What Should You Eat to Stay Healthy?

4^^5-3-

^S^ United States \Ma¡} Department of 5^^^ Agriculture

PREPARED BY Human Nutrition Information Service

Home and Garden Bulletin Number 2S3-1

July 1993

What Should You Eat to Stay Healthy? Americans get information about diet and health

every day from newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, health professionals, family, and

friends. Finding the most reliable information can be a chal- lenge. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the best, most current advice from health and nutrition experts. These experts agree that enough is known about diet's eñécts on health to encourage certain eating practices.

(Continued on p2)

READ ON FOR...

Whicrt are the Dietary Guidelines? p.2

The Food Guide fVamid p.5

Dietary Guidelines and your diet

Food labels

Keep your food safe to eat

p.6

p.8

p.10

I@l

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans ages 2 and over. You What doeS "Diet" Mean? "diet" to describe a plan for Americans were written to reduce confusion and help you in making healthy food choices. They are meant for healthy

will need to follow your doctor's advice for feeding younger children and infants because their dietary needs are different.

Nutritionists use "diet" to mean all the food you eat. Diet is not just menus for a day or week, but your usual food choices over

weight loss or a specific pre- scription to treat a medical con- dition. In this publication, "diet" means your usual food

time. Many other people use choices over time.

What Are the Dietary Guidelines?

The Dietary Guidelines are seven recommendations about the foods you eat. They work together, emphasizing variety, balance, and moderation in the total diet. The first two guidelines form the basis of a healthy diet. Two other guidelines stress the need for many Americans to consume less fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and consume more complex carbohydrates and fiber. Other guidelines suggest only moderate use of sugars, salt, and, if used at all, alcoholic beverages. The Guidelines are:

MAINTAIN HEALTHY WEIGHT

Eating a variety of kxxis is the best way to get the energy, protein, Maintaining a healthy weight reduces your chances of developing carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need for good high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, and the health. most common type of diabetes.

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

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

LOW PAT 5W)0]«<3V11N6

A diet kwinfat (especially saturated fat) helps reduce your risk c^heart These foods provide needed vitamins, minerals,complex carbo- attack and certain types of cancer. Because fat contains over twice the hydrates, and fiber. They are generally low in fat. cakxies of an equal amount of carbohydrates or protein, a diei lew in fat can also help you maintain a heaMiy weight

DIETARY GUIDELINES AND YOUR DIET: AN OVERVIEW

USE SUGARS ONLY IN MODERATION USE SALT AND SODIUM ONLY IN MODERATION

Sugars and highly sweetened foods supply calories but are limit- ed in vitamins and minerals. Sugars also contribute to tooth decay.

IF YOU DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, DO SO IN MODERATION

Alcoholic beverages supply calories but few vitamins or minerals, and drinking is linked with many health problems. Never- theless, many people consume alcohol. If you do, moderation is important—no more than one drink a day for women; two drinks a day for men.

Nutrition Research in Hie News

New research about diet and health often gets in the newspapers or appears on the evening news. But no matter how promising or discouraging this research may be, malcing changes in your diet based on a single report may be hasty. Health and nutrition professionals who develop the Govern- ment's Dietary Guidelines base their recommendations on dozens of studies carried out over many years. They continu- ously review new research findings and make recommendations only when there is widespread agreement among ejqierts.

Eating less salt and foods containing salt and sodium will benefit those people whose blood pressure rises with higher sodium intake.

Why are the Dietary Guidelines

Important? Over the past 20 years, health professionals have become

more and more concerned about the way Americans eat. Many diets are too high in fat (especially saturated fat), cholesterol, and sodium and too low in complex carbohydrates and fiber. Such diets are one cause of America's high rates of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some cancers.

First introduced in 1980, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize getting enough protein, starch, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but not too much fat, sugars, and sodium. The basic messages of the first Guidelines remain sound and of major importance. However, some changes were made in the 1985 and 1990 editions to reflect new developments in the science of nutrition.

Changes are made to provide the public with the best, most current advice for choosing a healthy diet. Some changes that appear in the 1990 edition are —

• a daily food guide with suggested numbers of servings.

• more help for determining a "healthy" weight, including an easy way to check your body shape.

• practical suggestions that focus on foods (such as vegetables and fruits) rather than food components (such as starch andfiber).

• more emphasis on physical activity, with an updated activity chart showing calories used per hour.

• numeric goals for total fat and saturated fat intake.

• a definition of "moderate" drinking for women and men.

lyi

Are You At Risk? You may be wondering if your diet puts you "at risic" of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, or some cancers. Diet is one of several risk factors related to these conditions.

A risk factor is a characteristic that increases the chance that you will develop a particular health problem; it does not necessar- ily cause the problem. Generally, the more risk factors you have, the greater the likelihood you will develop the health problem.

