The Food Guide
VA I T
United States PREPARED BY Home and ' Department of Human Nutrition Garden Bulletin Agnculture Infonnation Number 252 Service What^ in this booldet for me? What's the Best
This booklet introduces you to The Nutrition Advice? Food Guide Pyramid. The Pyramid illus- It's following the and reduce your chances trates the research-based food guidance Dietary Guidelines for of getting certain diseases. system developed by USDA and support- Americans. These are sev- These Guidelines, devel- ed by the Department of Health and Human Services en guidelines for a health- oped jointly by USDA (HHS). It goes beyond the "basic four food groups" ful diet - advice for healthy and HHS, are the best, to help you put the Dietary Guidelines into action. Americans 2 years of age most up-to-date advice or more. By following the from nutrition scientists TTie Pyramid is based on USDA's research on what Dietary Guidelines, you and are the basis of foods Americans eat, what nutrients are in these foods, can enjoy better health Federal nutrition policy. and how to make the best food choices for you.
The Pyramd and this booklet will help you choose THE DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS what and how much to eat from each food group to get the nutrients you need and not too many calories, or too Eat a variety of foods to get needed vitamins, minerals, fiber, and complex carbohy- much fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, sodium, or the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need drates, and can help you low- alcohol. for good health. er your intake of fat. The Pyramid focuses on fat because most Americans' diets are too high in fat. Following the Pyramid will help Maintain healthy weight to Use sugars only in modera- you keep your intake of total fat and saturated fat low. reduce your chances of tion. A diet with lots of A diet low in fat will reduce your chances of getting cer- having high blood pressure, sugars has too many calories tain diseases and help you maintain a healthy weight. heart disease, a stroke, cer- and too few nutrients for tain cancers, and the most most people and can This booklet will also help you leam how to spot common kind of diabetes. contribute to tooth decay. and control the sugars and salt in your diet, and make lower sugar and salt choices. Choose a diet low in fat, sat- Use salt and sodium only in urated fat, and cholesterol moderation to help reduce Page CONTENTS to reduce your risk of heart your risk of high blood The Food Guide Pyramid 2 attack and certain types of pressure. cancer. Because fat contains The Pyramid and You 8 over twice the calories of an If you drink alcoholic bever- What is a Serving? 10 equal amount of carbohy- ages, do so in moderation. Fats 6,12 drates or protein, a diet low in Alcoholic beverages supply Cholesterol 15 fat can help you maintain a calories, but little or no Sugars 6,16 healthy weight. nutrients. Drinking alcohol San and Sodium 17 is also the cause of many The Food Groups 19 Choose a diet with plenty of health problems and What Counts as a Serving, Selection Tips vegetables, fruits, and grain accidents and can lead products which provide to addiction. The Pyramid Food Choices Chart 25 How To Rate Your Diet 28 The Food Guide KEY Pyramid □ Fat (naturally occurring and added) Q Sugars (added) A Guide to Daily Food Choices These symbols show fat and added sugars in foods.
Fats, Oils, & Sweets USE SPARINGLY
Milk, Yogurt, Meat, Poultry, Fish, & Cheese Dry Beans, Eggs, Group & Nuts Group 2-3 SERVINGS 2-3 SERVINGS
Vegetable Fruit Group Group 3-5 SERVINGS 2-4 SERVINGS
Bread, Cereal, Rice, & Pasta Group 6-11 SERVINGS
What is the Food prescription, but a general eating a variety of foods to The Pyramid also Guide Pyramid? guide that lets you choose get the nutrients you need focuses on fat because The Pyramid is an a healthful diet that's and at the same time the most American diets are outline of what to eat right for you. right amount of calories to too high in fat, especially each day. It's not a rigid The Pyramid calls for maintain a healthy weight. saturated fat. Looking at the Pieces of the Pyramid
The Food Guide Pyramid emphasizes foods from the five major food groups shown in the three lower sections of The small tip of the Pyramid shows fats, oils, and sweets. the Pyramid. Each of these These are foods such as salad dressings and oils, cream, food groups provides some, USE SPARINGLY butter, margarine, sugars, soft drinks, candies, and sweet but not all, of the nutrients desserts. These foods provide calories and little else you need. Foods in one nutritionally. Most people should use them sparingly. group can't replace those in another. No one food group is more important than another - for good health, On this level of the Food Guide Pyramid are you need them all. two groups of foods that come mostly from animals: milk, yogurt, and cheese; and meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts. These foods are important for protein, calcium, iron, and zinc.
