Diet Analysis Essay Example

Diet Analysis
I have learned a lot from this two-day diet analysis assignment. In my two day assessment, I recorded my food intake, quantities, drinks, snacks, condiments, where and who I was with during the meal, the time of day, and the amount of time I spent eating. I was able to analyze my diet to examine what I was eating and what types of nutrients I was getting. I then compared all aspects with my recommended levels of nutrients for my dietary recommended intake. I learned that my eating habits are not the best and could lead to serious health problems in the future that may be detrimental.
The book describes a healthful diet as one that includes: consuming a variety of nutrient-dense foods within the food groups; limiting intake of solid fats, cholesterol, added sugars, sodium, and alcohol; and limiting intake of calories to meet needs for calories. I needed to ensure the nutrients I was getting were reaching, but not overextending, my needed nutrient levels.
Calorie Assessment
It was recommended that my calorie intake should be around 1,920 calories a day.
On the first day, my calorie intake was a little below my recommended goal at 1,738. I didn’t consider this to be a bad thing since I didn’t get any exercise. At 847 grams, my carbohydrate consumption was also below the recommended range of 864 to 1,248 grams. Protein and fat were both in my recommended range. I found this surprising. I thought that my calorie intake and consumption of carbohydrates and fats would be above the recommended goal and that protein would be lower than my goal.
Day two was a little different in some areas. Total calories and fat were above the recommended goal, with 2,013 calories and 803 grams of fat. At 779 grams my carbohydrate consum...

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...ient consumption is not as healthy as I might want to believe. I realized that consuming foods in some of the basic groups such as dairy and grains is not enough to have a healthy diet. You have to understand what foods provide healthy amounts of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, needed. I need to watch my fat, cholesterol, phosphorus, and zinc intake. Over the two days, I needed to increase my vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, folate, and potassium consumption. There are a variety of foods that could be easily added to my daily diet that can help to increase the areas where I am lacking in vitamins and minerals. This dietary assessment has taught me a lot about my own eating habits and has inspired me to modify them for a healthier lifestyle. Probably the biggest change I will make after having done this project is to increase my intake of vegetables and fruits.