Lesson video

Hello, I'm Mr. Ballam.

Thanks for choosing this lesson.

This lesson's all around nutritional needs throughout life.

Let's get started.

So what are you going to learn today? Well, by answer this lesson, you'll be able to plan meals for different dietary requirements given your justification.

And here are some key words which we're gonna cover today.

The first one is DRVs, and this stands for dietary reference values, and this is the energy and nutritional requirements for different groups of healthy people in the UK population.

The second one is RNIs, and this stands for reference nutrient intakes.

And this is the amount of a nutrient that is enough to ensure the needs of nearly all people in a group are being met.

The third one is LRNIs, and this is lower reference nutrient intakes.

And this is the amount of a nutrient that is enough for only a small number of people in a group who have very low requirements.

And lastly, the EARs.

This is the estimated average requirements, and this is an estimate of the average requirement for energy or a nutrient needed by a group of people.

Okay, so let's get started with the first part of the lesson, ages and stages.

Now, people require a variety of nutrients to stay healthy and to reduce the risk of diet-related diseases.

And the amount of each nutrient that needed is called a nutritional requirement.

And there are different requirements for each nutrient and also between individuals and in life stages too.

So for example, women of childbearing ages need more iron than men, and some people absorb or utilise nutrients less efficiently than others, so they will have a higher requirement.

Now, in the UK, we have a set of dietary reference values which set out the nutritional requirements.

Do you remember the DRVs? And DRVs are a series of estimates for energy and nutritional requirements for different groups of healthy people in the UK population.

And it's really important to remember that DRVs are not recommendations or goals for individual people.

It's for the groups and the population.

And DRVs are reflected in the UK's Eatwell Guide, which I'm sure many of you're familiar with, which shows the types and proportions of foods that contribute to a healthy and well-balanced diet.

So let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we? So who are dietary reference values, DRVs, intended for? A, B, C.

Yes, that's right.

B, isn't it? It's different groups of healthy people.

Hold on.

Now, the other one that we talked about at the key words, do you remember, was estimated average requirement or EARs sometimes.

And the EAR is an estimate of the average requirement for energy or a nutrient needed by a group of people.

Here's some examples.

So you can see in the first column under age the different ages of different people throughout life.

Then we have the energy requirements for female and male.

And you can see here how that changes as you are born throughout life.

It's also important to note if you look at the graph on the top right hand side that the EAR is right in the middle there of that bell curve, and that means that it's trying to show the energy requirements by most people in the population.

The next one is reference nutrient intakes or RNIs.

And remember, these are the amount of nutrient that's enough to ensure that the needs of nearly all people in the population group are being met.

It's actually 97.

5% of people.

You can see that on the graph just on the right hand side, and the RNI are used for recommendations around protein, different vitamins as well as minerals too.

We also have the lower reference nutrient intakes, and this is the amount of a nutrient that is needed by only a small percentage of the population.

That's 2.

5%.

You can see that just on the right hand side in the graph.

And if these people consistently consume less than the LRNI, there's a high probability of deficiency.

The majority need more.

So let's have a quick look for the NRIs for protein.

Now, on average in the UK, we're all eating more protein than is required.

So men are having around about 85 grammes a day and women 67 grammes a day.

And you can see here the different RNIs for different people in the population, female and male.

Now, DRVs, which we've talked about, are also set for carbohydrate, including sugars and fats.

And these are given as a percentage of daily energy intake.

So in the first column, it's showing the different nutrients.

And in the second column, it's showing the percentage of daily food energy.

So for total carbohydrate, it's 50% of energy of which free sugars, no more than 5%, total fat is 35%, and of which of that saturated should be no more than 11%.

Now, if you can't remember what free sugars are, these are sugars that are added to food or occur naturally in food, so things like honey syrups and in fruit juice too.

And total fat includes all saturated and unsaturated fat.

Now, DRVs have also been set for salt.

So you can see here with the different age ranges and the maximum per day.

So if you're at age 11 and over, no more than six grammes of salt per day, and also for fibre.

And you can see here again the ages and the recommendation per day.

So if you're 11 to 16 years, you should be having around 25 grammes of protein every day.

Now let's have a quick check for understanding.

What I want you to do is to match the nutrient to its DRV.

Good luck.

Okay, let's have a quick look together, shall we? So salt, yes, that's right.

Over 11 years, it's six grammes a day.

Fibre, yes, remember that's 25 grammes a day for 11 to 16 year olds.

Total carbohydrate, yes, that's 50%.

So that means total fat is 35% bottom.

Now there are various key stages in life of importance nutritionally, and that can range from pregnancy all the way through to older adulthood.

