Nutrition and MyPlate Review

By Stacy Newman

You Are What You Eat- Lesson 1

MyPlate

​Some text here about the topic of discussion.

How many of you have heard of MyPlate?

Turn and talk with a partner.

I want you to write down everything you know about the MyPlate graphic and the information it tells us.

Open Ended

I want you to write down everything you know about the MyPlate graphic and the information it tells us.

​Some text here about the topic of discussion.

​MyPlate is a special tool or guide that helps us select healthful foods in the right amounts for our age, activity level, and personal body needs. The foods represented on MyPlate are loaded with nutrients. These foods are healthful foods. They give our bodies what we need to have energy and to learn and grow. We need a variety of healthful foods every day.

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Open Ended

Do you have a favorite food that you do not see in any of the food groups in MyPlate? Why do you think it is not there?

any of a class of organic compounds that consist of large  molecules  composed of amino acids and are an essential part of all living organisms, especially as components of body tissues such as muscle, hair, collagen, etc., and as enzymes and antibodies

a sugar present in milk.

any of a group of organic compounds which are essential for normal growth and nutrition and are required in small quantities in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body

 an inorganic 

substance needed by the human body for good health

​​Protiens

Lactose

Vitamins

minerals

a person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons.

a person who does not eat any food derived from animals and who typically does not use other animal products: 

food made from or containing milk.

any of a large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose. They contain hydrogen and oxygen in the same ratio as water (2:1) and typically can be broken down to release energy in the animal body:

Vegetarian

Vegan

​​Dairy Product

Carbohydrates

In this lesson of THE GREAT BODY SHOP, we are going to be taking a look at all of the different ways in which we can combine what we eat and still eat nutritiously.

Share reading of Student Issue cover.

Let’s read “You Are What You Eat” found on the front cover.

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Open Ended

What advice would you give each one of the characters on the cover of the Student Issue that would help them make a healthful choice about the foods they eat?

​We all have foods that we like and don’t like. The father on the cover of your issue may not like green vegetables but may like squash, potatoes, or cabbage.

The brother may dislike fish, but like chicken and turkey and steak. The sister may love to eat ice cream and chocolate, and that’s okay in small amounts, but desserts cannot replace more healthful foods like milk, pasta and rice, fruits, and nuts.

And if any of you happen to be like “our pizza-loving friend” on the cover, you too need balance in your diet. Pizza is fine, but it can’t be the only food you eat. We need to balance our food choices so that we eat foods from all of the groups.

One thing about food is that there are many choices that you can pick from that will fulfill all of the nutrient requirements your body needs. And there are so many different ways to prepare foods that if you don’t like the way a certain food tastes when prepared one way, you may love it prepared another way. Vegetables, potatoes, meat, and other foods are still good for you even if they are camouflaged in stews, soups, and casseroles.

Some text here about topic of discussion

Now, turn again to page 2 of the Student Issue and read the article.

​Each group is to come up with five different ways to eat one type of food from their group. Remember, no matter which form you eat a type of food in, the nutrients are still there. Each group will present their suggestions to the class.

Assign each group one of the five food groups from “MyPlate.”

For Example: Let’s pretend your group is the dairy group. You pick cheese as your food type. You might suggest the following five different ways to serve cheese: fondue, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwich, bagel and low-fat cream cheese, cottage cheese and fruit. Remember to choose low-fat varieties of milk products whenever possible.

​Be sure to include a healthful snack from each group. Explain that although foods can be prepared in a variety of ways, some ways are more healthful.

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For example a raw apple contains more vitamins, minerals, and fiber compared to a glass of apple juice made from concentrate, which contains no fiber and a lot of extra sugar. Therefore, a raw apple is the more healthful snack, when compared to apple juice.

Draw

Come up with five different ways to eat one type of food from their group. Remember, no matter which form you eat a type of food in, the nutrients are still there.

​THE GREAT BODY SHOP has told us that nutrients are the parts of the food your body uses to grow, repair itself, and give you energy.

Nutrients are extracted from the food we eat when that food goes through our digestive system. When food goes through the digestive system, it is turned into liquid. That liquid carries the nutrients through the blood.

“MyPlate” groups foods according to the major nutrients in them. The plate makes it easier for you to understand what foods to eat without you having to think about the nutrients contained in each food. “MyPlate” has already done the analysis for you. Let’s see how it works.

Identify food groups that contain specific nutrients.

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There are six types of nutrients that your body needs every day: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

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Multiple Select

Carbohydrates are from plants and include any food that contains sugar, starch, or fiber. Milk contains lactose (milk contains sugar, a carbohydrate).

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. We need more carbohydrates than any other type of nutrient. Look at MyPlate and tell me which groups contain carbohydrates

• Fruits

• Grains

• Vegetables

• Proteins

• Dairy

Multiple Select

Protein is found in different types of peas, beans, grains, nuts and seeds, milk products, meats. Protein is the nutrient that helps your body to rebuild itself (make new cells).

• Fruits

• Grains

• Vegetables

• Dairy

• Protein

​Oils are a kind of fat. There are healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Fats, although needed in very small quantities, help with many jobs and are necessary to live. Fats help your body make hormones which are our growth chemicals. Fat helps your body to absorb certain vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. Fat gives you energy, gives food taste, smell, and texture. Fat also helps you to keep your body from losing heat and is a protective cushion for body parts such as your brain.

Both a high fat diet and a total non-fat diet are harmful to the body. Some food sources give you more healthful fat nutrients. For example, fats found in oils from olives, avocados, vegetable oil, and fish are more healthful than fat from lard or animal sources. Keep in mind that the body needs fat (like butter or margarine) in small amounts.

Multiple Select

Which groups contain fats?

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Grains

• Diary

• Proteins

​You need vitamins and minerals for strong teeth and bones, for healthy gums, skin, and hair. They keep our joints moving and our eyes healthy. You only need a small amount of most vitamins and minerals. If you eat nutritious foods and follow the guidelines of MyPlate, you should get all of the vitamins and minerals you need every day. Vitamins and minerals help to release energy from the fats, protein, and carbohydrates so the body can use it.

Multiple Select

Which groups contain vitamins and minerals?

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Grains

• Diary

• Proteins

​Let’s not forget water. Without water you could not live more than a few days. Water is in every part of your body. It helps to cushion your brain and your spinal cord, and keeps your body at the right temperature. It helps your digestive system work right. It’s very important that you feed your body a lot of water, every day. You will get some of the water you need through the food you eat, but you do need to drink water or other healthy beverages everyday, especially when it’s hot outside and when you are thirsty.

Multiple Choice

How many glasses of water do you think are recommended to have daily?

• 1 glass

• 3 glasses

• 8 glasses

• 12 glasses

Your Assignment

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The handout lists various ethnic foods. The objective is to create alternate diets that still meet dietary guidelines. Pick two of the three types of food and create a breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner menu from these foods. The menu must follow MyPlate. Pay attention to the number and size of the servings. Keep in mind not everybody eats pancakes or scrambled eggs for breakfast. Some people many eat soup and rice; and for some people, tortillas are popular with beans and rice.

Create Your Own Menu Handout

What we learned

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In this lesson of THE GREAT BODY SHOP, we learned about nutrients and their importance in keeping us healthy.

We learned about different types of foods and how they can fit within MyPlate guidelines.

Lesson One