This level includes foods that come from plants - vegetables and fruits. Most people need to eat more of these foods for the vitamins, minerals, and fiber they supply.
At the base of the Food Guide Pyramid are breads, cereals, rice, and pasta — all foods from grains. You need the most servings of these foods each day. and these foods can be Added Sugars A Closer Look at Fat prepared in ways that Q These symbols repre- and Added Sugars lower fat. sent sugars added to foods Fruits, vegetables, and in processing or at the grain products are natu- table, not the sugars found Fats, Oils, and Sweets rally low in fat. But many naturally in fruits and milk. popular items are pre- It's the added sugars that pared with fat, like french- provide calories with few fried potatoes or crois- vitamins and minerals. sants, making them higher Most of the added sug- fat choices. ars in the typical Ameri- For example: can diet come from foods in the Pyramid tip—soft
ONE BAKED POTATO drinks, candy, jams, jel- lies, syrups, and table sugar we add to foods like coffee or cereal. Added sugars in the food groups come from foods K E Y: D Fat (naturally occurring and added) □ Sugars (added) such as ice cream, sweet- ened yogurt, chocolate milk, groups. That's to remind canned or frozen fhiit with you that some food choic- heavy syrup, and sweet- Calories: 120 es in these food groups ened bakery products like Fat: trace can also be high in fat or cakes and cookies. The added sugars. When chart on page 16 shows you choosing foods for a Or the amounts of added sug- healthful diet, consider 14 FRENCH FRIES ars in some popular foods. the fat and added sugars You may be surprised! As you can see, fat and in your choices from the added sugars are concen- food groups, as well as the Fat and Sugar Tips: trated in foods from the fats, oils, and sweets from '•" Choose lower fat I*yramid tip—fats, oils, the Pyramid tip. foods from the food and sweets. These foods groups most often. supply calories, but little Fat •' Go easy on fats and sug- or no vitamins and miner- Q In general, foods that ars added to foods in cook- als. By using these foods come from animals (milk ing or at the table—butter, sparingly, you can have a and meat groups) are nat- margarine, gravy, salad diet that supplies needed urally higher in fat than dressing, sugar, and jelly. vitamins and minerals foods that come from •" Choose fewer foods without excess calories. plants. But there are many that are high in sugars— Calories: 225 Some fat or sugar sym- lowfat dairy and lean candy, sweet desserts, and Fat: 11 grams bols are shown in the food meat choices available, soft drinks. For young children are an active woman How To Make the Pyramid It is hard to know how who needs about 2,200 Work for You much food children need calories a day, 9 servings to grow normally. If of breads, cereals, rice, or you're unsure, check with pasta would be right for Fats, Oils, and Sweets you. You'd also want to USE SPARINGLY your doctor. Preschool children need the same eat about 6 ounces of variety of foods as older meat or alternates per
Milk family members do, but day. Keep total fat (fat in Group may need less than 1,6(X) the foods you choose as calories. For fewer calo- well as fat used in cooking ries they can eat smaller or added at the table) to Vegetable servings. However, it is about 73 grams per day. Group SERVINGS3-5 I SERVINGS2-4 important that they have If you are between the equivalent of 2 cups of calorie categories, esti- Bread milk a day. mate servings. For 6-11 Group example, some less active For you women may need only Now, take a look at the 2,000 calories to maintain table below. It tells you a healthy weight. At that How many servings For adults and teens how many servings you calorie level, 8 servings are right for me? 1/'r\r\ calories is need for your calorie lev- of breads would be The Pyramid shows a ,OUU about right for el. For example, if you about right. range of servings for each many sedentary women major food group. The and some older adults. SAMPLE DIETS