| Course | INHE 2320 Nutritional Science |
|---|---|
| Week | Week 8 |
| Paper type | Special diet appraisal |
| Length | About 660 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Walden University |
| Program | BS in Integrative Health |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for INHE 2320 Week 8
Three Plant-Based Days, Counted Before Judged: A Special Diet Appraisal Naming the Nutrients a Vegan Pattern Leaves Exposed, Each With a Calculated Figure
Student Name
Walden University
INHE 2320: Nutritional Science
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Three Plant-Based Days, Counted Before Judged: A Special Diet Appraisal Naming the Nutrients a Vegan Pattern Leaves Exposed, Each With a Calculated Figure
The Pattern and the Method
The pattern appraised is fully plant-based, with no meat, fish, eggs or dairy. Reasons for choosing it vary, from ethics to environment to health, and this appraisal sets them aside to count. Three representative days were built for a person of Dana's size and age using common foods: oatmeal, fortified soy beverage, tofu set with calcium sulfate, lentils, black beans, chickpeas, brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat bread and pasta, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables. Each item was matched to the federal food composition database and the days were totaled the same way as Dana's own record (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service [USDA ARS], 2019).
The Totals
Table 1
Selected nutrients for three plant-based days against references for women aged 31 to 50
| Nutrient | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Mean | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1,436 kcal | 1,566 kcal | 1,736 kcal | 1,579 kcal | Not applicable | |
| Protein | 58.7 g | 66.9 g | 85.2 g | 70.2 g | 54 g (0.8 g/kg) | |
| Fiber | 30.5 g | 57.2 g | 45.8 g | 44.5 g | 25 g AI | |
| Calcium | 1,406 mg | 902 mg | 1,546 mg | 1,285 mg | 800 mg EAR | |
| Iron | 12.4 mg | 27.3 mg | 18.7 mg | 19.5 mg | 8.1 mg EAR | |
| Zinc | 9.6 mg | 13.4 mg | 11.5 mg | 11.5 mg | 6.8 mg EAR | |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.1 µg | 4.0 µg | 2.1 µg | 2.7 µg | 2.0 µg EAR | |
| Vitamin D | 2.7 µg | 3.7 µg | 2.7 µg | 3.0 µg | 10 µg EAR | |
Day 2 includes a fortified breakfast cereal; every day includes one cup of fortified soy beverage.
On these figures the pattern looks strong. Fiber is almost twice the Adequate Intake, and protein, calcium, iron and zinc all clear their references on the mean. Saturated fat, at 7.2 g a day, is about half of Dana's recorded intake. But four nutrients deserve a closer look, and in each case the figure alone overstates how secure the intake is.
Nutrients the Pattern Leaves Exposed
Vitamin B12. The mean of 2.7 µg exceeds the Estimated Average Requirement, but every microgram comes from fortified foods: about 2.0 µg from each cup of fortified soy beverage and the rest from Day 2's cereal. Unfortified plant foods supply essentially none. Remove the soy beverage and the intake falls to near zero, which is why vegan diets require a reliable fortified source or a supplement (Craig, 2009).
Vitamin D. At 3.0 µg, the mean is well below the 10 µg EAR, and again all of it comes from fortification. Sunlight can supply vitamin D, but intake alone cannot be relied on in this pattern.
Iron. The mean of 19.5 mg looks generous, but all of it is non-heme iron, which is absorbed less well than the heme iron in meat. The Dietary Reference Intakes state that iron requirements for vegetarians are about 1.8 times those of nonvegetarians (Institute of Medicine, 2001). Against that adjusted figure, roughly 32 mg for women of Dana's age, the pattern falls short on all three days.
Zinc. Plant sources of zinc come with phytate, which reduces absorption. The mean of 11.5 mg clears the EAR, but an expert position on vegetarian diets notes that vegetarians may need more zinc than the standard references suggest (Melina et al., 2016), leaving this nutrient near the margin.