And different amounts of energy and nutrients are required by the different life stages as defined by the DRVs.

And it's important to maintain a healthy weight throughout life by eating a healthy diet and taking regular physical activity.

Now, in pregnancy, a varied diet is required providing adequate amounts of energy and nutrients, and it's essential before and during pregnancy.

And the mother's diet can influence the health of the baby.

So having a healthy body weight is important, and being underweight can make it more difficult to become pregnant and also make it more likely that the baby to have a low birth weight, leading to a greater risk of ill health.

Also being overweight increases the risk of complications, such as high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy, Complimentary feeding.

Now, you may have known this as weaning in the past.

And around six months old, babies will start showing signs that they're wanting to try new foods.

And solid foods can be gradually introduced in addition to any breast milk or infant formula, and this is called complimentary feeding.

As I mentioned, it was called weaning.

And solid foods must be semi fluid and soft since the baby has no teeth and can't chew.

And complimentary feeding too soon, for example, before four months, can increase the risk of infections and allergies as the baby's digestive system and kidneys are still developing.

Next, we move on to infants.

And infants under six months should not be given things like wheat or cereals to avoid the risk of reaction to gluten, which results in celiac disease, eggs, fish and shellfish, and soft and unpasteurized cheese.

And throughout complimentary feeding, babies should not be given foods with added salt, and sugar-containing foods and drinks, for example, biscuits, some rusks and fruit juices, between meals should be limited.

Okay, let's have another quick check for understanding.

Shall we? So infants under six months should not be given A, B, C, D.

Yes, that's right.

It's gluten, isn't it? Anything else? Yes, that's right, fish.

Anything else? Yes, well done, eggs.

And now we move on to childhood.

And the energy requirements of children increase rapidly because they are growing quick.

Also, they're being more active, and children have a higher energy requirements for their body size compared to adults.

And they need foods that provide sufficient energy but are also rich in nutrients.

And food should be eaten as part of small and frequent meals.

In childhood as well, the diets of children between the ages of two and five year olds should be based on the principles of the Eatwell Guide, and diet should include plenty of starchy carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and some protein and dairy foods too.

And we should also encourage children to remain a healthy weight with respect to their height.

And a healthy family lifestyle can help to maintain a healthy weight, such as being active together or sharing meals.

So childhood is really important time for growth and development.

And children need a good supply of protein and other nutrients such as calcium, iron, and vitamins A and D.

And children begin to take responsibility for their own food choices around this time.

So therefore, it's really important to encourage them to eat a healthy, varied diet, which is rich in fruit, vegetables, and starchy foods.

The next one is adolescence.

And this is a period of rapid growth and development, and this is when puberty occurs.

And the demand for energy and most nutrients is relatively high.

For example, boys need more protein and energy than girls for their growth, but girls need more iron than boys to replace any menstrual losses.

And as always, it's important to encourage an active lifestyle with a healthy balanced diet during this time.

And the reason for this is good habits practise now are likely to benefit their health for the rest of their lives.

So another quick check, shall we? True or false? Teenage girls need the same amount of iron as boys.

Okay, that's false, isn't it? And why is that? Teenage girls need more iron than boys due to menstrual losses.

Well done.

Next is adulthood, and nutritional requirements do not change much between the years of 19 to 50, except during pregnancy and lactation.

And on average, UK adults are eating too much saturated fat and salt from food and not enough fruit and vegetables.

And a poor diet can lead to diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Now, to help to reduce the risk of developing these diseases, it's really important to eat a balanced diet, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.

If they drink alcohol, drink in moderation.

Stay active and not smoke.

And lastly, we come to older adults.

And this is a term usually given for people over the age of 65 years.

And requirements for energy gradually decrease after this age as activity levels fall.

Now, to maintain good health, it's really important for older adults to enjoy their food, to keep active, and have adequate nutrient intakes.

It's also important to keep hydrated by drinking plenty of fluid because even minor dehydration can lead to health problems. So let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we? There are two missing words here.

See if you can find them.

Okay, how did you do? What's the first one? Yes, well done.

Obesity.

The next one? Yes, well done.

Cancer.

Great work.

Okay, so I've got a task here for you.

And what I want you to do is to fill in the blanks.

So think about what we've learned so far, and we're gonna do this in two parts.

We've got three here, and we're gonna do another three just in a moment.

So pause the video, have a good think about what the blanks words could mean, and we'll come back together to see how you got on.

Okay, so let's see how you got on, shall we? How about the first one? Dietary.

That's right, reference values.

Brilliant.

Well done.

The second one? Average requirement of, great, energy.

