Food contains |proteins|, |fats|, |carbohydrates|, water, |vitamins|, and |minerals|. Nutrition is the way our bodies take in and use food to maintain proper functioning, and is the foundation of good health. Eating right is critical for the proper growth and functioning of our bodies, and there is strong evidence that eating right can prevent several chronic illnesses or diseases, as well.
The first principle to good nutrition is to eat a wide variety of foods, because different foods make different nutritional contributions to our diets. Keep a balance between calorie intake and calorie usage; in other words, don't eat more food than your body can use or you'll gain weight. The more active you are, the more you can eat and still maintain the balance. Also, foods high in complex |carbohydrates| and |fiber|, low in fat, and ~cholesterol~-free (fruits, |vegetables|, |grains| and |legumes|) should make up more than 50 percent of the calories you eat. The rest should come from lean meats and poultry, fish, and low-fat |dairy| products. This will ensure that you get the proper amounts of |vitamins| and |minerals| and help keep your fat and ~cholesterol~ intake relatively low.
There are several steps to be followed for a healthy diet. |Carbohydrates| should represent at least 50 percent, with |protein| about 20 percent, of total caloric intake. Keep your total fat intake at or below 30 percent of your total daily calories. Limit intake of saturated fat to less than 10 percent of your fat calories. If you need to lower your ~cholesterol~ level, keep ~cholesterol~ intake at 300 milligrams per day or less. Eat a diet high in complex |carbohydrates|. Maintain a moderate |protein| intake. Eat a variety of foods. Avoid too much sugar. Limit sodium intake to no more than 3,000 milligrams per day. Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Get |vitamins| and |minerals| from foods, not from supplements. Maintain a desirable weight. Drink |alcohol| in moderation.
The Food Guide |Pyramid| shows the new standard for balancing your daily diet. The lower number of suggested servings in the range are for a 1,600 calorie-a-day diet. The upper end reflects a 2,800 calorie-a-day diet. Notice there is no recommendation for the top group on the |pyramid|, the |fats|, |oils| and |sweets|. These foods should be eaten sparingly. Throughout the |pyramid|, you'll see tiny circles, which symbolize fat, and tiny triangles, which symbolize sugar. These indicate that foods in these groups can provide fat and added sugar, too.
The USDA recommends you eat at least the lowest number of suggested servings from each of the lower five food groups every day. Become familiar with what makes up a serving size. Understand how serving sizes vary for children and adults. Choose from low-fat options when available. Balance your diet over time, compensating for daily deviations.
Serving sizes are important. Please remember these hints: If you eat a significantly larger portion than the suggested amount, count it as more than 1 serving. For children ages 2-5, their serving sizes are 2/3 that of the adult size, except for |dairy| foods, for which the serving sizes are the same. Consult your pediatrician for advice on feeding children under the age of two. And for children age 6 and older, use the same serving size as for an adult. The following provides serving size information for an adult for many common foods.
BREAD, CEREAL, RICE AND PASTA. 1 slice bread or 1 dinner roll; 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup cooked rice, cereal, or pasta.
VEGETABLES. 1 cup raw leafy |vegetables|; 1/2 cup cooked or raw chopped |vegetables|; 3/4 cup vegetable juice.
FRUITS. 1 medium apple, banana, or orange; 1/2 cup cooked or canned fruit; 1/4 cup dried fruit; 3/4 cup fruit juice.
MILK, YOGURT AND CHEESE. 1 cup milk or yogurt; 1-1/2 ounces natural cheese; 2 ounces ~process~ cheese. [The serving size for children under 6 is the same as for adults.]
MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, DRY BEANS, EGGS, AND |NUTS|. 2-3 ounces cooked lean boneless meat, poultry or fish; 1 to 1-1/2 cups cooked dry beans; 2 or 3 equivalents of 1 ounce of meat. The equivalent of 1 ounce of meat is 1 egg or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. It is better to eat these equivalents in moderation because eggs are high in ~cholesterol~ and peanut butter is high in fat.