FOR A DAY AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS number of servings that Lower Moderate Higher are right for you depends about about about on how many calories you ^ZAJKJ about right for 1,600 2,200 2,800 need, which in turn most children, teenage depends on your age, sex, girls, active women, and Bread Group Sen/ings 6 9 11 size, and how active you many sedentary men. Vegetable Group Sen/ings 3 4 5 are. Almost everyone Women who are pregnant Fruit Group Servings 2 3 4 should have at least the or breastfeeding may Milk Group Senrings 2-3' 2-3' 2-3' lowest number of servings need somewhat more. Meat Group' (ounces) 5 6 7 in the ranges. Total Faf (grams) 53 73 93 The following calorie 2 O A A '^ä'oii^s 'S Total Added Sugars'(teaspoons) 6 12 18 level suggestions are based ,OUU about right 'Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers, and young adults for teenage boys, many on recommendations of to age 24 need 3 servings. the National Academy of active men, and some very 'Meat group amounts are in total ounces. (See pages 22 and 23 for Sciences and on calorie active women. details on how to count amounts of meat and other foods in this group.) intakes reported by people 'See the Pyramid Food Choices Chart for details on how to count total fat (pages 25 to 27). in national food consump- •See chart on page 16 for details on how to count teaspoons of tion surveys. added sugars.
8 Vegetable Group
Milk Group Bread Group ings from the five major What is a food groups in the Food Serving? Guide Pyramid. You need them for the vita- The amount of food mins, minerals, carbohy- that counts as a serving is drates, and protein they listed on the next page. If provide. Just try to pick you eat a larger portion, the lowest fat choices count it as more than one from the food groups. serving. For example, 1/2 To gain weight, increase cup of cooked pasta the amounts of foods you counts as one serving in eat from all of the food the bread, cereal, rice, and Do I need to groups. If you have lost pasta group. If you eat 1 measure servings? But be sure to eat at least weight unexpectedly, see cup of pasta, that would be No. Use servings only as the lowest number of serv- your doctor. two servings. If you eat a a general guide. For mixed smaller portion, count it as foods, do the best you can WHAT COUNTS AS A SERVING? part of a serving. to estimate the food group Food Groups servings of the main ingre- Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Isnt 6 to 11 dients. For example, a 1 slice of bread 1 ounce of ready- 1/2 cup of cooked servings of breads generous serving of pizza to-eat cereal cereal, rice, and cereals a lot? would count in the bread or pasta It may sound like a lot, group (crust), the milk but it's really not. For group (cheese), and the vegetable vegetable group (tomato); example, a slice of bread is 1 cup of raw leafy 1/2 cup of other 3/4 cup of one serving, so a sandwich a helping of beef stew vegetables vegetables, cooked vegetable juice for lunch would equal two would count in the meat or chopped raw servings. A small bowl of group and the vegetable cereal and one slice of group. Both have some fat toast for breakfast are two — fat in the cheese on the 1 medium apple, 1/2 cup of 3/4 cup of more servings. And, if you pizza and in the gravy from banana, orange chopped, cooked, fruit juice have a cup of rice or pasta the stew, if it's made from or canned fruit at dinner, that's two more meat drippings. servings. A snack of 3 or 4 Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese small plain crackers adds What if I want 1 cup of milk or 1-1/2 ounces of 2 ounces of yet another serving. So to lose or gain yogurt natural cheese process cheese now you've had 7 servings. weight? It adds up quicker than The best and simplest you think! way to lose weight is to Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts increase your physical 2-3 ounces of 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans, 1 egg, or activity and reduce the fat cooked lean meat, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter count as and sugars in your diet. poultry, or fish 1 ounce of lean meat