And the last one, the first word? Varied diet during pregnancy.

Great work if you've got all those correct.

Right now I want you to have a go at these three.

Again, pause the video, and we'll come back to see how you got on.

Okay, let's see how you got on, shall we? So the first one? Brilliant, yes, complimentary feeding.

How about the second one? There's actually three missing words here.

The first one? Yes, that's right, energy requirements.

The next one? Well done, grow and become more, brilliant, active.

And the last one then.

More protein, well done, and more iron.

Brilliant work.

Well done if you've got all those correct.

You done really well today.

So now let's move on to the second part of the lesson, all around food allergy and intolerance.

Now, most people can eat foods without any problems, although they might have different food preferences, likes and dislikes that influence what they choose to eat.

However, some people react to certain foods and eating them may cause uncomfortable symptoms or in rare cases a severe illness.

And food intolerance is a general term used to describe a range of adverse responses to food.

So a food intolerance is the difficulty digesting certain foods and can have an unpleasant physical reaction.

And symptoms might include things like bloating and stomach pain.

And the most common example of this is lactose intolerance.

And an allergic reaction to a food is an inappropriate reaction to the body's immune system to the ingestion of a food.

So in food allergies, the immune system does not recognise a protein component of the food to which an individual is sensitive as safe.

And in the UK, 6% of the UK adult population have a clinically confirmed allergy.

And this is around 2.

4 million adults.

And these figures exclude those with food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, for example.

And a food allergy usually occurs between a few minutes and a few hours after eating a particular food.

And allergic reactions can vary in severity and can be potentially fatal.

And the symptoms of food allergies vary from person to person and include things like coughing, dry throat, wheezing, swollen lips, runny nose, and itchy eyes.

So some research by the food standards agency found that, in the UK, food such as peanuts and tree nuts.

So things like hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds are the most likely cause of an allergic reaction.

And many individuals also have allergies to fresh fruits, such as apple, peach, and kiwi fruit too, and allergies to things like milk, fish, shrimp, and mussels were actually uncommon.

And that childhood food allergies persist into early adulthood, and then further increase with around half a food allergies developing in later adulthood too.

So let's have a quick check, shall we? So true or false.

Food such as milk, fish, shrimp, and mussels are most likely to cause an allergic reaction.

That's false, isn't it? And why is that? Well, foods actually like peanuts and tree nuts, like hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds are the most likely to cause an allergic reaction in the UK.

Brilliant work, well done.

Now, food allergies and intolerances should always be considered when planning what to cook and eat.

And while people might be allergic to many ingredients, there are actually 14 common ingredients that have been identified.

And the food information regulation states that food businesses must provide information about these allergic ingredients, either on the food packaging, for example, in the ingredient list or on things like menus, for example, or takeaway menus too.

Now, do you know any of the 14 common allergens? Could you name them? I bet you've come up with a few of them, but let's go through them together.

So they include things like celery, cereals with gluten, crustaceans like crab there, eggs, milk, fish, and lupin.

Also, they mollusks, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, soya, and sulphites, and that's an ingredient that sometimes used on dried fruit, so hence the photo there of dried apricots.

And the food labels give information about these 14 common allergens.

And as I mentioned, they may also appear on restaurant and takeaway menus too.

But if you're ever in doubt, always ask first.

And it's also important not to mix foods that cause an allergy with other foods when you're preparing and cooking, helping to avoid any cross-contamination.

Now we've mentioned already that allergens have to be identified on the ingredient list on packaged foods.

And they may appear in bold, italics, or underlined.

You can see a couple of examples here on the screen.

And allergens might also be highlighted on the food packaging too.

So you can see this in the top right-hand side one, the orange one where it says allergy advice.

So it's very clear, and you can see in the ingredient list the ingredients that cause an allergy are actually in bold too.

So let's have a quick check.

You've been listening, shall we? So allergy labelling may appear in bold, italics, or underlined.

So what allergens are in this food? Brilliant.

Well done.

That's right.

It's C, barley.

Well done.

So I've got a second task for you here.

And what I want you to do is review this simple menu here, and I want you to highlight any potential allergens and suggest any alternative dishes.

So good luck to you.

Think about the 14 common allergens and the other information we've been through and come up with some great ideas.

Good luck.

Okay, so how did you get on? Let's go through each part of the menu in turn, shall we? So the first one, the celery soup.

Well, there's the celery and the soup, isn't there? And the bread could contain gluten.

We don't know.

So we could change it to a tomato soup, for example, and perhaps offer a gluten free bread so it's really clear for anybody on the menu what's on offer.

