BASIC TOOLS IN

NUTRITION

 A nutritionally satisfactory diet is based on a wise

selection of a variety of foods in recommended
amounts

To successfully design such diet, certain tools

offer guidance in food selection

These are applicable for healthy individuals, and

serve as a basis for diet modification in case of
illness.

Food Guide
This is a food group plan that assigns foods to
major groups. It suggests the proper combination
of foods in a meal and serving sizes.
Food Guide Pyramid
A pictorial form of the daily food guide; it teaches
the principle of eating a variety of foods everyday,
the need for moderation in some food groups
while emphasizing the importance of other food
items.
* The size of each section (from the broad base,
tapering to the apex) represents certain
recommended amount.
(Fig. 1&2)

Foods are classified into groups on the basis of

nutrient
content:
BODY-BUILDING FOODS are rich in proteins and
minerals such as milk, fish, poultry, eggs, and dried
beans
ENERGY-GIVING FOODS are high in carbohydrates
and fats such as rice and rice products, breads, corn,
root crops, sugar and sweets, pasta and noodles, butter,
margarine, mayonnaise, cooking oil, coconut cream,
etc.
BODY-REGULATING FOODS are rich in vitamins
and minerals, fiber, and water; like fruits and
vegetables

Figure 1: The US Food Guide Pyramid

Figure 2: The Food Guide Pyramid for Filipinos

 The broad base at the bottom conveys the

message that the food group should form the
foundation of a healthy diet and foods that belong
in this level must be taken abundantly compared
to other food groups.
The apex indicates that foods belonging to this
group should be eaten sparingly.

The US food guide pyramid in fig. 1 was released

by the US Department of Agriculture and
Department of Health and Human Services.
The Food Guide Pyramid for Filipinos in fig.2 was
developed by Sonny Rose Orbeta and the Food
and Nutrition Research Institute.

3. The 10 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos

1. Eat a variety of foods everyday
2. Breast-feed infants exclusively from birth to 6 months, then
give appropriate foods while continuing breast-feeding
3. Maintain childrens normal growth through proper diet and
monitor their growth regularly
4. Consume fish, lean meat, poultry or dried beans
5. Eat more fruits, vegetables and root crops
6. Eat foods prepared in edible cooking oil daily
7. Consume milk, milk products or other calcium-rich foods
8. Use iodized salt but avoid excessive intake of salty foods
9. Eat clean and safe foods
10.Exercise regularly, do not smoke, and avoid drinking alcoholic
beverages.

Source: Nutritional Guidelines fro Filipinos. Revised Edition 2000. FNRI-DOST.

4. RDA or RENI (Recommended Dietary Allowance

or Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake)
The recommended intake of a nutrient deemed
sufficient to meet the requirements of all individuals
in the population. (Fig.4)
5. FEL (Food Exchange List)
Is a classification or grouping of common food items
in terms of carbohydrate, protein, fat and energy
values.
- Foods within a list contain approximately the same
amount of CHO,CHON, fat and energywhen used in
the indicated weight or measure.
- Foods in a group can be substituted or exchanged
with other foods in the same group. (Fig.5)

Figure 4: Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake