Dietary Guidelines

Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs

Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups while choosing food that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.
Meet recommended intakes within energy needs by adopting a balanced eating pattern, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan

Weight Management

Maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended.
Prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.

Physical Activity

Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.
Reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood by engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity at work or home.
For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration
To manage weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain, engage in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity.
To sustain weight loss, participate in at least 60 - 80 minutes of daily moderate physical activity .
Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

Food Groups to Encourage

Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables. Two cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day are recommended.
Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups; dark greens, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other; several times a week.
Consume 3 or more ounce equivalents of whole grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.
Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

Fats

Consume less than 10% of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep tans fatty acid consumption as low as possible
Keep total fat intake between 20% - 35% of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.
Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.

Carbohydrates

Choose fiber rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grain often.
Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners.
Reduce the incidence of dental caries by practicing food oral hygiene and consuming sugar and starch containing foods and beverages less frequently.

Sodium and Potassium

Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 teaspoon) of sodium per day.
Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Alcoholic Beverages

Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation; defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including those who cannot restrict their intake, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with alcohol, and those with specific medical conditions.
Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in activities that require attention, skill, or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.

Hydration:

One of the most important nutrients is water! Your body is approximately 85% water and every cell in your body needs water to function efficiently.
For men, the daily recommendation is 3 liters or 13 cups
For women, the daily recommendation is 2.2 liters or 9 cups

Food Safety

To avoid microbial foodborne illness:

Clean hands, contact surfaces and fruits and vegetables.
Meats and poultry should not be washed or rinsed.
Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods, while shopping, preparing, or storing.
Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms.
Chill perishable food promptly and defrost foods properly (in refrigerator)
Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices, and raw sprouts.