Dietaey Strengths And Weakness Essay, Research Paper
Strengths and Weaknesses
My diet seems to be reasonably healthy when compared to the Recommended
Nutrient Intakes. It does, however, contain deficiencies in some essential nutrients while
an excess of several others.
In observing my nutrient summary, I realize that my diet is considerably deficient
in Vitamin E; I consume only 43% of the RNI. This is probably due to the lack of leafy
green vegetables, which are rich in Vitamin E, in my diet. My lack of vegetable
consumption is also evident in the food group breakdown chart where you can see that it
is the requirements for this group that I do not meet. As an athlete, my need for Vitamin
E is greater because of the antioxidant protection these nutrients provide in the face of
high oxygen use by the muscles. Also, since I am only at 43% of the RNI of Vitamin E, I
am at risk of blood cell and nerve destruction.
On the other extreme, it seems that my sodium intake is well over the RNI by
760%. This level of sodium is relatively safe, but continuous consumption of high
amounts of sodium could prove to be dangerous later on, as it is a major contribution of
hypertension. High toxic amounts can also cause high blood pressure.
Another nutrient that seems to be significantly high in my diet is Vitamin C. I average
644% of the RNI of Vitamin C, which is excellent. Not only does Vitamin C lack any
noticeable side effects, but it is also rumored to be an anti-carcinogen. A diet high in
Vitamin C is also beneficial to athletes as it performs a similar antioxidant function to
Vitamin E.
Two other nutrients that I seem to have an excess in, are water and calcium.
Because the body is composed mainly of water, and performs many vital functions, it is
excellent that my average intake is higher than the RNI. Calcium in the body primarily
enhances bone and tooth strength. Although my consumption of calcium is well over the
RNI and close to the maximum intake of 2g, I have to watch that my intake doesn t
increase very much. This is due to the fact that an intake of > 2g of calcium per day will
cause kidney stones.
My cholesterol intake is also a particular interest to me. According to my data, I
consumed 69mg of cholesterol, more than the recommended amount. In my opinion,
however, this value is largely influenced by the combination of steak and eggs that I ate
on the first day. This non-quotidian event should not be considered as a critical weakness
of my diet because I would normally consume well below the recommended amount of
cholesterol. This could still be a threat to my future health, as the accumulation of this
cholesterol in my arteries could form plaque, and eventually atherosclerosis.
Consequently I should limit the amount of cholesterol-rich foods in my diet.
A major weakness that I noticed when examining my nutrient summary is my
chloric intake. According to the activities that I perform on a daily basis, I expend an
average of 3168 kcal per day. This fairly high number represents my athletic nature and
my active lifestyle. This expenditure of energy is not met by adequate caloric intake,
which means that I should be losing weight. This, however, is not the case and brings up
an inaccuracy in the calculation of energy expenditure because I am not losing any
weight! As an athlete, more than 60% of my total caloric intake should come from
carbohydrates, while 15-20% should come from protein. In my diet, I only receive 53%
of my energy from carbohydrates while almost 30% of my energy comes from fat. This is
the aspect of my diet that needs to be changed the most. By increasing my carbohydrate
intake and simultaneously reducing my fat intake, my body composition and athletic
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