What the Appraisal Does Not Say
The pattern is not judged good or bad overall. Carefully planned vegan diets are considered appropriate for all stages of life by a major professional body (Melina et al., 2016), and these three days support much of that view. The appraisal says only that four nutrients depend on fortified foods, supplements or careful choices, and that a person adopting the pattern should know which ones. Long-chain omega-3 fats and iodine were not in the analysis tool's output and are noted as unassessed.
References
Craig, W. J. (2009). Health effects of vegan diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(5), 1627S-1633S. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736N
Institute of Medicine. (2001). Dietary reference intakes for vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium, and zinc. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/10026
Melina, V., Craig, W., & Levin, S. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(12), 1970-1980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. (2019). FoodData Central: SR Legacy. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
The Walden INHE 2320 Week 8 instructions
Special diet assignments ask students to analyze a restricted eating pattern, such as vegan, ketogenic or gluten-free, and identify nutritional strengths and risks. Prompts typically ask students to build sample days, analyze them with a database or software and discuss nutrients of concern with evidence. Instructors look for conclusions supported by calculated figures. Appraisals that list commonly cited risks without analyzing any days, or that argue for or against the pattern on ethical or health grounds, tend to earn less credit than those that count first and explain each concern with numbers. Some instructors assign the pattern; others let students choose one they follow or are curious about.
How this INHE 2320 Week 8 example is built
The appraisal describes the pattern and the foods used to build three representative days, then states that each item was matched to the federal database. A table gives energy and seven nutrients for each day, the mean and the reference. A paragraph summarizes the pattern's strengths. Four short sections then examine vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron and zinc, each with the calculated figure and the reason it is less secure, citing a review of vegan diets, the reference intakes for iron and an expert position paper. A final section states what the appraisal does not judge and what was not assessed. The three days were built to resemble realistic eating rather than to optimize any nutrient. Each concern section begins with the calculated figure before explaining it.
INHE 2320 Week 8 rubric: what earns full marks
Instructors generally reward appraisals built on calculation, and the three analyzed days secure the main share. Naming strengths as well as risks shows balance. The strongest credit usually goes to explaining why a figure that clears its reference may still be insecure, as with B12 depending on fortification and iron on absorption. Citing the vegetarian iron adjustment accurately shows careful reading of the reference intakes. Stating what was not assessed, such as iodine and long-chain omega-3 fats, shows honesty about the tool's limits. Correct citations for four sources complete the work. Building realistic rather than optimized days keeps the appraisal fair to the pattern.
Common INHE 2320 Week 8 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Build at least three realistic days of the pattern using foods people actually eat. Analyze them with the same database you used for your own record. Report the totals before naming concerns. For each nutrient of concern, give the figure and say how secure it really is once fortification and absorption are considered. Mention strengths too. Note any nutrients your tool did not report. If building and analyzing sample days is taking too long, we can prepare a sample appraisal for the pattern you were assigned. Build realistic days rather than days designed to meet every target. Start each concern with its number, then explain why the number may not be secure. Note which nutrients your tool did not report.
Get a INHE 2320 Week 8 example written to your instructions
Which pattern your prompt assigned decides nearly everything, so name it alongside the Week 8 instructions and the rubric. Nothing personal is needed, because the representative days are constructed from scratch. The appraisal arrives in 24-48 hours, the first at no cost, with at-risk nutrients quantified and fortified foods run both ways.
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INHE 2320 Week 8 questions, answered
Where can I find a free INHE 2320 Week 8 sample paper?
The full plant-based diet appraisal is printed on this page, with three analyzed days.
Which nutrients does the pattern leave exposed?
Vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron and zinc.
Where does vitamin B12 come from in these days?
Entirely from fortified soy beverage and a fortified cereal.
Why is iron a concern if the figure looks high?
Plant iron is absorbed less well, so vegetarians need about 1.8 times as much.
Does the appraisal say vegan diets are unhealthy?
No. It identifies nutrients that need planning, not a verdict on the pattern.