10 11 Fats fat—such as whole milk WHERE'S THE FAT? instead of skim milk. Or you may want to use it in How much fat cooking or at the table in can I have? the form of spreads, dress- It depends on your calo- ings, or toppings. rie needs. The Dietary Guidelines recommend How to check your that Americans limit fat in diet for fat bologna =16 grams their diets to 30 percent of If you want to be sure calories. This amounts to you have a lowfat diet, 53 grams of fat in a 1,600- you can count the grams calorie diet, 73 grams of of fat in your day's food fat in a 2,200-calorie diet, choices using the Pyramid and 93 grams of fat in a Food Choices Chart on cheese 12 grams 2,800- calorie diet. pages 25 to 27, and com- You will get up to half pare them to the number this fat even if you pick of grams of fat suggested mayonnaise the lowest fat choices from for your calorie level. = 8 grams each food group and add You don't need to count ^»rxwmk^ no fat to your foods in fat grams every day, but 36 grams or 9 teaspoons of fat preparation or at the table. doing a fat checkup once You decide how to use in awhile will help keep The fat in some foods adds up quickly. A bologna-and-cheese the additional fat in your you on the right track. If sandwich made with 2 slices (2 oz.) of bologna, 2 slices (1-1/2 oz.) daily diet. You may want you find you are eating of cheese, and 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise counts up to about 36 to have foods from the too much fat, choose low- grams of fat, about 9 teaspoons. However, a similar sandwich five major food groups er fat foods more often. made with lean beef, lettuce, tomato, and lowfat mayonnaise, and that are higher in served with a cup of nonfat milk instead of the cheese, has only about 6 grams of fat. Note: 4 grams of fat = 1 teaspoon -^\F4;. You can figure the Are some types of fat tures of three types number of grams of fat worse than others? of fatty acids— saturated, that provide 30% of Yes. Eating too much monounsaturated, and calories in your daily saturated fat raises blood polyunsaturated. diet as follows: cholesterol levels in many Saturated fats are found A. Multiply your total people, increasing their in largest amounts in fats day's calories by 0.30 to risk for heart disease. The from meat and dairy prod- get your calories from fat per Dietary Guidelines recom- ucts and in some vegetable day. Example: 2.200 calories x 0.30 mend limiting saturated fats such as coconut, palm, = 660 calories from fat. fat to less than 10 percent and palm kernel oils. B. Divide calories from fat per day by 9 (each gram of calories, or about one- Monounsaturated fats of fat has 9 calories) to get grams of fat per day. third of total fat intake. are found mainly in olive, Example: 660 calories from fat^ 9 = 73 grams of fat AH fats in foods are mix- peanut, and canola oils.
12 13 Polyunsaturated fats are your total fat within rec- Cholesterol blood cholesterol levels in found mainly in safflower, ommended levels. (See many people, increasing sunflower, com, soybean, the table on page 9 for their risk for heart disease. and cottonseed oils and the number of grams sug- What aliout Some health authorities some fish. gested at various calorie cholesterol? recommend that dietary levels.) Choose fat from a Cholesterol and fat are cholesterol be limited to How do I avoid variety of food sources, not the same thing. an average of 300 mg or too much but mostly from those Cholesterol is a fat-like less per day. To keep saturated fat? foods that are higher in substance present in all dietary cholesterol to this Follow the Food polyunsaturated or animal foods—meat, level, follow the Food Guide Pyramid, keeping monounsaturated fat. poultry, fish, milk and Guide Pyramid, keeping milk products, and egg your total fat to the yolks. Both the lean and amount that's right for Here are some fat of meat and the meat you. (See table on page selection tips: I*" Read