Nutrition Tools, Standards and Guideline Nutrient

• The Philippines is one of the countries in the world where a significant number of children remain malnourished despite the economic growth and development in the country over the past decades
• Data from the 2013 National Nutrition Survey (2013 NNS) in the Philippines reported that among children under 5 years old, the prevalence of malnutrition measured by underweight and stunting was 20% and 30%, respectively, and the prevalence starts to increase at 6–11 months
• Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

  A generic term for a set of nutrient reference values that includes the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Adequate Intake (AI), Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), and Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
• Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)

  A daily nutrient intake level that meets the median or average requirement of healthy individuals in particular life stage and sex group, corrected for incomplete utilization or dietary nutrient bioavailability
• The estimated average requirement (EAR) is the amount of a nutrient that is estimated to meet the requirement for a specific criterion of adequacy of half of the healthy individuals of a specific age, sex, and life-stage
• The amount of the nutrient necessary to meet the appropriate criterion of adequacy varies from one individual to the next, but the data are usually distributed normally or can be transformed to achieve a normal distribution
• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

  The average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all (97 to 98 percent) healthy individuals in a particular gender and life stage group
• Recommended Energy/Nutrient Intake (RENI)

  Also known as Recommended Daily Allowances, a level of intake of energy or nutrient which is considered adequate for the maintenance of health and well-being of healthy persons in the population
• The 2015 Philippine Dietary Recommended Intake (PDRI) shall be used for planning and assessing diets for individuals and groups, developing food-based dietary guidelines, formulating standards and regulations on food fortification, nutrition labeling and claims, and food safety, designing and evaluating food and nutrition assistance programs, determining food bundles, setting food production targets, and other related uses that require consideration of nutrient and dietary intakes
• Adequate Intake (AI)


  A daily nutrient intake level that is based on observed or experimentally-determined approximation of the average nutrient intake by a group (groups) of apparently healthy people that are assumed to sustain a defined nutritional state
• The AI is based on observed or experimentally determined estimates of nutrient intake by a group (or groups) of healthy people. For example, the AI for young infants, for whom human milk is the recommended sole source of food for the first 4 to 6 months, is based on the daily mean nutrient intake supplied by human milk for healthy, full-term infants who are exclusively breastfed
• The main intended use of the AI is as a goal for the nutrient intake of individuals. For example: if an individual has a total calorie in a day of 1,500, that individual can take at least 75% of the total calorie for a day which is 1,125 calorie is allowable
• Tolerable Upper Intake Level or Upper Limit (UL)

  The highest average daily nutrient intake level likely to pose no adverse health effects to almost all individuals in the general population
• Basal Metabolism

  A measure of energy needed by the body at rest for its internal chemical activities like respiration, cellular metabolism, circulation, glandular activity and maintenance of body temperature
• Basal Metabolism Rate (BMR) is the rate of basal metabolism in a given person at a given time and situation
• Factors affecting BMR or Individuals Caloric Need

  • Surface Area
  • Sex/Gender
  • Age
  • Body composition
  • Activity
  • State of nutrition
  • Sleep
  • Endocrine glands
  • Fever
  • Climate
• Physical Activity (PA)


  Calorie requirements depend upon the type and amount of exercise or work engaged into. The more vigorous the physical work, the greater the calorie cost
• Food and Fluid Intake Regulating Mechanisms (Hypothalamus)

  • Thirst
  • Hunger
  • Appetite
  • Satiety
• Normal blood glucose level is 70-110 mg/dl, and for Diabetes Mellitus it is more than 140 mg/dl for 2 consecutive readings
• Vegetable A

