8 Food, Nutrition, and Meal Preparation
Introduction
Proper nutrition is important for all of us. Home Health Aides/Personal Care Aides have very important roles to fill with regard to helping their patients obtain proper nutrition. This module will explore the basics of nutrition. We will discuss all the important types of food that should be in a patient’s diet. We will also talk about the type of food that should be avoided. We will learn how to use the USDA’s nutrition guidelines by learning how to plan meals using ChooseMyPlate guidelines. We will talk about food preparation and safe food handling. We will also explore what different types of diets mean and what foods should and should not be included in those special diets.
Unit A: The Basics of Nutrition
The Major Nutrients
All living things require nutrients in order to survive and to grow and develop normally. Nutrients are components (parts) of food that provide nourishment in order for us to survive. Nutrients provide our bodies with energy, help build and maintain body tissues, organs, bones, and teeth, and help regulate body functions such as metabolism and blood pressure (Lehman, 2014). Nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.
The Care Plan will direct a HHA/PCA as to what the patient’s dietary requirements and restrictions are. Home Health Aides/Personal Care Aides should always be sure to follow these as they are in place to best promote good health for the patient. If they are ever in doubt about whether a patient can have a certain food, they should seek guidance from their supervisor.
Protein
Proteins are the essential (necessary) building blocks that our body needs in order to properly function. We need protein in order to build and repair body tissues, such as muscles, organs, and skin. Sources of protein include poultry, meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, nuts and nut butters, peas, dried beans, and soy products. Our bodies can also use protein as an energy source or convert it to fat (Lehman, 2014). The amount of protein that a person needs depends on their body size, age, activity level, and their general well-being (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2015a). People who are sick, undernourished, and healing generally require higher amounts of protein in order to help the body’s tissues heal.
Sources of Protein:
- Poultry (chicken, turkey)
- Beef (steak, ground beef, stew meat, hamburgers, hot dogs)
- Fish (tuna, salmon, trout, bass, cod)
- Shellfish (shrimp, lobster, crab)
- Milk
- Eggs
- Soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers)
- Legumes (beans such as white beans, kidney beans, chickpeas)
- Peas
- Nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, peanuts)
- Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, squash seeds)
- Peanut butter and other nut butters
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the essential nutrients our body needs in order to provide us with energy. Carbohydrates are the major way our body gets energy in order to effectively function. Carbohydrates provide ou