Food Groups and Their Nutrients

Food Groups and Their Nutrients

• The presentation introduces the concept of food groups, explaining it as a system for categorizing foods based on their nutrient composition.
• Foods with similar types or amounts of nutrients are grouped together.
• Foods in the same group often share similar biological properties.
• Several nutrients are needed by the body in varying amounts to maintain good health.
• No single food can provide all necessary nutrients in the required proportions and quantities ensuring optimum health.
• Classifying foods into groups offers a simple guide to making healthy dietary choices.

Learning Objectives

• Students will be able to explain the food group concept and the principles behind categorizing foods into groups.
• Students will be able to describe the different food groups and the major nutrients they supply.
• Students will be able to categorize different foods into their respective food groups.

Food Group Classification

• Various food classification systems exist, each tailored for a particular purpose.
• The presentation will use the classification from the West Africa Food Composition Table (WFCT).
• The WFCT contains 13 food groups and details the nutrients each group supplies.

Specific Food Groups

• Cereals: Include rice, maize, wheat, millet etc and provide carbohydrates, some protein, and B-vitamins, as well as dietary fibre.
• Starchy Tubers and Roots: Include yam, cassava, potatoes, cocoyam, plantain, gari, amala, and fufu, which are important sources of carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
• Vegetables: Categorized into leafy vegetables (spinach, bitter leaf, waterleaf, etc.) and non-leafy vegetables (tomatoes, okro, garden eggs, cucumbers, onions, peppers, carrots, etc.) and offer vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.
• Fruits: Include oranges, bananas, watermelon, pineapples, apples, tangerines, grapes, mangoes and are a source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.
• Meat and Poultry: Includes beef, mutton, liver, kidney, chicken, turkey, pork, and sausages. These are excellent sources of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals including calcium, zinc, iron, and folate.
• Eggs: Include chicken eggs, guinea fowl eggs, quail eggs, and turkey eggs and are rich in protein and B-vitamins
• Fish and other seafood: Include catfish, mackerel, Hake, Croaker, crab, prawns and provide protein, calcium, B-vitamins, and iron.
• Legumes: Include cowpea, soybeans, peas, and kidney beans and offer protein and some carbohydrate.
• Nuts and Seeds: Including peanuts, bambara nuts, melon seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, cashew nuts, and almonds. These are a source of protein and some carbohydrate.
• Milk and Products: Include cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, yoghurt, and cheese and supply protein, calcium, vitamins (B2, B12, D), magnesium, and potassium.
• Oils and Fats: Include butter, margarine, salad dressings, palm oil, groundnut oil, soybean oil, and canola oil, These provide lipids and specific vitamins (A, E, and D), especially in fortified varieties.
• Sweets: Include cakes, doughnuts, cookies, biscuits, chocolates, candies, jellies, sugar, honey, and ice cream and primarily comprise simple carbohydrates, saturated, trans fat
• Beverages: Include water, tea, coffee, cocoa drinks, alcoholic drinks, and juices and offer a range of vitamins and minerals,

Healthy Dietary Choices

• Eating a variety of foods from different food groups is crucial for meeting nutrient needs.
• A healthy food choice involves incorporating foods from multiple food groups to supply various nutrients.

This quiz explores the concept of food groups and their classification based on nutrient composition. Students will learn about the different food groups, the major nutrients they supply, and how to categorize various foods. Understanding these classifications is essential for making informed dietary choices for optimal health.