The crab cakes.

Well, yes, there's crab in the cakes, and also they could be coated in breadcrumbs which contain gluten.

So we need to check, but also perhaps we should think about offering a different type of starter.

The pate.

Well, the pate recipe probably uses butter, which is made from milk.

So that's an allergen.

So we need to be aware of that.

And again, think about a different type of starter.

And lastly, the salad that's got a mustard dressing, which is an allergen.

So perhaps provide the salad dressing-free or use another dressing instead.

How about the main meals? How about the first one, the roast chicken? Well, it may come with gravy with the chicken, so we need to check whether mustard or flour, which has got gluten in, is used, or perhaps having a no gravy option.

The nuts and lentil roast.

Well, nuts are an allergen, and egg might be used to bind everything together.

So perhaps we can make a nut-free vegan version.

Poach salmon.

Well, again, fish is the allergen.

So perhaps we need to think about having a different non-fish dish on the menu.

And creamy mushroom pasta bake where cream is made from milk, so that's an allergen.

So perhaps a non-dairy alternative could be used.

And the pasta might contain gluten, so perhaps use a non-gluten version.

Well done.

You're doing really well so far.

And lastly, the desserts.

Ice cream is made from cream, the milk.

So perhaps sorbet could be maze instead, or perhaps you could use a non-dairy alternative.

The fruit salad.

Perhaps we should highlight what fruits are actually being used.

Do you remember, some people have an allergen to things like apples or kiwi fruit too.

Chocolate brownie.

Well, because we don't know what's in it, we can assume though it's got flour, which has got gluten, egg, and butter milk.

So we need to highlight the allergens or offer an alternative dessert.

And lastly, the vegan meringue.

Well, we need to check for any allergies to certain fruits, but there's no eggs use because it's vegan.

Brilliant, well done.

I hope you enjoyed that.

And there's so much we can learn about food allergens and food intolerances.

Brilliant work.

So now let's move on to the third part of the lesson, all around recipe and meal modification.

Now, recipes and meals can be modified for different dietary requirements such as different ages and stages, meeting the Eatwell Guide, avoiding allergens, reducing salts, reducing fats, and increasing fibre too.

Let's have a look at these in turn, shall we? So ages and stages.

Now, what considerations could be taken into account for modifying recipes and meals here? Let's have a look at some together, shall we? So balance meals following the Eatwell Guide, for example, not being overweight during pregnancy, or perhaps avoiding wheat, eggs, fish, and soft cheeses during complimentary feeding, or how about small and frequent meals for young children, or ensure that protein, iron, and calcium foods are included for children helping with growth and development too.

And lastly, plenty of foods providing iron for teenage girls to help replace menstrual losses.

How about meeting the Eatwell Guide? Again, what considerations could be taken into account here? Well, yes, in showing a variety and balanced foods in the right proportions too.

Lots of fruits and vegetables and starchy foods of each meal, and having higher fibre options too, including whole grains.

How about diversity of protein? So that includes also having things like beans and pulses too.

And also including two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily.

And of course limiting foods that are high in fat, salt, and sugars too.

How about avoiding allergens? What considerations could we take into account here? Well, yes, one of the first things we should do is actually ask who we're cooking for, whether they have any allergens and therefore we can modify it, checking food labels for potential allergens too.

Do you remember looking at the ingredient list or substituting different ingredients using a non-gluten flour or changing the celery to onion for example, and avoiding cross-contamination when we're cooking too.

How about reducing salt? Again, what can we take into account here when modifying recipes and meals? Well read the food label so we can see how much salt in it, or we can compare labels and pick the one with the least salt.

How about using lower salt alternatives? So a soy sauce or a lower salt stock cube for example, or not using salt in cooking at all, and also using a range of different ingredients to add flavour such as garlic, fresh ginger, herbs, and spices too.

How about reducing fat? A gain, what could we think about? What could we take into account here? Well, reading the food label again.

Just like the one on the right hand side here, we can see the traffic light, can't we? And we could compare similar foods and pick the one that's got the least fat in, or going for lower fat alternative.

So half fat cheese, fat-free yoghourt, for example.

Or using spreads and oils sparingly and using spray oil when frying, so less is added.

How about increasing fibre? Again, what could we take into account here? Yes, reading the food label, we can see that's a really important thing.

It does provide some great information for us to make healthier choices.

Also going for higher fibre alternatives.

So brown rice and pasta, for example.

Not peeling potatoes so the skin becomes a source of fibre, and adding extra fruit and vegetables to meals too.

They will help to add fibre, adding more beans and pulses, again, great sources of fibre here.