It makes good sense to control those risk factors you can— maintain healthy weight, don't smoke, exercise regularly, use alcohol moderately or not at all, and choose a healthy diet. Some risk factors such as age, sex, and heredity cannot be con- trolled.

Although one or more of the Dietary Guidelines may seem more important to you, the Guidelines work best when applied together. Because we cannot tell precisely which people will benefit most from specific dietary changes, the Dietary Guide- lines are today's best general advice to help you and your family choose a healthy diet.

Reduce Your Health Risks Check Your Weight and Your Shape.

If you are too fat or too thin you are more likely to develop health problems. Use this weight chart to check if you are at a healthy weight. Another check is to compare your waist measurement to your hip measurement. A waist measuring more than the hips is believed to be a greater health risk than hips measuring more than the waist.

Have Your Blood Pressure Checked. In the United States, one in three adults has high blood pres-

sure. Normal blood pressure for adults: systolic less than 140 mmHg and diastolic less than 85 mmHg. There is no way to predict who might develop high blood pressure. Diets high in salt can increase blood pressure, as can obesity, heredity, and excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages.

Have Your Blood Cholesterol Level Checked. A desirable blood cholesterol level is below 200 mg/dl. Risk of

heart disease is increased by a high blood cholesterol level associated with a diet that is high in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. Heart disease risk is also increased by high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, age, being a male, and family history of heart disease.

Brush Your Teeth with Fluoride Toothpaste and Floss Regularly.

Good dental hygiene and limiting sugary and starchy snacks can help prevent tooth decay. Both sugars and starches — which break down into sugars — can contribute to tooth decay.

Think Before You Drink Alcoholic Beverages. Some people should not drink alcohol at all: pregnant women,

children, adolescents, people taking certain medications or people whose activities require attention or skill, and individuals who cannot keep their drinking moderate.

Suggested Weights for Adults'

HEIGHT (Wrthout shoes)

WEIGHT IN POUNDS*' (Without clothes)

19 to 34 years 35 years and over

5'0" 97- 128 108-138

5'2" 104-137 115- 148

5'4" 111-146 122- 157

5'6" 118-155 130-167

5'8" 125-164 138-178

5' 10" 132 - 174 146-188

6'0" 140-184 155-199

6'2" 148-195 164-210

6'4" 156-205 173-222

'For 0 complete chart, see the bulletin on healthy weight in this set.

"The higher weights in the ranges generally apply to men, who tend

to have more muscle and bone; the lower weights more often apply

to women, who have less muscle and bone.

Source; Derived from Nofiona/ Research Council, / 989.

Change Your Food Choices for Good Health. Use the Food Guide Pyramid as Your Guide.

Get the nutrients your body needs by eating a variety of foods from the five major food groups each day and not too much fats, oils, and sweets. Many Americans consume too much fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and not enough complex carbohydrates and fiber. Recent surveys show that over periods of several days many Ameri- cans eat no fruit, fruit juice, or vegetables.


Introducing the Food Guide ^ramid

The Pyramid helps you put the Dietary Guidelines into action by showing you the relative amounts of food to eat from each of the five major food groups. Use the Pyra-

mid to help you get the variety you need.

Fats, Oils, & Sweets USE SPARINGLY

Each of these food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients you need. Foods in one group can't replace those in another. No one of these major food groups is more important than another — for good health, you need them all.

KEY O Fat (naturally occurring and added)

V Sugars (added)

These symbols show fat and added sugars in foods. They come mostly from the fats, oils, and sweets group.

But foods in other groups — such as cheese or ice cream from the milk group or french fries from the

vegetable group — can also provide fat and added sugars.

Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese Group 2-3 SERVINGS

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, & Nuts Group

2-3 SERVINGS

Vegetable Group 3-5 SERVINGS

Fruit Group 2-4 SERVINGS

Bread, Cereal, Rice, & Pasta

Group 6-11

SERVINGS

How Many Servings are Right for You? The Pyramid shows a range of servings for each major food group.

The number of servings that are right for you depends on how many calories you need, which in turn depends on your age, sex, size, and activity level. Almost everyone should have at least the lowest num-

ber of servings from each food group daily. Many women, older children, and most teenagers and men need more. The top of the range is about right for an active man or teenage boy. For more information on range of servings and serving size see the bulletin on variety in this set.

9

Dietary Guidelines and Your Diet

The "Dietary Guidelines and Your Diet" set

will help you put the Dietaiy Guidelines into practice. Each of

the seven bulletins focuses on one guideline. Diet self-assess-

ments help you identify specific eating practices that you may

want to change. Tips on planning menus and choosing and

preparing foods show you how to use the Guidelines. Tasty

recipes will help you get started. All tips and recipes are designed

to show you how the Dietaiy Guidelines work together.

