# Presentation: 393755

## Slide 1

## Think of your calories like a budget

**“****Essentials”**** **

**“****Extras” or**** ****“discretionary calories”**

**(IF you have any left to spend!)**

## 	“Essential calories” are the minimum calories required to meet your nutrient needs. 

	The best nutrient “buys” are those foods with: 

the least amount of fat
no added sugar

**	****The best nutrient “buys” are those foods with: **
**the least amount of fat**
**no ****added**** sugar**

**“****Essential”**** vs. ****“discretionary”**** calories**

## Balance of calories remaining in a person’s energy allowance after accounting for the number of calories needed to meet recommended nutrient intakes through consumption of foods in low-fat or no added sugar forms.

**Definition: Discretionary calorie allowance**

- http://mypyramid.gov/downloads/MyPyramid_education_framework.pdf

## 
Foods with added sugar 
Foods higher in fat
Increased intake of foods within the food groups

**Foods with added sugar **
**Foods higher in fat**
**Increased intake of foods within the food groups**

**You can spend your ****“discretionary calories”**** on:**

## Foods containing most of the added sugars in American diets are: 

**Regular soft drinks **
**Candy **
**Cakes **
**Cookies **
**Pies **
**Fruit drinks, such as ****fruitades and fruit punch **
**Milk-based desserts and****products, such as ice cream,****sweetened yogurt and sweetened milk **
**Grain products, such as sweet rolls and ****cinnamon toast **

- http://mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories_sugars.html

## Definition: Solid fats

**	****Solid fats are fats solid at room temperature, like butter and shortening. Solid fats come from many animal foods and can be made from vegetable oils through a process called hydrogenation. Some common solid fats are: **
**Butter **
**Beef fat (tallow, suet) **
**Chicken fat **
**Pork fat (lard) **
**Stick margarine **
**Shortening **

- _[http://mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories_fats.html](http://mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories_fats.html)__ _

## MyPyramid and MODERATION

**Each food group narrows toward the top. **
**The base represents foods with little or no solid fats or added sugars.**** **
**Select foods from the MyPyramid base more often. **** **
**The narrowing top represents foods higher in sugar and fat. You can eat more of these if you’re more active.**

## Calorie comparison: 1 (8 oz.) cup milk

## Would whole milk be near the TOP or the BOTTOM of MyPyramid?

**Would whole milk be near the ****TOP**** or the ****BOTTOM ****of MyPyramid?**

## Definition: “Nutrient-dense” foods

**	**
**	**

- http://www.mypyramid.gov/downloads/MyPyramid_education_framework.pdf

**“****Nutrient-dense”**** foods provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals and relatively fewer calories. **

## Which food is more “nutrient-dense”and low in “discretionary calories”?

**3 oz. roasted, skinless**
**chicken breast**

- http://mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories.html

**Which food is more “nutrient-dense”****and low in “discretionary calories”?**

## The 3 oz. roasted, skinless chicken breast is more “nutrient dense” and low in “discretionary calories”.

**3 oz. roasted, skinless**
**chicken breast has 140****calories and ****no discretionary**
**calories**

- http://mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories.html

**The 3 oz. roasted, skinless chicken breast is more “nutrient dense” and ****low in “discretionary calories”.**

## If I’m not very active, I only have 265 “discretionary calories” for the day for my age and gender. 

**If I’m not very active, I only have 265 “discretionary calories” for the day for my age and gender. **
**Eating the fried chicken would put me 70 calories over!**** **

## Slide 15

## Most discretionary calorie allowances are very small

**	****Many people only have 100 to 300 discretionary calories – especially those who aren’t physically active. **

## 	Many people totally use up their discretionary calories by choosing higher fat and added-sugar foods in each food group such as:
sweetened bakery products
higher fat meats
whole milk

**sweetened bakery products**
**higher fat meats**
**whole milk**

**Some people don’t have any discretionary calories **

## Total discretionary calories range from about 100 to 700 calories

**	****YOUR level **
**	****depends on:**
**Age**
**Gender**
**Activity level**

- http://mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories.html

##          In Summary...

**Visit MyPyramid.gov for your personal eating plan.**
**Note how much food to eat from all the food groups.**
**Choose foods low in fat and added sugars to have  some left-over discretionary calories.**
**Read and compare nutrition labels to choose foods with more nutrients for less calories.**
**Include physical activity daily.**

## Source

**This presentation was adapted from a file developed by Alice Henneman and Bev Benes for the Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service.**

## University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extensionhttp://lancaster.unl.edu/food

- Extension is a division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln cooperating with the counties and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

- Alice Henneman, MS, RD

- Bev Benes, PhD, RD

**Nebraska Department of Education****http://www.nde.state.ne.us/NS**

- 2/27/06