You need to record all food and beverages that you consume on three days. They need not be three consecutive days; in fact two week days and a weekend often works well. It is important that you choose three typical days.
The diet analysis software program will calculate the following information for each of the items that you have consumed: calories, protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, total fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat (monounsaturated plus polyunsaturated), cholesterol, iron, potassium, sodium, calcium, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E. Include each of these nutrients in your analysis. You must discuss the importance of each of these nutrients. You can include more if you like.
Once you have the breakdown of the foods you have eaten, compare your intake to the recommended daily allowances for your age, gender, and size, then analyze your diet for nutritional value. Are you under-nourished or over-nourished? If your diet is adequate, explain why. If you need to make changes, explain why. Explain what specific foods you could realistically add, omit, or continue consuming to ensure you meet your daily requirements for each nutrient. Be sure to address each nutrient listed above. Most important– explain why each of the various nutrients are necessary in our diet. What is their need to the human body and what are the possible consequences if your dietary intake is too high or too low? For example, you might say something like–
“My vitamin C intake is less than half the recommended level. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant, as well as necessary for collagen synthesis. A deficiency may lead to bruising, bleeding gums, or frequent infections. By adding a medium orange and 1/2 cup of V-8 juice to my diet, I more than make up for my deficit.”
Or you might say–
“Vitamin C is an important antioxidant, as well as necessary for collagen synthesis. A deficiency may lead to bruising, bleeding gums, or frequent infections. I typically include an orange, tomato, and green pepper in my diet nearly daily and take in more than enough vitamin C to meet the RDA.” This analysis will be most beneficial to you if you are specific about how to correct or maintain your diet to ensure adequate intakes of each of the nutrients listed.
Expect your written part of this analysis to be at least eight pages, typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.
In addition, the two computer printouts: (1) Actual Intakes vs. Recommended Intakes Spreadsheet, and (2) the All Nutrients Spreadsheet are attached!