nutrition and and skin of poultry con- 9.) It's not necessary to I*' Use lean meats and ingredient labels on food tain cholesterol. In milk eliminate all foods that skim or lowfat dairy packages to check the products, cholesterol is are high in cholesterol. products. kinds and amounts of fat mostly in the fat, so lower You can have three to they contain. fat products contain less four egg yolks a week, cholesterol. Egg yolks and counting those used as organ meats, like liver, are ingredients in custards and high in cholesterol. Plant baked products. Use lower foods do not contain fat dairy products often cholesterol. and occasionally include Dietary cholesterol, as dry beans and peas in Limit use of prod- well as saturated fat, raises place of meat. ucts that contain a large amount of satu- "^ rated fats. Examples are nondairy creamers and flf*y®^4 *' Use unsaturated veg- rich baked products such etable oils and margarines as pie crusts and other pas- WHERE'S THE CHOLESTEROL? that list a liquid vegetable tries, cakes, and cookies. cholesterol oil as first ingredient on Liver I 331 mg 3 ounces, cooked & the label. Egg 213mg lyolk Beef or Chicken 3 ounces, cooked Whole Milk OIL j mg0 1 cup Skim Milk 1 cup
14 16 WHERE ARE THE ADDED SUGARS? Sugars Salt and Food Groups Added Sugars (teaspoons) \ Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta | What about sugars? Sodium Bread, 1 slice 0 Choosing a diet low in Muffin, 1 medium *1 fat is a concern for every- Do I have to Cool
16 17 WHERE'S THE SALT? Breads, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta Food Groups ^Sodium, mg Bread. Cereal, Rice, and Pasta * * 1 Cooked cereal, rice, pasta, unsalted, 1/2cup Trace Ready-to-eat cereal, 1 oz. 100-360 Bread, 1 slice 110-175
1 Vegetable ' A ^ ' Why are breads, Here are some Vegetables, fresh or frozen, cereals, rice, and selection tips: cooked without salt, 1/2 cup Less than 70 pasta important? •■ To get the fiber you Vegetables, canned or frozen with sauce, 1/2 cup 140-460 These foods provide need, choose several serv- Tomato juice, canned, 3/4 cup 660 complex carbohydrates ings a day of foods made Vegetable soup, canned, 1 cup 820 (starches), which are an from whole grains, such as important source of energy, whole-wheat bread and especially in lowfat diets. whole-grain cereals. Fruit, fresh, frozen, canned, 1/2 cup Trace They also provide vitamins, !•" Choose most often minerals, and fiber. The foods that are made with 1 Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Food Guide Pyramid sug- little fat or sugars. These Milk, 1 cup 120 gests 6 to 11 servings of include bread, english Yogurt, 8 oz. 160 these foods a day. muffins, rice, and pasta. Natural cheeses, 1-1/2 oz. 110-450 (See the Pyramid Food Process cheeses, 2 oz. 800 What counts as Choices Chart on page 25 a serving? for others.) •" Baked goods made Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts • 1 slice of bread Fresh meat, poultry, fish, 3 oz. Less than 90 from flour, such as cakes, i 1 ounce of ready-to-eat Tuna, canned, water pack, 3 oz. 300 cookies, croissants, and cereal Bologna, 2 oz. 580 pastries, count as part of Ham, lean, roasted, 3 oz. 1,020 • 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, this food group, but they rice, or pasta are high in fat and sugars. '•" Go easy on the fat and Salad dressing, 1 tbsp. 75-220 Aren't starchy sugars you add as spreads, Ketchup, mustard, steak sauce, 1 tbsp. 130-230 foods fattening? seasonings, or toppings. Soy sauce, 1 tbsp. 1,030 No. It's what you add to '•" When preparing pasta, Salt, 1 tsp. 2,000 these foods or cook with stuffing, and sauce from Dill pickle, 1 medium 930 them that adds most of the packaged mixes, use only Potato chips, salted, 1 oz. 130 calories. For example: half the butter or mar- Corn chips, salted, 1 oz. 235 margarine or butter on garine suggested; if milk Peanuts, roasted in oil, salted, 1 oz. 120 bread, cream or cheese or cream is called for, use sauces on pasta, and the lowfat milk. sugar and fat used with the flour in making cookies.
