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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 1996)
Nutrition not just about fat grams anymore Students urged to re-structure unhealthy diets By Todd Anderson Staff Reporter For students who constantly count calories and fat grams, you may need to re-examine the way you plan your diet. “hi recent years we’ve come to think of nu trition in terms of fat and calories,” said Karen Miller, chief dietician for the University Health Center. She said in some cases the focus on calories and fat has led to vitamin and nutrient deficien cies. Students should focus on balancing caloric intake with expenditure, while varying their di ets to gain all necessary nutrients, said Marilyn Schnepf, chairwoman of the Nutritional Science and Nutritional Department. Miller said building a healthy diet is all about making choices. She said instead of doughnuts or potato chips, choose foods like bagels or fruit. She also suggested drinkingjuice or milk instead of soda. “Most students tend to eat too many conve nience foods,” Schnepf said. She said students should realize that fruits and dairy products can be convenience foods, too, and can save students money. “There’s always the perception by students that fresh fruits and vegetables are too expen sive,” Schnepf said. But an apple or banana with milk compared to a bag of potato chips and soda can cost less and provide some of the nutrients required to lead an active life. Schnepf and Miller recommended following the Food Guide Pyramid developed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The guide prioritizes foods high in nutrients and low in fat and suggests the number of serv ings from each of five groups; breads and whole grains; fruits, vegetables and legumes; dairy products; meat and fish; desserts and alcohol. Schnepf and Miller said it is important to eat a variety of foods from every group to en sure all the basic nutrients are supplied to the body. “There are no good foods or bad foods. There are good diets and bad diets,” Schnepf Dave Ellis, coordinator for the Performance Nutrition Program and the Hewit Dining Cen ter, said the key is building a healthy meal using a simple structured plan and sticking to it. Ellis said it can be difficult for a student who wants to follow a healthy diet in at campus. Students who want a healthier lifestyle need to take their diets into their own hands, he said. A plan has to be developed and it requires dis cipline to stick to that plan, he said. “An implemented plan equals changes,” he said. “It takes people time and discipline, but first it takes a plan.” He also said students shouldn’t try to do ev erything at once and should learn to vary their plans to fit changing needs. He said student athletes can become con fused because of all food choices and that is why Performance Nutrition has developed the three-point plan. He said fire performance guide that UNL ath letes are trained to follow is scientifically de tailed, and its concepts provide all the basic nutrients necessary for an active student. The plan consists of three basic steps: incor porate fruits, vegetables and seeds into meals, alter carbohydrate intake relative to activity and select a lean protein source. The plan, which is sold at Super Kmart Cen ter, is accompanied by a video explaining the specifics of the plan. The plan stresses the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat carbohydrate sources, and lean protein sources. While it’s important to watch daily fat in take, Miller said, students shouldn’t obsess about counting fat grams. “We all need a certain amount of fat during the day,” she said. She said a reasonable amount is less than 30 percent of calories from fat. The total amount of fat a student should consume in a day de pends on the total number of carbohydrates con sumed in a day and the percentage of calories from fat the student is aiming for, she said. For example, an average female student con sumes about 1,800 calories per day. If she wanted to limit her fat intake to 25 percent of calories from fat per day, she would aim for 450 calories from fat, or 50 grams of fat, she said. However, both Miller and Schnepf said ev ery individual has different needs and cannot mold their diets into an ideal plan. Schnepf also said the way dieticians advise people is changing. The main reason behind planning a healthy diet shouldn’t be weight loss. Schnepf said there is no magic number to determine if students are at the proper weight. She said genetics play a large role in deter-, mining a person’s weight. “If you feel good and (your weight) doesn’t prevent you from doing the things you want to do, then your weight’s fine,” she said. Miller said increased energy, healthier skin and hair and improved concentration are other benefits of a healthy diet. Healthy diets can also decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, adult on-set diabetes and osteoperosis, she said. Schnepf said students sometimes focus on; frte short-term benefits of a healthy diet. She said students who are confused about nutrition or who need help planning their diets , have many options. i The Family Resource Center on East Cam pus offers nutritional counseling with dieticians, she said. In the spring, nutntion students will be pre senting a nutritional education program to vari ous student organizations. In addition to literature available; from the government, health organizations and maga zines, students can take an Introduction to Nu trition class offered by the Nutritional Science and Dietetics Department, she said. Miller said she likes to counsel students in dividually from either of her offices in the Uni versity Health Center or Lee and Helene Sapp Campus Recreation Center. She said the Campus Ree offers a one-hour course on nutrition and the wellness program can also help students plan a diet and exercise routine. Both Schnepf and Miller said a healthy diet needs to be tailored to the person, and that there are a number of resources on campus and in the community that can help. “it is a lifestyle change,” Miller said. “It’s a whole new behavior that you’re learning. It takes time.” Vitamin / RDA per day Benefits Food Sources B12 / 2 micrograms Needed for cell division Cereal, Egg, Milk, Yougurt B1 /1.5 milligrams for men Coversion of Pasta, Oatmeal, Peas, 1.0 milligrams for women carbohydrates to energy Potatos, Orange, Peanuts, Soybeans B2 /1.7 milligrams for men Acts as part of enzyme Cereals, Asparagus, 1.3 milligrams for women systems Mushrooms, Banana, Split peas, Milk, Eggs C / 60 milligrams Maintains die connective Broccoli, Peas, tissues of die body Orange, Tomato D / 5 micrograms Maintain normal blood Cereal, Milk, Egg levels of calcium A / 1000 RE for men Neededibr vision, Carrots, Tomato, 800 RE for women growth and reproduction Apricots, Cheese, Milk Iron /10 milligrams A lack of Iron can form Pasta, Pumpkin, a type of anemia Prunes, Toni Zinc / IS milligrams for men A lack of Zinc can cause Peanut butter, Brazil 12 milligrams for women problems in sexual nuts, Cheese, Milk maturation and growth Source: The Vegetarian Way Aaron Steckelberg/DN It's coming & it's WELL WORTH IT! 1 ' The Chancellor’s Wellness Planning Committee is working to enhance wellness efforts for the members of the UNL community. Sunday, Sept 22 J'it|es|jBst^ictpr Training w/Gin Miller (fitriess expert), / at Campus Rec., 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. if V / ; ;■. - , , Tuesday, Sept 24 Get Real! Changing the Campus Climate Integrating Mind, Body & Spirit An interactive video seminar with Richard Keeling, M.D. NE Union, Noon - 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept 26 Walk/Ride to Work Walk or ride a bike! Friday, Sept 27 Well Worth It Health Fair Campus-wide health fair! d NE Union, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Fair activities include a #1 SsJl neaitn information Dooms:a Hourly giveaways!!! ' . :*> k 1 ^ ' ^USt^den, Wel°ome/// Brought to you by the Chancellor's Wellness Planning Committee ■ I III I Wellness - integrated, balanced activities/programs for people to enhance their quality of life focusing on the following dimensions: cultured, emotior^ environmental!, intellectual, occupational, physical, sot UNL is a nondiscriminatory instil