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Running head: PORTUGALS FOOD BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES

Portugals Food Based Dietary Guidelines

Renee Ivers
NURS 310 - Dood

PORTUGALS FOOD BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES

Portugals Food Based Dietary Guidelines
Food based dietary guidelines (FBDG) are illustrations on healthy eating meant to
provide a basic framework to use when planning meals and daily menus. Food guidelines are
worded in easy to understand language and should be relevant to the population concerned and
practical to follow. FBDGs are used worldwide to educate people on the subject of healthy
eating choices and portions. This paper will focus on Portugals food based dietary guidelines.
Overview of Portugals food based dietary guidelines
Portugals food based dietary guidelines are composed in a circle format, made up of
seven food groups and 21 subgroups. The circle format was adopted because of its resemblance
to a serving dish. This is important in Portugal because it signifies the relevance of social
interaction within food habits (Rodrigues, Franchini, Graca, Almeida, 2006.) Nutrition experts
designed the food wheel using people with a sedentary lifestyle as a reference, as this is the most
common lifestyle among the Portuguese people. The fats and oils food group is made of 13
items (all raw foods), four subgroups: olive oil/veg oils, lard, butters, cream, and limited to only
1-3 portions daily. The milk and dairy products food group is made up of 30 items (all raw
foods), five subgroups: milk, yogurt, hard cheese, fresh cheese, curd cheese, and recommends 23 portions daily. The meat, fish, seafood and eggs food group is made of 72 items (all cooked),
two subgroups: meat and eggs, allows 1.5-4.5 portions daily. The pulses food group is made of
12 items (all cooked), two subgroups: fresh and dried, and only 1-2 portions daily. The potato,
cereal, and cereal product group is made of 64 items (both cooked and raw items), 6 subgroups:
bread, maize bread, potato, ready to eat breakfast cereals, semi-sweet biscuits, and rice/pasta, and
recommends 4-11 portions daily. The vegetable food group is made of 34 items (all raw) and no
subgroups, suggests 3-5 portions daily. The fruit food group is made of 20 items (raw) and no

PORTUGALS FOOD BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES

subgroups, is also 3-5 portions daily. Vegetables and fruits have been separated due to energy
and nutrient differences, and their diverse use in meals. Traditional Portuguese cuisine does not
include cheese in its recipes, so it is usually eaten on its own before or after the main dishes. The
recommended portions depend on individual energy needs. The published food wheel is labeled
with the sentences eat well, live better. Eat food from each slice every day. Eat more from
the bigger slices and less from the smaller ones. Eat a variety of foods within each slice, vary
them daily, weekly and seasonally. These words of wisdom allow the Portuguese people
variation in their diet, but also remind them to eat in moderation. (Rodrigues, S. S. P., Franchini,
B., Graa, P. A, Almeida, M., 2006)
Comparison Between US and Portugals Food Based Dietary Guidelines
The US food based dietary guidelines are set up in a pyramid format. (Rodrigues,
S. S. P., Franchini, B., Graa, P. A, Almeida, M., 2006) This format has been criticized due to its
hierarchy format. In 2012, the US redesigned its pyramid to list groups as slivers of the pyramid
instead of in hierarchy format. In the US the recommended daily amounts are by weight not
number of portions. This could be confusing for those unable to measure or estimate size. The
Portugal food wheel noted whether categories were raw or cooked. Basically the food groups are
similar except, Portugal has pulses (dry beans) separated out due to high consumption in their
culture. The US has now incorporated exercise into their guidelines, but not water as Portugal
has. Both, the US and Portugal recommend to consume large amounts of grains, vegetables and
fruits. (Rodrigues, S. S. P., Franchini, B., Graa, P. A, Almeida, M., 2006)
Portuguese Nutrition Effects on Health
According to the European Food Information Council (2013) the main public health
problems in Europe are diet and lifestyle related noncommunicable conditions such as obesity,

