Harper BIO101 Food Analysis Assignment Latest 2020 MAY

BIO101 Biology Survey

Food Analysis Assignment

All packaged foods are required to display food labels that display the food’s nutrition facts.  You can also find nutrition facts and labels for prepared foods from restaurants and fast food chains on their websites.  Many people do not understand how to read food labels, and most people do not bother to read them!  In this class you have learned about different types of organic molecules and what their functions are in our cells.  For this activity, you will be recording what you eat for 24 hours and then evaluating three of the foods you ate for their nutrition and calorie content.

Part 1 Food Journal:

Use the space below to record everything you eat for one day – from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed for the night.  Try to record the amounts you eat as well.  You will be evaluating three of these foods in Part 2, so if you plan to use that for evaluation, don’t throw away the food label!  There is no exact way to record your food.  You are welcome to itemize it any way that is easy to read and analyze.

Part 2 Food Label Evaluation:

Choose three foodsyou ate for which you have nutrition labels (some can be found online).  You may use one drink, but you must include at least two foods.  Record the following information from the “Nutrition Facts.”  I have included a file on Blackboard called “Reading Parts of a Food Label” to help you understand the labels.

Food or Drink     #1:

Thin mint             #2:

Homemade Corn Dogs  #3

Tuna salad

Serving Size        6              1              1

Number of Servings per Container           12           30           10

Answer the following per serving

Calories                502         86.4        187

Total Fat               24g         3.3g        9g

Sodium 380 mg  63.4mg 402mg

Total Carbohydrate         67g         12.4 g    9g

Dietary Fiber      2.3g        0.7g        0

Sugars

(4g = 1 teaspoon)             32 g        2.0g        0

Protein 4.5g        2.2g        16g

From the information above, calculate the following for the quantity of the food you ate. (There is an example on Blackboard to help you with this)

Number of servings Eaten           12           30           10

Calories Consumed         6024       2592       1810

Calories from Fat

(1g fat = 9 calories)          2592       891         810

Calories from Carbohydrate

1g carb = 4 calories)         3216       1488       360

Grams of Fiber  27.6        21           0

Grams of Sugar                 256         60           0

Teaspoons of sugar

(Divide #grams by 4)       64           15           0

Calories from Sugar

(1g sugar = 4 calories)     1024       240         0

Calories from Protein

(1g protein = 4 cals)         4.5*12*4= 216   264         640

1.  Look at your completed food table.  In general, how do the three foods compare in nutrients?  Give at least three comparisons.  For example, is one higher in one nutrient (such as protein) than the other two?  How do they compare in fiber content?  Sugars?  Protein?

2.  The image to the right represents the amount of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, etc. that is recommended for a person consuming a 2,000 or 2,500 calorie diet.  It can be found at the bottom of most food labels.  The FDA recommends not consuming more than 2,400 mg of sodium (salt) in your diet.  Look at the foods you ate.  What types of foods are high in sodium?  Do you think you exceeded the recommended 2,400 mg of salt in your diet?  If yes, what can you do to reduce the amount of sodium you consume?

3. Are there any nutrients missing from all three foods?

4.  Which item do you consider to be the most nutritious?   Why?  What are you basing your decision on?

5.  After analyzing these three items in your diet (and knowing how they represent the typical food you consume) do you think you are meeting the recommended daily allowances for major nutrients (see #1)?

(circle one)                         YES                         NO

What nutrient is missing or lacking in your own diet?  What can you do to change this?