  • Acelgas(Chinese Cabbage)
  • Alagaw Leaves
  • AlugbaƟ Leaves
  • Ampalaya Leaves
  • Balbalulang (seaweed)
  • Baguio Beans (abitsuelas)
  • Bamboo shoot (labong)
  • Banana Heart (Puso ng Saging)
  • Bataw Pods
  • Beets
  • Cabbage
  • Cassava Leaves and Tops
  • Cauliflower
  • Camote Leaves
  • Celery
  • Chayote Leaves
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Gabi Leaves
  • Garlic Leaves
  • Himbabao
  • Kangkong
  • Katuray Flower
  • Katuray Leaves
  • LeƩuce
  • Malunggay Leaves
  • Malunggay Pods
  • Mushroom Fresh
  • Mustard Leaves
  • Okra
  • Onion Bulb
  • Pako
  • Papaya Green
  • Patola
  • Pepper Leaves
  • Petsay
  • Pokpoklo (seaweed)
  • Radish
  • Saluyot
  • Sigarilyas Pods
  • Spinach
  • Squash Flowers
  • Squash Leaves
  • Stringbeans Leaves (Sitaw, Dahon)
  • Sweet Pea Pods (Sitsaro)
  • Talinum
  • Tomato
  • Unsoy
  • Upo
• Vegetable A

  4 cups raw or 1 cup cooked (single or mixed)
• Vegetable B

  • Fresh: Carrot
  • Coconut Shoot (Ubod)
  • Cowpea Pods (Paayap, bunga)
  • Kamansi
  • Langka Hilaw
  • Lima Bean Pods (Patani, Bunga)
  • Mungean Sprout (toge)
  • Pigeon Pea Pods (Kadyos, Bunga)
  • Rimas
  • Singkamas Pods (Bunga)
  • Singkamas Tuber (Lamang Ugat)
  • Squash Fruit
  • Stringbean Pods (Sitaw, Bunga)

  Processed: 1 cup Asparagus Tips

  • 2 pieces Baby Corn
  • 1 Tablespoon Green Peas, canned (Gisantes, Nakalata)
  • 2 Tablespoon Golden Sweet Corn, canned
  • 1/3 cup Mushroom, canned
  • 1/2 cup undiluted Tomato Juice, canned
  • 3 pieaces Water chestnut, canned
• Vegetable B

  1/2 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked (single or mixed)
• Fruit


  • 1/2 piece (Apple, Banana, Bungulan, Marang, Singkamas Tuber, Star Apple)
  • 1 piece (Guyabano, Green-Medium-Ripe Mango, Ripe Melon, Ripe Papaya, Pineapple, Watermelon)
  • 2 pieces (Dalanghita, Guava)
  • 3 pieces (Makopa, Mangosteen)
  • 20 pieces Duhat
  • 10 pieces Grapes
  • 9 Pieces Mango Paho
  • 8 pieces Rambutan
  • 7 pieces (Lansones, Kamachile)
  • 5 pieces (Lychees, Sineguelas)
  • 3 segments Ripe tamarind
  • 1 segment Durian
  • 1 1/3 cups Strawberry

  Canned: 3 Tablespoons (Apple Sauce, Fruit Cocktail, Crushed Pineapple)

  • 1 slice Pineapple, sliced
  • 1 1/3 halves Peach halves

  Dried: 2 Tablespoons Seedless Raisins

  • 2 pieces (Mango Chips, Dikyam)
  • 3 pieces (Seedless Prunes, PiƩed Dates)
  • 4 pieces Salted Champoy

  Juices, concentrate: Canned 1/2 cup Sweetened

  • BoƩled 1/3 cup Sweetened

  Others: 1/2 piece (Banana Cue, Turon)

  • 1/3 piece Maruya
  • 1 cup Buko Water
  • 3 Tablespoons Sherbet
• Fruit

  1 EXCHANGE FRUIT = 40 Kcalories
• Milk

  • 1/2 cup undiluted Filled, recombines or Evaporated Milk
  • 1 cup Fresh Milk (Cow or Carabao)
  • 4 Level Tablespoons or 1/4 cup Powdered Milk