PORTUGALS FOOD BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES

heart disease, diabetes and cancer. These diseases may partly derive from an excess intake of
caloric nutrients and a shortage of certain micronutrients. The primary language in Portugal is
Portuguese followed by Mirandese. People are Mediterranean stock, citizens of black, African
descent who immigrated. As stated previously, sedentary lifestyles are common in Portugal, life
tends to move slowly and people are very laid back. Besides poor food choices, lack of exercise
can also contribute to these health problems. Portuguese people often eat three course meals,
including dessert. If the portions are not monitored this could lead to excessive calorie and fat
intake.
Portugal meal times
The Portuguese have three meals a day. Between 7:30 and 10 a.m. they have a light
breakfast consisting of coffee or fruit juice and toast or a sandwich. The main meals are lunch,
between 12:00 and 2:30 p.m. and dinner between 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Most people eat a full
meal including soup, a main dish and dessert or fruit. Snacks are important and usually eaten
around 5:00 p.m. Eating out is common practice in Portugal. Having lunch or dinner out,
especially on the weekend, is always a good excuse for meeting friends. For a dinner meeting in
Portugal one should shake hands, make eye contact, and wait to sit until everyone does. The host
will pay but he/she will serve themselves first. Unlike in America the napkin does not get placed
on a lap, but rather stays on the table.
Portugal Agriculture and topography
When developing a food based dietary guideline many items need to be considered such
as: food availability, food preferences, dietary patterns, and cultural definitions of foods (Painter,
Rah, Lee, 2002.) Portugal is located at the westernmost edge of continental Europe, bordered on
the west and south by the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one-sixth of the Iberian Peninsula which it

PORTUGALS FOOD BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES

shares with Spain. In Northwest Portugal, the summers are short and cool with mild winters. In
Central Portugal, the summers are hot with mild, rainy winters. In the south they have a dry
climate with long, hot summers. These varying conditions indicate what their agriculture will be
like. The main agriculture of the region consists of grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes,
sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, dairy products, and fish. Portugals major topographical
dividing lines are the Douro and Tagus Rivers which flow across the country and are centrally
located Serra da Estrela Mountain Range. (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.)
Common Foods of Portugal
Staple foods in Portugal include olive oil, pork, meats/fish, and pastries. Perhaps the most
important and one true staple is bread. Bread is a necessary start to any meal. Bread falls in the
potato, cereal and cereal product food group. Some popular food dishes in Portugal include
Arroz de Marisco or fish stew, made of rice and shellfish, Bacalhau a national dish of dried
salted cod, Cozido a Portuguese a vegetable and meat (usually pork) stew and Tripas a la
Porto or stomach (generally beef stomach) and bean stew with fish. Coffee is the drink of
choice and is typically available everywhere. Port is the countrys most well-known drink as
they are generally considered a leader in quality port production. More common are variations of
beer and wine. Tap water is safe to drink. Although people from other areas may have troubles
adjusting to the local tap water as it will be different from what their systems are used to. History
reports that the Portuguese people used to avoid pork due to it being an unclean meat but this has
since changed. As a whole there is no one true food avoided for religion or cultural reasons.
Holidays and traditions
Holidays in Portugal are the perfect time to try the best of the Portuguese cuisine.
Catholicism is the main religion in Portugal. In the population of 10,799 approximately 84.5%

