Capella University
NURS-FPX6203: Theory Development in Nursing
Professor Name
October 2024
Digestion Lab
The digestion lab entails the process through which foods are digested and the nutrients in the body are broken down. Digestion is a mechanical and chemical breakdown of food that makes energy and nutrients available to the body for the construction of new tissue, energy production, and tissue repair (Assarzadegan et al., 2021). Knowledge of digestion can help to clarify what nutrients are required in the diet and the necessity of moderation of both food and nutrients. This lab allows for the recognition of issues related to digestion and nutrient lack while analyzing how each nutrient is metabolized (Zhang et al., 2021). Further, it looks at the characteristics of enzymes and the place of digestive organs in metabolic processes. This knowledge is helpful when developing dietary modulation plans that would improve nutrient utilization hence promoting health.
Exploration of Digestion Lab
The digestion lab focuses on several stages of digestion, absorption, and utilization of nutrients in food. This module explores the role of enzymes in digestion, the specific activity of the stomach acids, and bile used in digestion of the carbohydrates, fats, and protein; a strength that highlights an understanding of digestion with regards to changes in diet intake (Duregon et al., 2021).
Daily Caloric Intake: Daily energy requirements are pre-established by factors such as age, sex, level of physical activity, or basal metabolism rate. Counting calories enables one to determine if a given diet meets the necessary energy to maintain the appropriate health. A balance of caloric intake calls for an avoidance of obesity and support of vital actions that depend on energy in the body (Zeballos & Chelius, 2021). It also enables tracking of the calorific intake to manage the changes in dietary practices towards supporting sustainable health change. The daily intake of nutrients enables one to decide the required amount of nutrients depending on one’s ability to consume the nutrients depending on one’s lifestyle.
Percentage of Daily Calories
A diet proportion of calories demonstrates the ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in the diet program (Ostendorf et al., 2020). Serving sizes differ as well: 45-65% of the caloric intake should come from carbohydrates, 10-35% from protein, and 20-35% from fat. It is useful to know these percentages as far as macronutrient proportions in supporting metabolism and energy needs.
Pros and Cons of Serving Size
- Pros: Portion sizing is helpful in portion control for dieting since portion sizes for foods for weight loss are managed through portion control.
- Cons: This may lead to underestimations and consumer overindulgence in energy or some nutrients, hence an imbalance (Thomas et al., 2022).
Pros and Cons of Food Sodium, Carbohydrate, Sugar, Protein, Vitamins, and Minerals
Sodium
- Pros: Works for maintaining the fluid balance and proper functioning of nerves.
- Cons: Taking more than the recommended amount may result in high blood pressure and heart disease.
Carbohydrate
- Pros: A basic form of fuel for all the body’s activities.
- Cons: These foods when consumed in large measure particularly refined carbohydrates they are associated with obesity and diabetes.
Sugar
- Pros: Instant power supply especially in case of activities that require great energy.
- Cons: Intake of excessive sugar may cause metabolic disturbances and also problems with teeth.
Protein
- Pros: Closely related to muscular tissue repair and regeneration, immune system functioning, and the production of enzymes.
- Cons: Ingestion in large quantities can cause kidney problems and compromise the balance of nutrients in the body.
Vitamins and Minerals
- Pros: Believed to support multiple aspects or bodily functions including the immune system and bones.
- Cons: It must also be appreciated that excessive intake of common supplements may cause toxicity and produce other adverse effects.
Label Analysis and Food Item Pros and Cons
Label analysis involves examining food labels to evaluate nutrient density and caloric value:
- Pros: Enables consumers to make proper nutrition choices relative to nutrients such as fiber, protein, and even health-conscious fats (Farkas et al., 2019).
- Cons: Portion information can also be incorrect or missing while other components can be stated in misleading label information.
