Understanding Dietary Guidelines

The Dietary Guidelines are aimed at helping people choose a diet and exercise plan that will reduce their risk for major chronic diseases.

The guidelines are a joint production of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and are revised every five years so as to keep up with the latest scientific evidence. The first edition came out in 1980 and the most recent one was released in 2005. The current edition features nine basic guidelines that focus on weight control, exercise, and getting the most nutritional bang for your caloric buck—all things that nutritionists have been preaching for ages!

1. Eat nutrient-dense foods within caloric needs. Eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods and limit your intake of saturated and trans fats, added sugars, cholesterol, salt, and alcohol.
2. Maintain a healthy weight. Maintain a healthy body weight by balancing calories in (from food) and calories out (from physical activity).
3. Be physically active on most days. Regular exercise is an important factor in keeping your weight in check and your body and mind in great shape.

To help prevent chronic diseases, try to exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days.

To help prevent weight gain, aim for about 60 minutes of exercise on most days.

To maintain weight loss, shoot for 60 to 90 minutes of exercise on most days.

4. Encourage certain food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy RULE!

Make a point of having dark green, orange, and starchy vegetables—as well as legumes—several times a week.

Make most of your grains whole grains (try for at least 3 servings per day).

Consume 3 cups of fat-free milk, low-fat milk, or equivalent milk products per day.

5. Choose the right fats. Keep your total fat intake around 20 to 35 percent of daily calories, and go for mainly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats— the kind found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Food for Thought

Women:"Moderation" is defined as up to one 12-ounce beer, one 5- to 6-ounce glass of wine, or 1¼ ounces of distilled spirits per day.

Men:"Moderation is defined as up to two 12-ounce beers, two 5- to 6-ounce glasses of wine, or 3 ounces of distilled spirits per day.

Keep trans fat consumption as low as possible, consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat, and aim for a cholesterol intake of less than 300 mg per day.

When selecting meat, poultry, and milk products, choose lean, low-fat, or fat-free types.

6. Choose healthy carbohydrates. Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often and try to avoid packaged products that contain lots of added sugars.
7. Get less sodium and more potassium. Choose and prepare foods with little salt, while consuming lots of potassium-rich foods. Your daily sodium intake should be less than 2,300 mg—that's approximately 1 teaspoon of table salt.
8. Limit alcoholic beverages. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so sensibly and in moderation.
9. Keep your food safe. Avoid food-borne illness—especially if you are pregnant or have a compromised immune system.