PORTUGALS FOOD BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES

are Roman Catholic, 2.2% other Christian, and the remaining percentage is other and no religion.
Portugal celebrates most religious holidays, Carnaval Festival, Freedom Day, Portugal Day, and
Republic Day. Like America, the Portuguese celebrate with food. The Christmas holiday season
lasts between December 25 and January 6. During this time a Portuguese tradition called Janeiras
takes place. This is similar to Christmas caroling in the United States. After a song is finished the
singers are rewarded with chestnuts, apples and cured sausages. On Christmas Eve, Portuguese
families gather around the Christmas tree and crche (nativity) to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Christmas Eve is celebrated with a family dinner Consoada. This meal is traditionally boiled
codfish, potatoes with cabbage and vegetables. After the meal, traditional fried desserts are
served such as, Filhoses or filhos or fried pumpkin dough, rabanadas or bread mixed with
egg and syrup, azevias or round cakes made of a crust filled with chickpeas, sugar, and orange
peel. Christmas day people eat stuffed turkey for lunch followed by more fried desserts. The
New Year is brought in by a person eating twelve grape berries with every stroke of midnight.
Simultaneously, he or she makes a wish for every month of the year. The end of the season is
celebrated with the Feast of the Epiphany or Dia de Reis on January 6. The favorite holiday
dessert is served on that day. Bolo Rei or King Cake. This is a round cake glazed with fruits,
nuts and sugar. In the cake there are two surprises: one is a little present like fake ring or coin,
the other is a raw broad bean. Whoever gets the bean has to buy the Bolo Rei the following
year. During Easter cities are filled with flowers and lights. After the fasting of Lent the best
delicacies are eaten such as roast kid, lamb stew, meatballs, buns, chocolate and almond eggs.
(www.worldholidaytraditions.com, n.d.)
Personal food traditions

PORTUGALS FOOD BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES

As a child, my family did not have money for extravagant meals. My mother is bi-polar
and did not cook for us. My father did all of the cooking. He served about 5-6 meals on repeat
each week: spaghetti, hotdogs, macaroni and cheese, tuna casserole, chili and goulash. No
matter the meal we always sat at the dinner table and ate together as a family. Every Sunday, we
would have a nice meal of roast, meatloaf or liver. These were my favorite meals of the week.
Unlike the people of Portugal, my family never went out to dinner. Once a year, when my
parents got their income tax money we would go to a restaurant called The Sweden House. The
Sweden House was a buffet and I remember loving the different varieties of food. On holidays
we would have large feasts at one of our relatives houses. I was always amazed at how much
food was available. Commonly we would have ham for Christmas and turkey for Thanksgiving,
wherever we ended up.
Now I am an adult and trying to teach my children about food choices and tradition. Due
to after school activities we do not always eat together. We eat out more often than we should.
Eating out assures I have everyones attention. We love trying new restaurants and it gets us out
of the house. I have taught my children how to cook. My husband and I share cooking duties. We
cook meals from all different cultures and techniques and do not stick to just one. For holidays,
we have people over or go to any of our families houses but I always make sure to make a lot of
food when I cook. Unfortunately there are some gaps in my family tree so I unaware of all of the
health risks that are in my family. I am aware that increased blood pressure, high cholesterol and
stroke run in my family. Because of these risks I know to watch my salt and fat intake. I can
prepare for the unknown by using the US food pyramid as a guide to help me eat healthy and
exercise.

PORTUGALS FOOD BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES

References
Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d) World Factbook. Retrieved from
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ on 9/25/2013.
European Food Information Council. EUFICReview (n.d.) Reference Paper of the European
Food Information Council. Retrieved from www.eufic.org.
Food Guide Pyramid. A Guide to Daily Food Choices. (2012) Washington, DC: US Department
of Agriculture, Human Information Servics
Graa, P. (1999) Dietary Guidelines and food nutrient intakes in Portugal. British Journal of
Nutrition. 81(suppl 2)
Holiday Traditions of Portugal "Feliz Natal" (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2013, from
http://www.worldholidaytraditions.com/Countries/Portugal.aspx
Painter, J., Rah, J., Lee, Y. (2002) Comparison of international food guide pictorial
representations. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 102(4)
Rodrigues, S. S. P., Franchini, B., Graa, P. A, Almeida, M. (2006) New Food Guide for the
Portuguese Population: Development and Technical Considerations. Journal of Nutrition
Education and Behavior. 38(3)