These bulletins contain many ideas and tips. Try the ones that

fit your taste and lifestyle. Make a few changes at a time. Practice

them so that they become habits, then try some more. Healthy

eating can become a way of life.

The "Dietaiy Guidelines and Your Diet" set and some of the

topics covered in each bulletin are shown below. These and oth-

er nutrition information materials are available from the United

States Department of Agriculture—see the ordering information

at the end of this bulletin.

MAINTAIN HEALTHY WEIGHT

(Home and Garden Bulletin 253-3) covers: ■ Are you at a healthy weight? ■ Tips on losing weight ■ Dieting facts ■ Exercise ■ Recipes

EAT A VARIETY OF FOODS

(Home and Garden Bulletin 253-2) covers: ■ Rating your diet ■ More about nutrients ■ Using the Food Guide Pyramid ■ Calcium and osteoporosis ■ Recipes

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

(Home and Garden Bulletin 253-4) covers: ■ Fat and cholesterol ■ What's on a label? ■ Fat content of some foods ■ Tips on reducing fat intake ■ Recipes


CHOOSE A DIET WITH PLENTY OF VEGETA- BLES, FRUITS, AND GRAIN PRODUaS

(Home and Garden Bulletin 253-5) covers: ■ Complex

carbohydrates ■ Vegetables ■ Fruits ■ Grain products ■ Fiber facts and tips ■ Recipes

USE SUGARS ONLY IN

MODERATION

(Home and Garden Bulletin 253-6) covers: ■ Dental health ■ Sugar content of some foods ■ Tips on reducing sugars ■ Recipes

USE SALT AND SODIUM ONLY IN

MODERATION

(Home and Garden Bulletin 253-7) covers: ■ Blood pressure ■ Tips on reducing sodium ■ Sodium content of some foods ■ Recipes

IF YOU DRINK ALCOHOUC BEVERAGES, DO SO IN MODERATION

(Home and Garden Bulletin 253-8) covers: ■ Facts about alcohol ■ Alcohol and calories in some beverages ■ Recipes

I@l

DID YOU KNOW...

Studies show that over

half of all consumers rely

on nutrition labels as their

primary source of nutrition

information, teaming to

read labels can help you

make healthful food

choices. Food labels hold

o lot of information— take

time to read them.

Label Basics Ingredients in all food prod-

ucts are listed from the most to the least by weight. While ingredient labels do not show the exact amount of any ingredient, they give you an idea of the relative amount of each ingredient. Knowing what is in a food can help you make healthful food choices. For example, what is the major ingredient in a packaged beef stew? Is it gravy or beef? Label reading can help people with food allergies identify ingredients that might pose a problem for them.

Nutrition information lists amounts of calories, fat, protein, carbohydrate, and selected vitamins and minerals in a serving. Under a Federal law passed in 1990, almost all packaged foods must have nutrition labels that provide information on saturated fat, cholesterol, sugars, and dietaiy fiber. Nutrition information can help you compare the amounts of fat and sodium in similar products and can help you determine how food items contribute to your day's limit for fat and sodium.

Food Labels: Your Guide to What's in the Foods You Eat

-.-50.

Who's Responsible for Food Labels?

The Food and Drug Administra- tion (FDA), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is in charge of food labeling on most packaged products, dairy products, fresh and processed seafood, and fresh vegetables and fruits. The U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture (USDA) over- sees the labeling of most meat and poultry products and eggs.

8


Much is being done to make labels easier to understand. The following changes will soon begin to appear on food labels:

Descriptors used on labels such as "reduced,"

"low," and "free" must conform to legal defini-

tions. Two ottier terms, "lean" and "extra lean,"

will be used on meat and poultry products.

Serving sizes will be standardized for various food categories such

as cereals, beverages, and frozen desserts. Manufacturers must

use these standard serving sizes to report nutrition information for

their products. Thus, all products within a category will have simi-

lar serving sizes on the label. This allows consumers to compare

products more easily. Caution: The serving size on the label still

might not be the amount you eat, so be sure to consider that.

Only a few health

messages will be

allowed, and they must be

based on well-established

scientific evidence and must

meet FDA guidelines for acceptable

messages. Health messages may

address such issues as the relation-

ship between fat and heart disease,

and fat and cancer.

Keeping Your Food Safe to Eat Following the Dietary

Guidelines is only part of a healthy diet. Preventing

food-borne illness is also important. Many government agen- cies and health departments help assure safety of foods available in the market. It's your job to keep foods safe on the way from the market to your home and once you get them home. Here are some tips:

Safe storage:

• Refrigerate or freeze perish- ables right away. Fresh poultiy and meat may be stored as pur- chased for a day or two in your refrigerator.

