So why should you still supplement?
Many authorities believe that RDA figures err on the low side, and ample evidence exists that this is probably correct. It is also now known, following brilliant research at the University of Texas by Professor Roger Williams, that all of us have individual variations in our needs for some nutrients. This means that hardly anyone actually fits the prescribed requirements for all nutrients, having some genetic idiosyncratic need for greater amounts of some of the 50 odd substances without which our bodies cannot function correctly. The additional support which a 'health insurance' supplement containing all the minerals and vitamins we do know about, will enhance the benefits of the life extension calorie restriction diet.

2,000 calorie per day pattern
If you are 50 or over (and if your health status allows, see the caution at the beginning of the previous chapter) and if you wish to follow a calorie restriction diet, you can choose this pattern. If you are under 50 years of age choose between this and the 1,800 calorie per day pattern, according to preference.

This pattern meets all the requirements of a person weighing 85 kilos (1871b/13.5 stone) or anyone weighing up to 110 kilos (2421b/17.25 stone).

Juggling with EUs and grams
You will, by now, be able to see that making the calculations to meet particular daily requirements in grams of protein and fat, as well as the number of calories, involves finding a balance. Adding or taking away EUs from the various categories of food will always have different effects on these totals, since each category of EUs carries different values in grams of fat and/or protein and calories.

It is not difficult to achieve balance, whatever body weight you have to accommodate the diet to, but it does take just a little patience, plus a pencil and paper. Let's look at another example.

What do you do if you weigh only 60 kilos?
Again, a number of adjustments are needed to meet the protein and fat requirements if you weigh 60 kilos (1321b/9.5 stone) and wish to follow a balanced 2,000 calorie per day diet.

Your protein intake should range between (60 x 0.8) 48 grams and (60 x 1.0) 60 grams. The diet above provides 85 grams of protein so we have to change the EU selections in order to lose at least 25 of these. At the same time the fat intake needs attention, since a 60 kilo person should have a range between (60 x 0.4) 24 grams and (60 x 0.6) 36 grams daily. We therefore need to reduce fat intake by 9 grams or so. We could start by making a sharp but safe cut in the High Protein intake from 5 to 1.5 EUs. This would trim 180 calories and 25 grams of protein (and about 11 grams of fat) off the totals, which is a good start.

But we need to regain the calories lost in this cut in order to stay around 2,000 per day. We could help towards this by increasing Grains/Starches by 2 EUs which would add 140 calories as well as 4 grams of protein.

We have now done all we need to do with fats, but still must lose a few grams of protein, having cut 25 but added back 4 (a net loss of 21) so that we can achieve a total cut in protein of 25 grams.

The pattern now looks like this:

What can we adjust in order to get the protein level down to meet the upper limit of 60 grams per day for someone weighing 60 kilos? A half an EU taken off the Dairy category would give us a further reduction of 40 calories and 4 grams of protein. This is precisely what we need to meet our protein requirement, but leaves our calorie intake on the low side.

We could add one more EU to the Fruit category, bringing this to 13 EUs, which would return us to a reasonable balance, allowing 1,965 calories.

Note: This may seem an extraordinary amount of fruit. However, as you will see when you get to the EU lists below, some elements in the Fruit category carry very high EU values (fruit juices and melons for example). Half a cup of orange juice or a third of a cup of unsweetened apple or pineapple juice equals 1 EU. Just two or three cups of juice a day or a slice of melon would make a large dent in the Fruit EU allowance!

We have now reached the following adjusted EU content for a 60 kilo person on a 2,000 calorie per day diet:

Here we have a pattern which would suit someone weighing between 60 and 85 kilos (1321b/9.5 stone and 1871b/13.5 stone). Anyone trying to follow this diet whose weight is below 60 kilos would have to adjust High Protein downwards and increase other categories, such as Vegetables or Grain/Starch or Fruit, in order to achieve a balance.

Other nutrient content of the diet
The outlined 2,000 calorie diet based on exchange units will provide (as in the case of the 1,800 calorie diet) a more than adequate level of important nutrients. In addition to adequate protein and fat, it ensures an intake of far more calcium (50 per cent more), iron, vitamin A (more than double), vitamin C (50 per cent more) and a number of important B vitamins than the recommended daily allowances (RDA) issued by health authorities in the US and UK. The chances of malnutrition on such a diet are nil, if the guidelines are followed, as are the chances of toxicity from too much of any of these.

The next stage in our quest is to examine the content of the various exchange unit categories. Remember that you can exchange any item in one category with any other item in that category, in order to 'use up' all your available units, as prescribed by the 1,800 and 2,000 calorie diets, as modified by your particular weight and the way this alters your protein and fat intake requirements.

When you do so (make an exchange that is) check for those items which have additional Fat Protein EUs, and make allowances for this as you modify your diet, making sure that you do not exceed your fat or protein intake as described in detail above.

Remember: You should never exchange EUs from one category with those of another.

Exchange unit lists
Any exchange unit (EU) measure given below can be exchanged for any other EU on the same list, but not for items on any of the other lists. As you select these foods check that you are also ensuring adequate protein and fat intake based on your present weight (see the previous chapter for how to calculate these amounts).

Make sure you are getting the right number of EUs to meet your calorie needs. Eat all the food selected by you from each category of foods, or you will unbalance your programme.

Dairy
Each Dairy exchange unit contains 8 grams of protein and provides 80 calories. Some Dairy EUs also contain Fat EUs, and these will be listed. Saturated fats such as butter and cream are listed in the Fat exchange unit category. Some cheeses are listed in the High Protein exchange unit category. Try to have never more than 2.5 EUs daily in the Dairy category or less than 1.5 unless you are allergic to milk.