18 19 Why are vegetables » starchy vegetables Why are fruits Here are some important? (potatoes, corn, peas); important? selection tips: Vegetables provide vita- » legumes (navy, pinto, Fruits and fruit juices I*" Choose fresh fruits, mins, sucii as vitamins A and kidney beans, provide important fruit juices, and frozen, and C, and folate, and chickpeas); amounts of vitamins A and canned, or dried fruit. minerals, such as iron and » other vegetables C and potassium. They Pass up fruit canned or magnesium. They are nat- (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, are low in fat and sodium. frozen in heavy syrups urally low in fat and also green beans), The Food Guide Pyramid and sweetened fruit juices provide fiber. The Food i** Include dark-green suggests 2 to 4 servings of unless you have calories Guide Pyramid suggests leafy vegetables and fruits a day. to spare. 3 to 5 servings of these legumes several times a '•" Eat whole fruits foods a day. week—they are especially What counts as often—they are higher in good sources of vitamins a serving? fiber than fruit juices. What counts as and minerals. Legumes • a medium apple, banana, I*" Have citrus fruits, a serving? also provide protein and or orange melons, and berries • 1 cup of raw leafy can be used in place of regularly. They are rich • 1/2 cup of chopped, vegetables meat. (See the Pyramid in vitamin C. Food Choices Chart on cooked, or canned fruit '•■ Count only 100 per- • 1/2 cup of other vegetables, page 27.) • 3/4 cup of fruit juice cent fruit juice as fruit. cooked or chopped raw '•■ Go easy on the fat you Punches, ades, and most • 3/4 cup of vegetable juice add to vegetables at the fruit "drinks" contain only table or during cooking. a little juice and lots of Here are some Added spreads or toppings, added sugars. Grape and selection tips: such as butter, mayonnaise, orange sodas don't count •" Different types of veg- and salad dressing, count as as fruit juice. etables provide different fat. (See the Pyramid Food nutrients. For variety eat: Choices Chart on pages 25 » dark-green leafy veg- to 28 for more information etables (spinach, romaine on how to count fat.) lettuce, broccoli); •" Use lowfat salad y deep-yellow vegetables dressing. (carrots, sweet potatoes);
ao 21 Here are some Meat, Poultry,! selection tips: Lean '•■ Choose lean meat, Fish, Dry "Tv !) ) poultry without skin, fish, Beans, Eggs, j^^^^^ Choices and dry beans and peas and Nuts often. They are the choic- ^^^^p^^ BEEF es lowest in fat. /^ y*"^^ Roasts/Steaks: *" Prepare meats in ^—j Round lowfat ways: Why are meat, poul- What counts as a Loin —^Trim away all the fat try, fish, and other serving? * Sirloin you can see. —Broil, roast, or boil foods in this group • Count 2-3 ounces of Chuck Arm important? these foods, instead of cooked lean meat, poultry, frying them. Meat, poultry, and fish PORK or fish as a serving. ••" Go easy on egg yolks; supply protein, B vitamins, Roasts/Chops: A 3-ounce piece of meat they are high in choles- iron, and zinc. The other is about the size of an Tenderloin foods in this group — dry terol. Use only one yolk average hamburger, or Center Loin beans, eggs, and nuts — per person in egg dishes. the amount of meat on Ham are similar to meats in pro- Make larger portions by a medium cfiicken adding extra egg whites. viding protein and most breast half. vitamins and minerals. VEAL ••■ Nuts and seeds are The Food Guide Pyramid • For other foods in this All cuts high in fat, so eat them in suggests 2 to 3 servings group, count 1/2 cup of except ground moderation. (See the each day of foods from cooked dry beans, 1 egg, Pyramid Food Choices this group. The total or 2 tablespoons of LAMB Chart on page 27.) amount of these servings peanut butter as 1 ounce Roasts/Chops: should be the equivalent of meat (about 1/3 serving). Leg of 5 to 7 ounces of cooked Loin lean meat, poultry, or fish Counting to see if you Fore Shanks per day. have an equivalent of 5-7 ounces of cooked lean 1 CHICKEN meat a day is tricky. Por- & TURKEY tion sizes vary with the Light & dark meat, type of food and meal. without the skin For example, 6 ounces > might come from: FISH & —1 egg (count as 1 oz. of SHELLFISH lean meat) for breakfast; Most are low in fat; —2 oz. of sliced turkey in those marinated a sandwich at lunch; and or canned in oil —a 3 oz. cooked lean are higher hamburger for dinner. Milk, Yogurt, The Pyramid Food and Cheese Choices Chart