• Store eggs in their car- ton inside the refrigerator rather than on the door where it's warmer. • Refrigerate cream, custard, or meringue pies and foods with custard fillings, including cakes, cream puffs, or eclairs. • Keep refrigerators at 40 °F or below. Keep freezers at 0 °F or below.

• Minimize amount of time any food spends in ^^ , the "danger zone"— \ 40 to 140 OR

Food preparation: a • Keep everything clean,^^ including the work area, cutting board, and utensils. • Keep your hands clean and do not work with food when you are ill or have open sores or cuts on your hands. • Thaw food in the refrigerator or cook it from the frozen state. Food can be thawed quickly in the microwave. Cook immedi- ately after thawing in the microwave.

• Marinate food in the refrigerator,

not on the counter. Dis- card marinade after food is removed; do not save it to

use again. • Use plastic or glass cutting

boards rather than wooden ones because bacteria can live in knife cuts in the wood. / Clean all boards thor- / _^ oughly before reusing \ with another food item. • Wipe off lids of canned foods before opening. Also, clean the blade of the can opener after each use. Food processors and meat grinders should be cleaned as soon as possible after use.

• Use a ther-

mometer to ensure

that meats are com-

pletely cooked. Do not

partially cook one day and

then finish cooking the next.

• Always use different utensils for raw and for cooked foods or clean utensils thoroughly Ijetween uses to avoid cross-con- tamination. • Scrub and rinse fresh produce thoroughly to remove dirt and bacteria.

Once food has been prepared: • Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.

• Remember the "2-hour rule": perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and cheese should not be left at room tem- perature for more than 2 hours.

• Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible. Store in shallow containers to hasten cooling. Leftovers should be used within 3 days. Use leftover gravy and broth within 1 day. If leftovers are frozen, use them within 2 to 3 months. • Thoroughly heat leftovers to

boiling before serving.

Do you have questions about food safety?

Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-800-535-4555) weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time (in the Washington, D.C. area, call 202-720- 3333.) Basic nutrition questions about meat and poultry and the Dietary Guidelines will also be answered.

10


LET'S NOT FORGET

EATING IS FUN! The social aspects of eating are impor

tant. The Japanese even have an

additional guideline recommend-

ing that people "make all activities

pertaining to food and eating

pleasurable ones." If traditional

foods important to your cultural

and ethnic heritage are high in fat

or sodium, try using lower fat and

lower sodium versions or just eat

smaller portions. Take time to

enjoy meals with your family and

friends. Try new foods and

preparation methods — you

may discover new favorites!

Making eating pleasurable as well

as healthful promotes a feeling

of well being.

Some points to keep in mind Using the Dietary Guidelines • The Dietary Guidelines apply to your total diet, not just one food, one meal, or even one day, but all food choices over time.

• The Dietary Guidelines work together to help you choose a healthy diet. Choosing a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products will help you lower your fat intake.

A diet low in fat and moderate in sugars (and alcohol, if you drink) will help you maintain a healthy weight. Choosing foods with less fat will make room for calories from the variety of foods you need to get enough protein, vitamins, and minerals.

• You don't have to give up favorite foods. No single food is

"good" or "bad" by itself. It's how it fits into your total diet that counts.

• Balance your choices. Here's an example of balancing fat. If you choose whole milk rather than skim, you can balance your fat intake by leaving out 2 tea- spoons of fat elsewhere in your day's meals. For instance, skip

the sour cream or butter on a baked potato. If you enjoy ice cream, have some; just remember to eat lower fat foods at another meal to balance your total fat intake. Other options are to eat less of the high-fat choice or eat it less often or choose a lower fat alternative such as frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.

11

lyi

RESOURCES FOR MORE

INFORMATION Do you want to know more about Dietary Guidelines and the foods you eat? Just ask! TTiere are many resource jjeople who can provide more information. For example, contact —

•The Human Nutrition Information Service (HNIS) for a list of current publications on Guidelines-related topics. The address is:

U.S. Department of Agriculture HNIS, 6505 Belcrest Road, Room 328 A Hyattsville, MD 20782

•The National Institutes of Health for publications on Guidelines topics. The address is:

Building 31, Room 4 A 21 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892

•Your county Cooperative Extension Service home economist or a nutrition professional in your local public health department, hospital, dietetic association, diabetes association, heart eissocia- tion, or cancer society.

•Your local library for cookbooks containing recipes to help you lower fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sugars, and salt.

For sale a.s a set by the U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents. Mail Stop: SSPO, Washington, DC 20402-9328

ISBN 0-16-041726-0

12

What Should You Eat to Stay Healthy?

Documents

Transcript of What Should You Eat to Stay Healthy?