Determine Your Maximum Fat Limit

___________ x 0.30 = kcal of fat per day.

Your EER

÷ 9 kcal per gram =________ grams of fat per day.

^ kcal of fat a

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a part of body cells, and serves as a building block for some hormones (e.g., testosterone and estrogen), and it is required to digest fats. The body makes cholesterol in the liver. Cholesterol is also consumed in the diet by eating animal products. A diet high in dietary cholesterol and saturated fats is associated with an increased risk for heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that daily cholesterol intakes do not exceed 300 milligrams. Red meats and egg yolks are cholesterol rich foods that should be consumed in moderation.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients include all vitamins and minerals. Neither provides any kcals but both facilitate metabolism (the chemical breakdown) of the macronutrients. Specific functions of micronutrients are listed in Table 2-2 and Table 2-3.

 

Vitamins

Vitamins are classified as fat or water soluble.

♦ Fat Soluble Vitamins are absorbed with dietary fat, can be
stored in the body, and are not excreted in the urine. These
include vitamins A, D, E and K.

♦ Water Soluble Vitamins, including the B vitamins and Vitamin
C, are not stored in the body in appreciable amounts and excess
amounts are excreted in the urine each day.

Minerals

Minerals are classified according to their concentrations and functions in the body.

♦ Minerals - examples include: calcium and magnesium.

♦ Trace Minerals - are less abundant than minerals; examples
include: zinc, copper and iron.

♦ Electrolytes - examples include sodium, potassium and chloride.

Recommended Dietary Allowances

The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) shown in Table 2-2 and Table 2-3 are the amounts of the vitamins and minerals, respectively, that a healthy person should eat to meet daily requirements. The RDAs are designed to meet the daily requirements for most healthy people. The RDAs are undergoing revisions and new standards are gradually becoming available. These new standards are called the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI). The military has also developed a set of allowances known as the Military DRIs (MDRIs) to be used for designing military rations.

In most cases your micronutrient needs will be met by eating a variety of foods. Taking multivitamin and mineral supplements is another way to meet the RDAs for the micronutrients (see Chapter 14, page 105). However, if you elect to take micronutrient supplements, you are urged to take only the RDA amount for each micronutrient. Taking more than the RDA of a micronutrient could lead to toxicity and create deficiencies of other micronutrients.