The following chart lists that food group. commonly used foods in You can use the food each food group and the label to count fat in specif- Why are milk Here are some amount of fat in each. ic foods. Many labels on products important? selection tips: Only a few of the thou- foods list the grams of fat Milk products provide '•" Choose skim milk and sands of foods we eat are in a serving. protein, vitamins, and min- nonfat yogurt often. They listed. However, they will erals. Milk, yogurt, and are lowest in fat. give you an idea of foods How much is a cheese are the best source *' 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of from each food group that gram of fat? of calcium. The Food cheese and 8 ounces of are higher and lower in fat. To help you visualize Guide Pyramid suggests yogurt count as a serving The Food Guide Pyra- how much fat is in these 2 to 3 servings of milk, from this group because mid symbol (A) next to the foods, keep in mind that 1 yogurt, and cheese a they supply the same food item means that food teaspoon (1 pat) of but- day—2 for most people, amount of calcium as 1 is one of the lowest fat ter or margarine has 4 and 3 for women who are cup of milk. choices you can make in grams of fat. pregnant or breastfeeding, '•" Cottage cheese is low- teenagers, and young er in calcium than most For this amount of food... count this many... adults to age 24. cheeses. One cup of cot- tage cheese counts as only Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group What counts 1/2 serving of milk. Eat 6 to 11 servings daily Servings Grams of Fat as a serving? •" Go easy on high fat Bread, 1 slice 1 1 2 2 • 1 cup of milk or yogurt cheese and ice cream. Hamburger roll, bagel, english muffin, 1 They can add a lot of fat Tortilla, 1 1 3 • 1-1/2 ounces of natural (especially saturated fat) Rice, pasta, cooked, 1/2 cup 1 Trace cheese to your diet. Plain crackers, small, 3-4 1 3 • 2 ounces of process '•" Choose "part skim" Breakfast cereal, 1 oz. 1 * cheese or lowfat cheeses when Pancakes, 4" diameter, 2 2 3 available and lower fat Croissant, 1 large (2 oz.) 2 12 milk desserts, like ice milk Doughnut, 1 medium (2 oz.) 2 11 or frozen yogurt. Danish, 1 medium (2 oz.) 2 13 Cake, frosted, 1/16 average 1 13 Cookies, 2 medium 1 4 Pie, fruit, 2-crust, 1/6 8" pie 2 19
* Check product label (continued...) For this amount of food.. count ttiis many., For this amount of food., count this many..,
1 Vegetable Group 1 Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group 1 Eat 3 to 5 servings daily Servings Grams of Fat Eat 5 to 7 oz. daily Servings Grams of Fat Vegetables, cooked, 1/2 cup 1 Trace Lean meat, poultry, fish, cooked 3oz* 6 Vegetables, leafy, raw, 1 cup 1 Trace Ground beef, lean, cooked 3oz* 16 Vegetables, nonleafy, raw, chopped, 1/2 cup 1 Trace Chicken, with skin, fried 3oz* 13 Potatoes, scalloped, 1/2 cup 1 4 Bologna, 2 slices loz* 16 Potato salad, 1/2 cup 1 8 Egg.i loz* 5 French fries, 10 1 8 Dry beans and peas,cooked, 1/2 cup loz* Trace Peanut butter, 2 tbsp. loz* 16 1 Fruit Group Nuts, 1/3 cup loz* 22 Eat 2 to 4 servings daily * Ounces of lean meat these items count as Whole fruit: medium apple, orange, banana 1 Trace See page 22 for iiow to count servings. Fruit, raw or canned, 1/2 cup 1 Trace Fruit juice, unsweetened, 3/4 cup 1 Trace Fats, Oils, and Sweets Avocado, 1/4 whole 1 9 Use sparingly Butter, margarine, 1 tsp. 4 1 Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group Mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. 11 Eat 2 to 3 servings daily Salad dressing, 1 tbsp. 7 * Skim milk, 1 cup 1 Trace Reduced calorie salad dressing, 1 tbsp. Nonfat yogurt, plain, 8 oz. 1 Trace Sour cream, 2 tbsp. 6 Lowfat milk, 2 percent, 1 cup 1 5 Cream cheese, 1 oz. 10 Whole milk, 1 cup 18 Sugar, jam, jelly, 1 tsp. 0 Chocolate milk, 2 percent,1 cup 1 5 Cola,12fl.oz. 0 Lowfat yogurt, plain, 8 oz. 1 4 Fruitdrink, ade, 12fl. oz. 0 Lowfat yogurt, fruit, 8 oz. 1 3 Chocolate bar, 1 oz. 9 Natural Cheddar cheese, 1-1/2 oz. 1 14 Sherbet, 1/2 cup 2 Process cheese, 2 oz. 1 18 Fruit sorbet, 1/2 cup 0 Mozzarella, part skim, 1-1/2 oz. 1 7 Gelatin dessert, 1/2 cup 0 Ricotta, part skim, 1/2 cup 1 10 ' Check product label Cottage cheese, 4 percent fat, 1/2 cup 1/4 5 Ice cream, 1/2 cup 1/3 7 What about alcoholic beverages? Ice milk, 1/2 cup 1/3 3 If adults choose to drink, they should have no more Frozen yogurt, 1/2 cup 1/2 2 than 1 to 2 drinks a day. Alœholic beverages provide calories, but little else nutritionally. These standard-size drinks each provide about the same amount of alcohol. Alcoholic Beverages Calories Beer, 12fl. oz. (1 regular can) 150 Wine, dry, 5 fl. oz. 115 Liquor, 1-1/2 oz.* 105 'A mixer such as a soft drink will add more calories.
