Nutrition: Balanced Diet

Lesson 1, WC 3rd September 2012

Year 7

Title: What is in our food? • WALT: describe the meaning of a balanced

diet

• I must define ‘balanced diet’ and list food groups with examples

• I should be able to state why each food component is important

• I could be able to look at some food labels to establish what is the most healthy

Starter

Jot down in your rough books as many rules of the lab that you can remember.

You have 2 minutes – GO!

A balanced diet is...

Eating a variety of foods from each food group in the right proportions for good health.

Dietary Component

Why we need it? Which foods provide us with it

1 Carbohydrates

Brown pasta, cereals, potatoes

2 Fats Slow release of energy – energy store Keeps us warm

Oily fish, dairy products, nuts

3 Build and repair muscle

Examples of each =

Defence against disease, general functioning of body

Fruit and vegetables and fortified cereals

5 Fills us up and keeps food moving through us

6 Water Keeps our body hydrated -

Dietary Component

Why we need it? Which foods provide us with it

1 Carbohydrates

Release energy quickly Brown pasta, cereals, potatoes

2 Fats Slow release of energy Keeps us warm

Oily fish, dairy products, nuts

3 Proteins Build and repair muscle Fish, meat, pulses

4 Vitamins & Minerals E.g. Vitamin C Calcium (a mineral)

Defence against disease, general functioning of body

Fruit and vegetables and fortified cereals

5 Fibre Fills us up and keeps food moving through us

Fruit, vegetables, cereals

6 Water Keeps our body hydrated -

Do we really know what is in our food or where it comes from?

For each group – list the food you think that is most healthy

GROUP 1

Cornflakes Weetabix Muesli Special K Porridge

GROUP 2

Chicken Leg Beef Steak Pork Chops Lamb Salmon fillet

GROUP 3

Orange Juice Coca Cola Diet Coke Fanta

GROUP 4

Smarties Kit Kat (chunky) Eat Natural Bar

Special K • Special K is a cereal that is marketed on TV in the USA and Europe as being good for keeping your weight healthy.

• The ads contain lots of images of slim women wearing swim suits.

• You can do a “Special K diet” where you eat a bowl for breakfast, another for lunch and then a balanced meal for dinner.

Group 1: Special K is not as good for you as plain old cornflakes – it has 4g

more sugar per serving

But porridge is best to provide you with energy and fibre for the whole morning

Porridge is also

miles cheaper!

Group 2: Fish is usually a healthier alternative to other meats

• It is lower in fat

• It provides you with Omega oils which are good for your joints

• Eating lots of red meats is linked to cancer

Group 3: Fanta and Coca Cola have less sugar than apple juice

Group 4: Eat Natural bars which look nice and healthy have more calories

and fat than a Kit Kat

Now take a look at the food labels we have in the classroom / or Prep

• Make a list of things you think are healthy, unhealthy or neither.

• Write down a sentence next to each one to give your reason.

WHO estimates that

• Around 10% of the world’s population is obese

• Around 25% of the UK population are obese

• This is a worldwide epidemic

How much fat and calories do we actually need?

Fat – around 50-70g of fat per day

REMEMBER: WE NEED FAT! JUST NOT TOO MUCH OF IT!

Calories – approx. 1500 to 2500 per day

If you are slim, does that mean you are healthy?

• Only 1 in 5 UK children and 1 in 4 adults eat 5 portions of fruit and veg per day

• We live in a ‘convenience food’ culture

• However, just because you are slim, doesn’t mean you are healthy...watch the clip ... http://www.channel4.com/programmes/supersize-vs-superskinny/video/series-4/episode-7/s4-ep7-danni-meets-vicki

Plenary

In pairs, choose one of the below questions each and tell the answer to your partner. Your partner must then feedback any additions or corrections to your explanation.

1) Why do we need to eat a balanced diet?

2) Why are some foods we think are healthy actually not healthy?