  1 EXCHANGE WHOLE MILK = 170 Kcalories

  4 Level Tablespoons or 1/4 cup Low fat Powdered Milk

  • 1 Tetra-brick Lite Low Fat Milk

  1 EXCHANGE LOW FAT MILK = 125 Kcalories

  4 Level Tablespoons or 1/4 cup Powdered BuƩermilk

  • 2/3 cup Liquid BuƩermilk
  • 1/2 cup Yogurt
  • 1 cup Long Life skimmed milk

  1 EXCHANGE SKIMMED/NON-FAT/VERY LOW FAT MILK = 80 Kcalories
• Rice

  • 1/2 cup, packed Cooked Rice
  • 1 cup Thick Lugaw (Rice Gruel)
  • 1 piece (Pan de Bonete, Pan de Leche, Pan de Limon, Pan de Monay, Hotdog or Hamburger Roll)
  • 2 slices (Tasty Bread, Whole Wheat Bread)
  • 3 small pieces Pan de Sal
  • 22 pieces (Pasensiya, Marie)
  • 5 pieces Lady Fingers
  • 3 pieces Mamon Tostado
  • 1 1/2 diced or 1/2 round Hopia Hapon
  • 1 Ensaymada
  • 1/2 cup Binatog (Hominy)
  • 1 cup (Corn flakes, Baby Corn, Canned Golden Corn)
  • 1 slice Corn Pudding (Maha, Mais)
  • 1 cup cooked Noodles (Bihon, Macaroni, Sotanghon, Spagheƫ)
  • 1/2 cup Sweet Potato
  • 1 cup (Cassava, Gabi)
  • 1 - 1/3 cups (Potato, Ubi)
  • 11 large or 20 small pieces Roasted Chestnut (Kastanyas)
  • 1/2 cup Breakfast Cereals
  • 1 1/4 cups Corn/ Rice Curls and the likes
  • 5 teaspoons Cornstarch
  • 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

  1 EXCHANGE RICE = 100Kcalories

  1/3 cup Regular Ice Cream

  • 1/2 cup cooked Sago
  • 1/2 slice Cassave Cake
  • 1 slice (Bibingka, Biko, Kalamay, Puto PuƟ, Sapin-sapin, Tikoy)
  • 2 pieces (Espasol, Puto Bumbong)
  • 1 piece (Kutsinta, Suman sa Ibos, Suman sa Lihiya)
  • 3 pieces Palitaw, walang niyog
  • 1/2 of Tupig
• Meat and Fish

  • 1 matchbox slice or 30 grams cooked Lean Meat (Beef, Carabeef, Pork, Chicken)
  • 1 small piece Chicken Leg (30 grams cooked)
  • 1/4 Chicken Breast (30 grams cooked)
  • 3/4 cup (30 grams cooked) Variety Meats or Internal Organs
  • 1 slice (35 grams cooked) (Bangus, Dalag, Lapu-lapu, Labahita)
  • 1 piece (35 grams) cooked (Hasa-hasa, Dalagang Bukid, Galunggong)
  • 1/2 piece (35 grams) cooked Dilis
  • 1 1/4 Tablespoons (30 grams) cooked Alamang, Tagunton
  • 1/4 cup or 1/2 piece medium (20 grams cooked) Alimango, Alimasag Meat
  • 2 Tablespoons (30 grams cooked) Lobster
  • 75 pieces (30 grams, cooked) Talangka, as purchased
  • 25 grams cooked Shrimps (5 pieces PuƟ, 2 pieces Sugpo, 5 pieces Suwahe)
  • 3 pieces (25 grams cooked) Squid

  Dried Fish Products: 20 grams cooked Daing (Lapu-lapu, Sapsap, Tanigi)

  • 30 grams cooked Tinapa (Bangus, Galunggong)
  • 15 grams cooked Tuyo (Alamang, Pusit)

  Canned: 1/3 cup flaked (Salmon, Tuna in brine)

  Processed Meat: 1 slice or 45 grams cooked Lean Tocino

  Others: 1/3 cup dried Pigeon Pea Seeds (Kadyos, 55 grams cooked)

