Bivo and a healthy nutritional plan
What follows is the translation of the original Italian article by Paola Salgarelli, biologist nutritionist, specialist in Food Science:
Previously in Bivo’s blog we focused our attention on the Mediterranean Diet, clarifying in particular what the nutritional standard of this type of diet are. We have referred to L.A.R.N. which represents the Livelli di Assunzione di Riferimento di Nutrizione (National Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake) for the Italian population.
Today we analyze the topic speaking about the average energy requirements (which we will see vary according to the age, gender and level of physical activity) and how to take the calories we need during our day.
Let’s start with clarifying some concepts:
- BASAL METABOLISM or resting metabolism represent the minimum expenditure of energy by the organism which is compatible with the normal vital functions (for example the maintenance of the muscolar tone, circulation, breathing, etc.). It corresponds to the calories produced by a person without food, in a state of resting both physical and mental for more than 8 hours, at the temperature of about 20°C. The metabolism vary according to many factors, in particular it is influenced by the body weight (the more is the weight, the more is the metabolism), age (lowering with the increase in age, due to a reduced level of cells activity), gender (it is lower for women than for men – at the same age – because of adipose tissue, less active from a metabolic point of view), thyroid functionality (it increases with hypothyroidism, it diminishes with hyperthyroidism), weather (it is higher in cold weather), sport (it increases in people doing lots of sport).
- The DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS is the energy which is necessary to the organism to do the normal activities you need to do in one day and includes the basal metabolism. In other words, those are the calories you need daily to live your life.
A simple method to calculate the daily calorie requirements of a person it is by multiplying for a factor, called LAF. The LAF is the Livello di Attività Fisica (Physical Activity Level). It can vary from 1,45 for sedentary people, untill at the most 2,10 for people doing intense physical activity. Therefore:
Daily Calorie Requirements = Basal Metabolism × LAF
What follow is a chart (source: www.sinu.it) with the average daily calorie requirements in adulthood. In the website of SINU (Società Italiana di Nutrizione Umana – Italian Society of Human Nutrition) you can find the charts for children and old people.
| LARN FOR ENERGY | ||||||
| Height | Body weight | MB | DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS (kcal/die) FOR A LAF OF: | |||
| (m) | (kg) | (kcal/die) | 1,45 | 1,60 | 1,75 | 2,10 |
| Male 18-29 years | ||||||
| 1,50 | 50,6 | 1450 | 2110 | 2330 | 2540 | 3050 |
| 1,60 | 57,6 | 1560 | 2260 | 2490 | 2730 | 3270 |
| 1,70 | 65,0 | 1670 | 2420 | 2670 | 2920 | 3510 |
| 1,80 | 72,9 | 1790 | 2590 | 2860 | 3130 | 3760 |
| 1,90 | 81,2 | 1910 | 2780 | 3060 | 3350 | 4020 |
| Male 30-59 years | ||||||
| 1,50 | 50,6 | 1450 | 2110 | 2330 | 2540 | 3050 |
| 1,60 | 57,6 | 1530 | 2220 | 2450 | 2680 | 3220 |
| 1,70 | 65,0 | 1620 | 2350 | 2590 | 2830 | 3400 |
| 1,80 | 72,9 | 1710 | 2480 | 2730 | 2990 | 3590 |
| 1,90 | 81,2 | 1800 | 2620 | 2890 | 3160 | 3790 |
| Female 18-29 years | ||||||
| 1,50 | 50,6 | 1240 | 1790 | 1980 | 2160 | 2600 |
| 1,60 | 57,6 | 1340 | 1940 | 2140 | 2340 | 2810 |
| 1,70 | 65,0 | 1450 | 2100 | 2320 | 2540 | 3040 |
| 1,80 | 72,9 | 1570 | 2270 | 2510 | 2740 | 3290 |
| 1,90 | 81,2 | 1690 | 2450 | 2700 | 2960 | 3550 |
| Female 30-59 years | ||||||
| 1,50 | 50,6 | 1260 | 1820 | 2010 | 2200 | 2640 |
| 1,60 | 57,6 | 1310 | 1900 | 2100 | 2300 | 2760 |
| 1,70 | 65,0 | 1370 | 1990 | 2200 | 2400 | 2880 |
| 1,80 | 72,9 | 1440 | 2080 | 2300 | 2520 | 3020 |
| 1,90 | 81,2 | 1510 | 2180 | 2410 | 2630 | 3160 |
As you can see in the chart, according to the age and type of physical activity, the metabolism can vary a lot. To simplify, we will take reference a man in the age range 30-59 years with a height of 180 and LAF (physical activity level) 1,60, and for women a woman in the age range 30-59 years with a height of 170 and LAF 1,60. In these cases, the daily calorie requirements of the man is about 2700 kcal, while for the woman it is about 2200 kcal.