And also cooking with more whole grains such as whole milk flour, bulgur wheat, and quinoa too.

So we've talked about labelling and I've got a quick check here for you.

So a pupil is choosing mayonnaise for the sandwich, which of these is the healthiest choice? Yes.

Well done.

It's A, isn't it? It's got the most greens and the least fat.

Brilliant work.

Well done.

So having a healthy balanced diet is also about how much as well as what you eat too.

And understanding the right portion size for ourselves and others can help get the balance right.

And studies have shown that when children adults are presented with bigger portions of foods, they tend to eat more.

And when serving foods at home or choosing ready-made packaged foods, starting with a smaller portion can help us avoid overeating.

And it's important that children are offered appropriate portion sizes for their age and also their size, and offering larger portions than children needs encourage them to eat more, which can lead to weight gain over time.

Children, especially younger children, need to eat smaller portion sizes than adults.

One simple way of doing this is to use hand measures to give a simple guide on portion size, and it's not as accurate as weighing, but can be very practical in the kitchen when you're serving food for example.

So let's have a look at some example, shall we? So breakfast cereal, three handfuls.

So if we look at the chart, we can see an adult hand or a child hand.

We could see here, couldn't we? That three handfuls of cereal by an adult would be much more than three handfuls by a child for example.

Other examples could be a jacket potato the size of your fist, dried pasta or rice , two handfuls, cooked pasta or rice, two cupped hands there, cooked chicken or fish, cooked meat, and hard cheese too.

So these are very simple practical ways to get the portion size right for us.

So let's have a quick check, shall we? So scientific studies have shown that when children or adults are presented with bigger portions of food, they tend to eat more.

Yes, that's true, isn't it? And why is that? Well, offering larger portions than children need encourages them to eat more, which can lead to weight gain over time.

Great work, well done.

So I've got another task for you here, and what I want you to do is to plan meals for the following dietary requirements, giving your justification for each.

So good luck to you.

Think about all we've learned today, and I'm sure you do brilliantly.

Let's come back together very soon to see how you've got on.

Remember to pause the video.

Okay, let's see how you got on, shall we? So let's look at the first requirement first, and this was about an adult wishing to eat more healthily.

Now there's so many meals that you could have included.

I've got a bean pepper and onion burrito with cheese in a whole meal wrap.

I've also got corn on the cob and some water.

Remember, we should have between six and eight drinks every day.

And my justification for this is it's based on the Eatwell Guide and the proportions that it's displaying.

Also, it's got lots of fruit and veg, no salt or added sugars.

We've used spices in the burrito instead.

We've also got more fibre from the wrap, also the beans and the extra vegetables too.

And also we've used a reduced fat cheese.

And the next one, a teenage girl with an allergy to gluten.

Well, here I've come up with a beef and bean pasta bake, a mixed salad, and an orange juice.

And my justification is I'm gonna actually use a gluten-free pasta.

and I'm also gonna make sure it's whole wheat too, so brown pasta for extra fibre too.

I've also got iron providing foods too, such as the red meat, the beans, and green leafy veg too.

And also, I've got my five a day, I've got my veggies and salad too.

And lastly, let's look at a healthy meal for an adult and their child.

Well, I've chosen a jacket potato, beans, and cheese with a yoghourt with fresh fruit and also some water.

Now, why have I chosen this? Well, I'm following the Eatwell guide.

So for example, I'm having a starchy food with the meal.

I'm also having beans, which are a source of protein and fibre, and also one of my five a day.

I've also included cheese, which is source of calcium and reduced fat too.

I suppose I could also say that the yoghourt is also a source of calcium.

Plus I've got the fruit there as well for more of my five a day, I'm gonna get the right portion size.

So do you remember the hands for the child and the adult? I'm gonna use those.

And lastly, I've got a drink with my meal, and I'm sure you've come up with some great ideas too.

Well done.

Well, I hope you enjoyed going through this lesson today, all around nutritional needs throughout life.

Let's have a quick summary of what we've learned today, shall we? Well, the first thing is differing amounts of energy and nutrients are required at different life stages.

Also, in the UK, we have a set of dietary reference values which outline nutritional requirements.

And these include estimated average requirements, reference nutrient intakes, as well as lower reference nutrient intakes too.

Also, we know that, in the UK, 6% of the adult population have a clinically confirmed allergy.

And also that we've gone through and know now that recipes and meals can be modified for different dietary requirements.

And lastly, understanding what the right portion size is for ourselves and others can help us get the balance right.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed the lesson today and you come back very soon for another cooking and nutrition lesson with me.

Thanks a lot.

Bye.