All dishes are comprised of three macronutrients - carbohydrates, protein and fat. These macronutrients are the main sources of energy in our diet and all are necessary for overall health.
The USDA recommends 20-35% of calories come from fat; however, there are good fats and bad fats. Unsaturated fats are considered good fats and are found in nuts, seeds, most vegetable oils, poultry, and fish. Olive oil is largely monounsaturated and a key component to the Mediterranean diet pyramid. Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats and found in soy, walnuts, flax and chia seeds, fish and shellfish. Saturated fats are not as good for us and therefore should not represent more than 10% of total calories in our diet. Sources of saturated fats include red meat, high-fat dairy (butter, cream, cheese, etc.), palm and coconut oil.
SPE promotes the use of ingredients with higher amounts of unsaturated fat than saturated fat.
The fat in this dish comes from the olive oil and the pine nuts. While most of the fat in this dish is unsaturated, 7% of calories come from saturated fat.
Carbohydrates are called many things: starch, sugar and fiber, complex and simple. They mainly come from grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, dairy and sweeteners. The USDA recommends 45-65% of calories come from carbohydrates. In SPE, we target sources of carbohydrates that offer more than just quickly-absorbed calories such as intact or unrefined grains, legumes and whole fruits and vegetables.
Sugars are naturally occurring in grains, fruits and dairy and added sugars come from sweeteners such as corn syrup, cane and beet sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup and molasses, among others.
The natural sugars come from tomatoes and there is no added sugar in this dish.
The USDA recommends 10-35% of calories come from protein; however, some protein sources are better for you than others. Proteins from lean meats, poultry, seafood and low-fat dairy provide the essential amino acids your body needs without too much additional saturated fat. Plant-based protein sources such as legumes, nuts and soy are also good choices with higher quality fats.
The protein comes from the wheat berries and pine nuts.
* For information about calorie and food group needs for your specific diet, visit the USDA’s MyPlate Daily Food Plan website.
Recipe: Forbidden Rice Noodles with Scallions and Shiitakes
June 20, 2018 by Kristy Del Coro, Senior Culinary Nutritionist
Kristy put together this allergen-friendly dish featuring Forbidden Rice noodles. It's perfect as a main course or summer side dish!
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