Nutritional guides show a simple anagram for the principles of diet planning. These letters are A, B, C, D, M and V, and are known as the six dietary planning principles. Taught in colleges and medical centers around the world, the letters each stand for a section of diet planning that should never go unnoticed.
A for Adequacy, B for Balance
Adequacy of diet means that it should have all the essentials. It should meet the daily recommended totals of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other essentials needed by the body to function properly. It will help keep a healthy weight and keep the practitioner in good health.Balancing a diet means that foods will help balance out the diet where one nutrient rich food will not overcrowd other foods that are rich in other nutrients. It maintains a well-rounded meal plan that is not over abundant in one area only. Adhering to the food pyramid helps this area.
C for kCalorie, D for Density
Energy control is designed as kCalorie. It manages the amount of calories in a diet which in turn manages the amount of energy the body will have during the day. It helps regulate a diet plan so that there are not many “empty calories” or calories that do not provide energy.Density is for the nutrient density of the diet plant. It is a formula of percentage of calories to energy. For example, a food high in energy but low in calories has a higher nutrient density than a food high in calories with little nutrients. Grapes can be a good source of nutrient density as it provides high nutrients with few calories.
M for Moderation, V for Variety
Moderation deals with not overindulging in a certain area of the diet plan while providing enough of all the major food groups and essentials. It focuses on keeping nutrient rich foods and having a well thought out meal plan. This will help keep the calorie count under firm control as well.Variety is simply for varying up the foods eaten. While a meal plan can be well thought out and rich in nutrients, if it is the same each day the person will be bored and lack enthusiasm. Varying the selections of food that can be eaten in a food group will help keep the diet from being boring. Eat something from all the food groups and change up what that choice is on a frequent basis.
Sources:
Amarillo College: Perspectives on Health and Nutrition
Tallahassee: Study Guide Exam 1
This article originally appeared on Suite 101 on 7-31-10