Nutritional Needs Answers

The serving size is a measured portion of food with calculated nutritional information. Serving sizes are found on the food labeling. Portion size is the food that's actually consumed during a snack or meal.

Infants rely on breast milk or formula for their nutrients and require extra protein, energy, and fatty acids because their bodies are growing rapidly. Adults need to eat a balanced diet based on MyPlate. The total number of calories needed to maintain a healthy weight decreases with age; however, both groups still need a regular intake of vitamins and minerals.

Hands are fantastic tools for estimating serving sizes since we always carry them around and they are scaled to the size of the person to which they are attached. They're a consistent unit of measurement and can be used anywhere.

Calorie-dense foods are essentially junk foods that are high in calories and high in fat, sugars, or salts. They have little nutritional value and are often called empty calories. Examples of calorie-dense food, or junk food, include soda, cake, pepperoni pizza, and frosted cereals. Nutrient-dense foods have a lot of nutrients for the amount of energy it provides. Nutrient-dense foods include items such as veggie pizza, fresh fruit, 100% fruit juice, and oatmeal.

Strategies to help minimize bad nutritional choices include seeking out nutritional information, avoiding fried or sugary foods, limiting portion sizes, substituting unhealthy sides for fruits and vegetables, and drinking water instead of soda.