Human beings need food everyday because food provides nutrients and energy that are

required for our body growth, repair, and maintenance of the organs and tissues. Therefore,

it is crucial for us to have a well-balanced diet that should include a variety of nutrient-dense

food, in order to maintain our health and prevent chronic sickness such as diabetes,

cardiovascular diseases or cancer. With sufficient knowledge in food, we can also avoid

overconsumption of calories and poor dietary choices that may lead to overweight or obesity

issues and consequently increase the risk of various health problems.

In this assignment, we will analyze a list of food ingredients with a given amount and they

have been grouped according to their botanical nature in the quantitative analysis. We will

evaluate the essential nutrients including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins and

minerals in the food group. We should note that carbohydrates, lipids and proteins are

macronutrients, we need them in large amounts for energy and body functions whereas

vitamins and minerals are micronutrients, although the body needs them in small amounts,

they play important roles in many bodily functions such as immune system function, bone

health, nerve function and fluid balance.

The spreadsheet report in Appendix A, shows that “Grains” are the richest carbohydrate food

group which also brings the highest calories. Carbohydrates in “Grains” including Corn

(27.1g), Brown Rice (45.8g) and Barley (44.3g) are the highest among other groups. Then

followed by the groups of “Underground Storage Organs”, “Fruits” and “Legumes”.

Carbohydrates are the major energy-yielding macronutrient, which are almost exclusively

the product of plants and sustain the animal kingdom (Calogeropoulos, 2021).

Carbohydrates are broadly classified into simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.

Using the sun's energy, carbon dioxide from air and water from soil, plants build simple

carbohydrates (monosaccharides) including glucose, fructose and galactose. Disaccharides

are made up of two monosaccharides molecules (always include glucose) linked by a

chemical bond. Sucrose, lactose and maltose are the other three types of simple
carbohydrates (disaccharides). Complex carbohydrates, are also named as

polysaccharides, composed of both starch and fiber, and starch is made of glucose

molecules linked together to make up long chains. When analyzed the Appendix A in

details, we can observe “Grains”, “Underground Storage Organs” and “Legumes” are high in

complex carbohydrates (starch and fiber) and low in simple carbohydrates (sugar), because

these plants store the carbohydrates they produce in the form of starch, which made up of

many glucose molecules linked together. When we eat rice, barley, cassava or chickpeas,

our digestive system breaks down the starch into glucose, which our body can use for

energy. On the contrary, the “Fruits” are mainly made up of simple carbohydrates (sugar),

therefore, complex carbohydrates are considered healthier than the simple carbohydrates as

they will not be quickly broken down, absorbed by the body and cause rapid increase in

blood sugar levels. For this reason, grains and underground storage organs have been the

major food of human beings since many centuries ago. Today the AMDR for carbohydrates

is 45%-65% of total daily calories, approximately 225-325 grams for a person consuming a

2000 calorie diet.

In Appendix A, we observe “Animal Products” and “Tree Nuts” are rich in lipids. Lipids are a

class of macronutrients that include fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterol,

which are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules. In general, lipids are

insoluble in water, but they are soluble in organic solvents such as alcohol and acetone

(Schiff, 2019). Major functions of lipids in the body include providing and storing energy,

maintaining cell membranes, producing certain hormones, insulating the body against cold

temperature and cushioning the body against bumps and blows. Since saturated fats and

cholesterol are commonly found in animal products, animal-based products such as meat,

dairy and eggs are rich sources of lipid. Furthermore, plant-based oils and nuts also consist

of rich lipids. In the “Animal Product” group, chicken, duck, beef and salmon are rich

sources of lipids but also high in cholesterol which may bring hazards to our heart. Vegans

like to take “Tree nuts'' such as Walnuts as a substitution of the animal products, as they are
high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6). Peanuts from “Legumes” are

also a rich source of plant-based sources of fat. The AMDR for lipids is between 20%-35% of

total daily caloric intake for adults, approximately 44-78 grams of fats for a person

consuming a 2000 calorie diet.

In the Appendix A, it is observed the richest source of proteins is from the “Animal Products”

(25.4 g) group, but “Legumes” (10.5 g), “Grains” (4.2 g) and “Tree nuts” (2.3 g) are also good

in proteins. Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids including carbon, hydrogen,

oxygen and nitrogen atoms. The amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds. In total,

twenty amino acids are found in proteins, among which nine of them are essential that must

be obtained through the diet. Proteins are an essential macronutrient necessary for building

and repairing tissue, producing enzymes and hormones and supporting a healthy immune

system. “Animal Products” such as meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products, are considered

complete protein sources because animal tissues are very similar in composition to human

tissues so they contain all of the essential amino acids in the amounts that the body needs..

The AMDR for proteins is between 10%-35% of total daily caloric intake for adults,

approximately 50-175 grams of proteins for a person consuming a 2000 calorie diet.

Vitamins are complex organic molecule that regulates certain metabolic processes (Schiff,

2019), it can be fat-soluble (Vitamin A, D, E and K) or water-soluble (Thiamin, Riboflavin,

Niacin, B6, B12, Folate, Vitamin C and etc). In Appendix A, carrots (1,069 mcg) and sweet

potato (922.2 mcg) from the “Underground Storage Organs” as well as spinach (140.7 mcg)

and swiss chard (110.1 mcg) from the “Leaves” provides Vitamin A the most. However the

richest sources of Vitamin A are from livers and dairy products, which are not included in this

analysis. Vitamin A is necessary for proper functions of our vision, reproduction, cellular

growth and immune system The RDA for Vitamin A is 700-900 mg per day. In Appendix A,

we observed “Cruciferous Vegetable” and “Fleshy Fruits” are good sources of Vitamin C, as

proven by broccoli (81.2 mcg), red pepper (190.3 mcg) and orange (69.7 mcg). Vitamin C is
an essential micronutrient that plays a key role in immune function, collagen syntheses and

wound healing. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C because they contain an enzyme

called L-gulonolactone oxidase, which is involved in the biosynthesis of vitamin C. The RDA

for vitamin C is 75-90 mg per day.

In Appendix A, Spinach (29.7 mg) from “Leaves” and Kale (24 mg) from “Cruciferous

Vegetable” provides rich calcium respective to their serving size (1 cup), however the best

sources of calcium are from dairy products group such as milk, cheese and yogurt, which

are not included in this analysis. Dairy products contain a form of calcium that is highly

bioavailable, easily absorbed and utilized by the body. Calcium plays an important role in

building and maintaining the bones and teeth, supporting muscle and nerve function. The

RDA for Calcium is 1000-1200 mg per day. In Appendix A, we observe that “Animal

Products” are good sources of iron, followed by “Legumes”. Red meat such as beef is a

particularly good source of heme iron, which is more easily absorbed by the body than

non-heme iron found in plant-based foods. Major functions of iron include oxygen

transportation in blood, energy production and proper immune function. The RDA for iron is

8 (male) /18 (female) mg per day.

In order to maintain a healthy body, a well-balanced diet is a must. We should obtain the

essential nutrients from fresh food and avoiding eating processed foods as nutrients are

usually deteriorated during the processing.

 References

Calogeropoulos, C. (2021). What is Food? A re-framing of human nutrition. Second Edition.

McGram Hill, Retrieved from https://reader.texidum.com

Schiff, W. J. (2019). Nutrition for Healthy Living. Fifty Edition. McGram Hill, Retrieved from

https://reader.texidum.com
Appendix A - Nutritional Analysis on Food Categories
Appendix A - Nutritional Analysis on Food Categories
Appendix A - Nutritional Analysis on Food Categories