Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 3 Nutrition 81 hen you eat nutritious foods today, you lower your risk of de- veloping diseases later in life. People who follow a healthy eat- ing plan and maintain a healthy body weight are less likely to develop serious illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabe- tes, stroke, and cancer. Eating a nutritious diet also prevents health prob- lems such as obesity, cavities, iron defi and osteoporosis. ficiency, Overall, the body needs about 45 different nutrients per day. This is why eating a varied diet full of nutritious foods is important for maintain- ing good health. A healthy eating plan includes foods that supply the amounts and types of nutrients your body needs to be healthy. In this section, you will learn how to make smart food choices and how to create a balanced diet. You will also learn about the hazards of poor nutrition. Dietary Guidelines The United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is revised every fi ve years. The fi Dietary Guidelines provides recommenda- tions for establishing eating patterns to promote health. The guidelines promote fi ve key concepts: fi • Follow a healthy eating pattern across the life span. • Focus on variety, nutrient density, and amount. • Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake. • Shift to healthier food and beverage choices. • Support healthy eating patterns for all. Meet Needs Within Calorie Limits As you learned earlier in this chapter, nutrients provide the body with the energy it needs to function. The energy provided by food is measured in a unit called a calorie. Foods that provide larger amounts of energy are higher in calories than foods that provide smaller amounts of energy. Some types of nutrients provide more calories than others (Figure 3.9 on the next page). Carbohydrates and protein each provide 4 calories per gram. Fats provide 9 calories per gram, more than any other source. Your calorie balance in a given day is determined by two factors: • the number of calories you consume through eating and drinking (this is energy in to your body) • the number of calories you burn through the work of your metabolism and your daily physical activities (this is energy out of your body) Your body burns calories to perform the many functions of your metabolism that keep you alive, such as eating, sleeping, and breathing. You also burn calories in the course of daily life—while walking to class, lifting a heavy backpack, and cleaning your room. W calorie a unit of measurement for energy provided by food metabolism the rate at which the body uses energy