27 How To Rate Your Diet StepQ^ You may want to rate your diet for a few days. Answer these questions: Follow these four steps. '•■ Did you have the number of servings from the five major food groups that are right for you? (See page 9 to determine the number of servings that are right for you.) Circle the Servings Jot down everything you ate yesterday Servings You Right for You Had for meals and snacks. Grams of Fat Bread Group Sen/ings 67 8 91011 \Z1 Vegetable Group Sen/ings 3 4 5 \Z1 Fruit Group Senrings 2 3 4 |^ Milk Group Servings 2 3 \Z1 Meat Group (ounces) 5 6 7 Ll How did you do? Not enough? About right?
*■ Add up your grams of fat listed in Step 2. Did you have more fat than the amount right for you? (See table on page 9.) Grams Grams Right for You You Had Fat 53 73 93 I 1 How did you do? Too much? About right?
•■ Do you need to watch the amount of added sugars you eat? See the chart on page 16 to estimate the num- ber of teaspoons of added sugars in your food choices. Teaspoons Teaspoons Right for You You Had Sugars 6 12 18 | | How did you do? Too much? About right? Total Step 4^ Step 2. Decide what changes you can make for a healthier diet. Write down the number of grams of fat in each food Start by making small changes, like switching to lowfat you list. salad dressings or adding an extra serving of vegetables. *" Use the Pyramid Food Choices Chart to get an idea of Make additional changes gradually until healthy eating the number of grams of fat to count for the foods you ate. becomes a habit. ••^ Use nutrition labels on packaged foods you ate to find out the grams of fat they contained.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 For More Information Contact USDAs Human Nutrition Information Service. Tiie address is:
U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Information Service 6505 Bclcrcst Road HyattsNillc. MD 20782 Ask for infonihition on orderiiii^ iliesc piihliaitions:
Nutrition and Your Health: Dietan Guidelines for Americans. HG-232. 77;/.s paniplilct clisai.sses the seven guidelines for a Iwallliy diet, puhlislied by USD A and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietan Guidelines and Your Diet. HG-232-1 tlirougli 7. Each pamplilet focuses on one of the Dietary Guidelines, giving practical tips on how to make changes in your diet. Dietar> Guidelines and Your Diet. HG-232-.S througii 11. These bulletins focus on specific ways to u.se all of the / Dietary Guidelines together in choosing and preparing \ foods. You can order: /\ •^ Preparing Foods and Planning Menus / (HG-232-8) / •" Making Bag Lunches. Snacks and Desserts / / (HG-232-9) \ / •" Shopping for Food and Making Meals \ / in Minutes (HG-232-10) '•- Eating Better When Eating Out ( HG-232-11 )
Or you can contact your county extension home economist (Cooperative Extension System): public health nutritionist: or dietitian (R.D.) in hospitals, other community organizations, or pri\'ate practice.
Supersedes HO-:4y Aimust 1W2 ' '