Addressing Misleading Packaging
Some labeling tricks give the consumer an illusion of perception of the healthworthiness of the products, the portions to consume, or even the composition of the products to buy or consume. Some of the words like ‘low fat’ or ‘all-natural’ can make people think that a particular product is healthy, while they contain enormous amounts of sugar or sodium (Ruddick et al., 2022). This does away with issues that can cause health issues due to poor decision-making concerning dieting. Also, consumer choices may be influenced by packets and labeling that present selected features ignoring other aspects of food, thus misinforming them on quality (Karki et al., 2021). It, therefore, becomes crucial that consumers be educated on how to make sense of these labels and seek the truth about what makers are telling them. Such awareness can help people to know what they need to do to ensure that they reach their dietary goals and enhance their nutritional requirements.
BIO FPX 1000 Assessment 4 Conclusion
In the digestion lab, the educator derives the students’ focus on nutrient consumption, calorie consumption, and precision of food labels. Knowing what a person is consuming and how much of it they eat will allow them to better their diet and make better decisions that will benefit their digestive system and body. Such knowledge enhances the chances of making healthier lifestyle choices and will align the clients with long-term enhanced health solutions (Farkas et al., 2019). Also, it plays a positive role for individuals to notice more their habits of eating, which makes them more proactive when it comes to diet. Expanding on what certain foods are capable of in the process of digestion in the body, people can avoid risk factors that contribute to chronic diseases in their day-to-day lives. Finally, the knowledge that is learned from the digestion lab can help to bring changes to eating habits that are necessary for healthy living.
BIO FPX 1000 Assessment 4 References
Assarzadegan, N., & Montgomery, E. (2021). What is new in the 2019 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of tumors of the digestive system: Review of selected updates on neuroendocrine neoplasms, appendiceal tumors, and molecular testing. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 145(6), 664–677. https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2019-0665-RA
Dragon, E., Pomatto-Watson, L. C. D. D., Bernier, M., Price, N. L., & de Cabo, R. (2021). Intermittent fasting: from calories to time restriction. GeroScience, 43(3), 1083–1092. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-021-00335-z
Farkas, G. J., Gorgey, A. S., Dolbow, D. R., Berg, A. S., & Gater, D. R. (2019). Caloric Intake Relative to Total Daily Energy Expenditure Using a Spinal Cord Injury-Specific Correction Factor: An Analysis by Level of Injury. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 98(11), 947–952. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHM.0000000000001166
Karki, R., Chuenchart, W., Surendra, K. C., Shrestha, S., Raskin, L., Sung, S., Hashimoto, A., & Kumar Khanal, S. (2021). Anaerobic co-digestion: Current status and perspectives. Bioresource Technology, 330, 125001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125001
Ostendorf, D. M., Caldwell, A. E., Zaman, A., Pan, Z., Bing, K., Wayland, L. T., Creasy, S. A., Bessesen, D. H., MacLean, P., Melanson, E. L., & Catenacci, V. A. (2022). Comparison of weight loss induced by daily caloric restriction versus intermittent fasting (DRIFT) in individuals with obesity: study protocol for a 52-week randomized clinical trial. Trials, 23(1), 718. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06523-2
Ruddick, L. C., Morgan, P. J., Fyfe, C. L., Filipe, J. A. N., Horgan, G. W., Westerterp, K. R., Johnston, J. D., & Johnstone, A. M. (2022). Timing of daily calorie loading affects appetite and hunger responses without changes in energy metabolism in healthy subjects with obesity. Cell Metabolism, 34(10), 1472–1485.e6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.08.001
Thomas, E. A., Zaman, A., Sloggett, K. J., Steinke, S., Grau, L., Catenacci, V. A., Cornier, M. A., & Rynders, C. A. (2022). Early time-restricted eating compared with daily caloric restriction: A randomized trial in adults with obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 30(5), 1027–1038. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23420
Zhang, M., Tashiro, Y., Asakura, Y., Ishida, N., Watanabe, K., Yue, S., Akiko, M. N., & Sakai, K. (2021). Lab-scale autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion can maintain and remove nitrogen by controlling shear stress and oxygen supply systems. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 132(3), 293–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiosc.2021.05.008
Zeballos, E., & Chelius, C. (2021). The effects of grazing on daily caloric intake and dietary quality. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18(1), 163. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01226-4
