the three days of food monitoring I barely reached the 100% goal of any of the categories, and was especially low in the grain, vegetable, and dairy groups. There aren't many forms of dairy I like, but I do enjoy milk and cheese and could try to increase my dairy intake by drinking a glass of milk every morning and one at night. And for grains, I could change some of my processed bread products to whole grain and add them into my lunch regularly, through sandwiches or other things or maybe add them into my breakfast through toast of cereal. For vegetables I'll try to incorporate more into my days and in more variety. I do seem to get good amounts of fruit and protein in because I have fruit with my breakfast everyday and have lots of fresh fruit around for snacks. I should definitely try to vary my protein choice, because most of the protein I get is through poultry like chicken and turkey, with the occasional steak, but rarely ever fish or seafood. The omega-3 in seafood is essential for our bodies and I seem to be missing out on all of its benefits.

If I was to advise someone on nutrition I would stress the importance of balancing and varying their diet. Adding lots of fruit and vegetables and would encourage them to trade the fast food stop for a salad or soup or something lighter and less processed. I would advise them to avoid trans fat and vary their protein choices and stress the importance of incorporating seafood. I would tell them to check the labels of the foods they eat, and warn them that not all foods are as healthy as they seem.