  • 1/3 cup (60 grams) CoƩage Cheese

  1 EXCHANGE LOW FAT MEAT AND FISH = 41 Kcalories

  1 matchbox slice Beef (Kabilugan, Punta y Pecho, Tadyang, Paypay)

  • 1 matchbox slice (30 grams cooked) Pork leg or pata
  • 3/4 cup or 35 grams cooked Brain (Pork, Beef, Carabeef)
  • 1 slice (35 grams cooked Karpa)
  • 1 piece Chicken egg, Salted Duck's Egg
  • 9 pieces Quail's Egg
  • 1 slice (35 grams) Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 medium or 2 small pieces Chicken Wings
  • 2 pieces Chicken Head
  • 1/2 cup (40 grams) cooked Soybean

  Processed Foods: 1 piece Sardines in Oil or Tomato Sauce

  • 1 1/2 piece Tuna Sardines
  • 2 Tablespoons canned Tuna Spread
  • 3 Tablespoons Corned Beef
  • 3 pieces Ham Sausage
  • 1/2 cup soŌ Soybean Curd (Tofu)
  • 1 slice SoŌ Soybean Cheese (Tokwa)

  1 EXCHANGE MEDIUM FAT MEAT AND FISH = 86 Kcalories

  1 slice Ham (Pigue)

  • 3/4 cup Tongue (Pork, Beef)
  • 1 piece Duck's egg (Balut Penoy)
  • 1/3 cup Roasted Peanuts
  • 1 slice (Filled Cheese, Cheese pimiento)

  Processed Meat: 1 piece Longanisa, Chorizo Style

  • 1 1/2 piece Frankfurters
  • 3 slices Salami
  • 4 slices Vienna sausage

  1 EXCHANGE HIGH FAT MEAT AND FISH = 122 Kcalories
• Fats

  • Saturated Fats: 1 strip Bacon
  • 1 teaspoon (BuƩer, Coconut oil, Margarine, Mayonnaise)

  1 EXCHANGE FAT = 45 Kcalories

  Polyunsaturated Fats: 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil (Corn, Marine, Soybean, Rapeseed, Canola, Rice, Sesame, Sunflower)

  Monounsaturated Fats: 1 teaspoon Peanut Oil, Olive Oil, Shortening

  • 2 teaspoons Peanut buƩer
  • 5 pieces Pili nut
  • 1/2 piece Avocado

  2 teaspoon LaƟk

  • 1 tablespoon (Coconut Cream, Cream Cheese, Sandwich Spread, Heavy/Light Whipping Cream)
  • 2 tablespoons Grated Coconut
• Sugar

  • 1 piece (Banana Chip, Bukayo, Caramel, Champoy, Bubble Gum, Hard Candy, Tira-Ɵra, Toffee candy, Mashmallow, Yema)
  • 1 teaspoon (Sugars, Honey, Pakaskas, Grated Panutsa, Matamis na Bao)
  • 2 teaspoons (Condensed Milk, Jams, Jellies, Preserves)
  • 2 tablespoons (Nata de Coco, Nata de Pinya)

  1 EXCHANGE SUGAR = 20 Kcalories
• Free Foods


  • Bagoong, Mustard, Bouillion, Onkon, Carbonated Water, Oregano, Candy (Hard, Sugar free), Paprika, Chili Powder, Pepper, Cinnamon, Pickle, Dill or Sour (unsweetened), Clear Broth, Coffee, Pimiento, Curry, Spices, Drink Mixes (Sugar Free), Soy sauce, Fish Sauce, Tomato Juice, Flavoring Extract, Tomato paste, Garlic, Tomato sauce, Gum (Sugar free), Tonic water (Sugar free), Herbs, Tea, Hot pepper (sauce), Vinegar, Kalamansi, Worcestershire Sauce, Kamyas, Karamay, Lemon, Unsweetened Pickle (dill or sour), Pimiento