Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Eating is one of life's greatest pleasures. Since there are many foods and many ways to build a healthy diet and lifestyle, there is a lot of room for choice. The dietary guidelines are designed to help answer the question: "What should I eat to stay healthy?" They provide advice for healthy Americans over two years old about which food choices promote health and prevent disease. The following is a condensed list of the United States Department of Agriculture’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines may help with basic meal planning by providing key recommendations in nine main areas:
ADEQUATE NUTRIENTS WITHIN CALORIE NEEDS
- Consume a variety of foods.
- Limit your intake of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugar, salt, and alcohol.
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
- To maintain weight, balance calories taken in with those expended.
- To prevent weight gain, make small decreases in food intake and increase your physical activity.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
- Regular physical activity including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises helps to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.
- To reduce the risks of chronic disease participate in 30 minutes or more of moderate- intensity physical activity (like walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, or swimming) at work or home, most days of the week.
- For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.
- To maintain weight and prevent weight gain, participate in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity on most days of the week.
- To lose weight; participate in 60 -90 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week.
FOOD GROUPS TO ENCOURAGE
- Consume adequate fruits and vegetables, while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2 ˝ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference intake of 2,000 calories per day with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.
- Consume three or more ounce servings of whole-grain products per day with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. At least half of the grains you consume should come from whole grains.
- Consume three cups of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products every day.
- Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. Select from all five vegetable sub-groups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.
- Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk products are all important to maintain a healthful diet and can be good sources of many nutrients.
- When increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grain, and fat-free or low fat products, it is important to decrease one’s intake of less nutrient-dense foods to control calorie intake.
- Fruits and vegetables provide a variety of micronutrients and fiber.
- In the fruit group, consumption of whole fruits (fresh, frozen, canned, dried) rather than fruit juice for the majority of the total daily amount is suggested to ensure adequate fiber intake.
- Different vegetables are rich in different nutrients. It is recommended that a specific amount from each of the five subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes [dry beans], starchy and other vegetables) be consumed weekly for adequate nutrient intake. Each subgroup provides different nutrients.
WHOLE GRAINS
- Whole grains are an important source of fiber and other nutrients.
- Consuming at least three or more ounce-equivalents of whole grains per day can reduce the risk of several chronic disease and may help with weight maintenance.
- At all calorie levels, all age groups should consume at least half the grains as whole grains to achieve the fiber recommendation.
FATS
- Consume less than 10% of calories from saturated fats, and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fat consumption as low as possible.
- Keep total fat intake between 20-35% of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
- Choose lean meats, protein choices, and low-fat or fat-free milk products.
CARBOHYDRATES
- Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.
- Half of the grains you consume should be whole grains.
SODIUM AND POTASSIUM
- Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 tsp. of salt) of sodium per day.
- Consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
- If you drink alcohol do so in moderation; one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men.
FOOD SAFETY
- Keep food safe to eat by cooking thoroughly, washing hands and food contact surfaces, refrigerating or freezing food when appropriate, and by avoiding raw or un-pasteurized meats and dairy products.
References
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 Web site, search for key recommendations for specific population groups and other information
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If
you are a registered University
of Illinois student and you have questions or concerns,
If you are concerned about any difference in your treatment plan and the information in this handout, you are advised to contact your health care provider.
Visit the McKinley Health Center Web site at: http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu |
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HEd. III-234 |
© The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, 2006. |
12-14-06 |
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