ADAPTED FROM: DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS

Fourth Edition

What is a healthful diet?

     Healthful diets contain the amounts of essential nutrients and calories needed to prevent nutritional deficiencies and excesses. Healthful diets also provide the right balance of carbohydrate, fat, and protein to reduce risks for chronic diseases, and are a part of a full and productive lifestyle. Such diets are obtained from a variety of foods that are available, affordable, and enjoyable.

To obtain the nutrients and other substances needed for good health, vary the foods you eat

     Foods contain combinations of nutrients and other healthful substances. No single food can supply all nutrients in the amounts you need. For example, oranges provide vitamin C but no vitamin B12; cheese provides vitamin B12 but no vitamin C. To make sure you get all of the nutrients and other substances needed for health, choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five major food groups (see below).

What about vegetarian diets?

     Some people eat vegetarian diets for reasons of culture, belief, or health. Most vegetarians eat milk products and eggs, and as a group, these lacto-ovo-vegetarians enjoy excellent health. Vegetarian diets are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and can meet Recommended Dietary Allowances for nutrients. You can get enough protein from a vegetarian diet as long as the variety and amounts of foods consumed are adequate. Meat, fish, and poultry are major contributors of iron, zinc, and B vitamins in most American diets, and vegetarians should pay special attention to these nutrients.

CHOOSE A DIET WITH PLENTY OF GRAIN PRODUCTS, VEGETABLES, AND FRUITS

     Grain products, vegetables, and fruits are key parts of a varied diet. They are emphasized in this guideline because they provide vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates (starch and dietary fiber), and other substances that are important for good health. They are also generally low in fat, depending on how they are prepared and what is added to them at the table. Most Americans of all ages eat fewer than the recommended number of servings of grain products, vegetables, and fruits, even though consumption of these foods is associated with a substantially lower risk for many chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer.

Most of the calories in your diet should come from grain products, vegetables, and fruits

     These include grain products high in complex carbohydrates -- breads, cereals, pasta, provisions, and rice, as well as vegetables such as potatoes and corn. Dry beans (like pinto, navy, kidney, and black beans) are included in the meat and beans group, but they can count as servings of vegetables instead of meat alternatives.

Plant foods provide fiber

     Fiber is found only in plant foods like whole-grain breads, provisions and cereals, beans and peas, and other vegetables and fruits. Because there are different types of fiber in foods, choose a variety of foods daily. Eating a variety of fiber-containing plant foods is important for proper bowel function, can reduce symptoms of chronic constipation, diverticular disease, and hemorrhoids, and may lower the risk for heart disease and some cancers. However, some of the health benefits associated with a high-fiber diet may come from other components present in these foods, not just from fiber itself. For this reason, fiber is best obtained from foods rather than supplements.

Plant foods provide a variety of vitamins and minerals essential for health

     Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and provide many essential nutrients and other food components important for health. These foods are excellent sources of vitamin C, vitamin B6, carotenoids, including those which form vitamin A and folate.

The antioxidant nutrients found in plant foods (e.g., vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin E, and certain minerals) are of great interest because of their potentially beneficial role in reducing the risk for cancer and certain other chronic diseases.   Folate, also called folic acid, is a B vitamin that, among its many functions, reduces the risk of a serious type of birth defect. Minerals such as potassium, found in a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, and calcium, found in certain vegetables, may help reduce the risk for high blood pressure.

FOR A DIET WITH PLENTY OF GRAIN PRODUCTS, VEGETABLES, AND FRUITS,
EAT DAILY:

6-11 servings of grain products (breads, cereals, pasta, provisions and rice)

-- Eat products made from a variety of whole grains, such as wheat, rice, oats, corn, and barley.

-- Eat several servings of whole-grain breads and cereals daily.

-- Prepare and serve grain products with little or no fats and sugars.

3-5 servings of various vegetables and vegetable juices

-- Choose dark-green leafy and deep-yellow vegetables often.

-- Eat dry beans, peas, and lentils often.

-- Eat starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn.

-- Prepare and serve vegetables with little or no fats.

2-4 servings* of various fruits and fruit juices

-- Choose citrus fruits or juices, melons, or berries regularly.

-- Eat fruits as desserts or snacks.

-- Drink fruit juices.

-- Prepare and serve fruits with little or no added sugars.