According to the percentage of nutrients included in the Mediterranead diet, we can make an example of a healthy and balanced menu for him (about 2500-2700 kcal) and for her (about 2000-2200 kcal).
EXAMPLE OF AN “IDEAL” DAY ACCORDING TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
Breakfast (450-550 kcal)
Extracted juice (from fresh fruits)
A cup of milk
Wholemeal bread (60g for her, 80g for him) with jam (40g)
Snack (150-200 kcal)
Fistful of nuts
Lunch (650-800 kcal)
Pasta 110g (for her), 130g (for him) with tomatoes + parmigiano
Vegetables (as much as you wish)
Extra virgin olive oil (about 2 spoons for her, 3-4 for him)
Snack (150-200 kcal)
Fresh seasonal fruit and yogurt
Dinner (600-750 Kcal)
Vegetable “Pinzimonio”
150g of turkey breast to the plate (her) or 200g (him)
Seasonal cooked vegetables
Whole bread (60g for her, 80g for him)
Extra virgin olive oil (about 2-3 spoons for her, 3-4 for him)
In this typical day we have:
– Protein: 0,9 g/kg
– Lipids or fats: 25-35% of daily calorie requirements (fats mainly mono – poli unsaturated)
– Carbohydrates 45-65%of daily calorie requirements (mainly with low glycemic index)
– Simple sugars: less than 15%
This kind of nutrition is for sure optimal and correct, but not always our daily rithm allows us to follows this type of diet. In particular, it becomes difficult to choose a type of lunch which is balanced because many of us are at work. The quick alternatives are often of low nutritional quality, while the healthy alternatives are, on the contrary, sometimes not quick or convenient. How is it possible, therefore, to have in any situation a healthy, complete and balance meal? A valid help, for example, comes from food such as BIVO, which, thanks to the nutritional percentages in line with the intake suggested by the Mediterranean diet, allows you to eat quickly, conveniently and healthy even when time is really restricted. The quantity of calories which BIVO gives is 400, in line with the calories proposed in our “diet”, but lighter.
Going back to our “ideal” day, we can easily insert BIVO as follows:
EXAMPLE OF AN “IDEAL” DAY ACCORDING TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET WITH BIVO AT LUNCH
Breakfast (450-550 kcal)
Extracted juice (from fresh fruits)
A cup of milk
Wholemeal bread (60g for her, 80g for him) with jam (40g)
Snack (150-200 kcal)
Fistful of nuts
Lunch (400 kcal)
A meal with BIVO
Snack (150-200 kcal)
Fresh seasonal fruit and yogurt
Dinner (600-750 Kcal)
Vegetable “Pinzimonio”
150g of turkey breast to the plate (her) or 200g (him)
Seasonal cooked vegetables
Whole bread (60g for her, 80g for him)
Extra virgin olive oil (about 2-3 spoons for her, 3-4 for him)
It is evident that BIVO can help us in emergency situations, allowing us to maintain our healthy and balanced nutrition, helping us to stay fit.
Paola Salgarelli, Biologist Nutritionist, specialist in Food Science
Try Bivo and stay fit