WHAT COUNTS AS A SERVING?:

Grain Products Group (bread, cereal, rice, and pasta):  1 slice of bread;  1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal;  1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

Vegetable Group:  1 cup of raw leafy vegetables;  1/2 cup of other vegetables -- cooked or chopped raw;   3/4 cup of vegetable juice

Fruit Group:  1 medium apple, banana, orange;  1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit;  3/4 cup of fruit juice

Milk Group (milk, yogurt, and cheese):  1 cup of milk or yogurt;  1-1/2 ounces of natural cheese;   2 ounces of processed cheese

Meat and Beans Group (meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts):  2-3 ozs of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish;  1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat.

   Two tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of meat.

CHOOSE A DIET LOW IN FAT, SATURATED FAT, AND CHOLESTEROL

     Some dietary fat is needed for good health. Fats supply energy and essential fatty acids and promote absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Most people are aware that high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet are linked to increased blood cholesterol levels and a greater risk for heart disease.

Fats and Oils

-- Use fats and oils sparingly in cooking and at the table.

-- Use small amounts of salad dressings and spreads such as butter, margarine, and mayonnaise. Consider using lowfat or fat-free dressings for salads.

-- Choose vegetable oils and soft margarines most often because they are lower in saturated fat than solid shortenings and animal fats, even though their caloric content is the same.

-- Check the Nutrition Facts Label to see how much fat and saturated fat are in a serving; choose foods lower in fat and saturated fat. Grain Products, Vegetables, and Fruits

-- Choose lowfat sauces with pasta, rice, and potatoes.

-- Use as little fat as possible to cook vegetables and grain products.

-- Season with herbs, spices, lemon juice, and fat-free or lowfat salad dressings.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs, Beans, and Nuts

-- Choose two to three servings of lean fish, poultry, meats, or other protein-rich foods, such as beans, daily. Use meats labeled "lean" or "extra lean." Trim fat from meat; take skin off poultry. (Three ounces of cooked lean beef or chicken without skin -- a piece the size of a deck of cards -- provides about 6 grams of fat; a piece of chicken with skin or untrimmed meat of that size may have as much as twice this amount of fat.) Most beans and bean products are almost fat-free and are a good source of protein and fiber.

-- Limit intake of high-fat processed meats such as sausages, salami, and other cold cuts; choose lower fat varieties by reading the Nutrition Facts Label.

-- Limit the intake of organ meats (three ounces of cooked chicken liver have about 540 mg of cholesterol); use egg yolks in moderation (one egg yolk has about 215 mg of cholesterol). Egg whites contain no cholesterol and can be used freely.

A NOTE OF ADVICE

     Try to maintain your body weight by balancing what you eat with physical activity. If you are sedentary, try to become more active. If you are already very active, try to continue the same level of activity as you age. More physical activity is better than less, and any is better than none. If your weight is not in the healthy range, try to reduce health risks through better eating and exercise habits. Take steps to keep your weight within the healthy range (neither too high nor too low). Have children's heights and weights checked regularly by a health professional.

Where do vitamin, mineral, and fiber supplements fit in?

     Supplements of vitamins, minerals, or fiber also may help to meet special nutritional needs. However, supplements do not supply all of the nutrients and other substances present in foods that are important to health. Supplements of some nutrients taken regularly in large amounts are harmful. Daily vitamin and mineral supplements at or below the Recommended Dietary Allowances are considered safe, but are usually not needed by people who eat a variety of foods.

CHOOSE A DIET MODERATE IN SALT AND SODIUM

Sodium and salt are found mainly in processed and prepared foods

     Sodium and sodium chloride -- known commonly as salt -- occur naturally in foods, usually in small amounts. Salt and other sodium-containing ingredients are often used in food processing. Some people add salt and salty sauces, such as soy sauce, to their food at the table, but most dietary sodium or salt comes from foods to which salt has already been added during processing or preparation.

To consume less salt and sodium:

-- Read the Nutrition Facts Label to determine the amount of sodium in the foods you purchase.

-- Choose foods lower in sodium and ask your grocer or supermarket to offer more low-sodium foods. Request less salt in your meals when eating out or traveling.

-- If you salt foods in cooking or at the table, add small amounts. Learn to use spices and herbs, rather than salt, to enhance the flavor of food.

-- When planning meals, consider that fresh and most plain frozen vegetables are low in sodium.

-- When selecting canned foods, select those prepared with reduced or no sodium.

-- Remember that fresh fish, poultry, and meat are lower in sodium than most canned and processed ones.