Nutrition Guidelines and You

The USDA and USDHHS Dietary Guidelines help determine what foods groups we should be eating and how much is appropriate based on our calorie needs. An example plan is listed below based on a 2,000 calorie diet. The chart includes what food groups to eat, number of servings, portion size and which nutrients each food group is rich in.
 
Nutrition Goals for a 2000 calorie diet:
 

Food Group:	Aim For:	What Counts?	Nutrient Rich In:
Grains	6 ounce equivalents	1 oz equivalent = 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup cooked rice, pasta or cooked cereal	Fiber, B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate), iron, magnesium, selenium
Vegetables	2 ½ cups	1 Cup = 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetable or 2 cups of raw leafy greens	Potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), Vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C
Fruits	2 cups	1 Cup = 1 cup raw fruit, 1 cup 100% fruit juice or ½ cup dried fruit	Potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C and folate (folic acid).
Milk	3 cups	1 Cup = 1 cup of milk or yogurt, 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese.	Calcium, potassium, vitamin D, protein
Meat & Beans	5 ½ ounce equivalents	1 ounce = 1 oz of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, 1 TB peanut butter or ½ oz nuts	Protein, B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc and magnesium

 
For a personalized nutrition plan for your calorie goal, visit www.mypyramid.gov and  talk with a registered dietitian to see what works best for you!
 
Including foods from all food groups is part of a healthy diet. Making smart choices within groups by picking nutrient rich, not energy (calorie) dense foods is important also. The goal is to pick foods high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants without added sugar, salt or fat! One example is choosing low-fat dairy to keep the bad fat, saturated fat, at bay while benefitting from the protein, calcium and vitamin D dairy has to offer. Aim to meet your fruit goal by choosing whole, raw fruit or canned in its natural juice or water, rather than fruit juice to reduce your intake of concentrated sugars; keep juice to 4 fluid ounces or fewer per day. Reap the health benefits of fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables without unwanted, added sodium or fats found in processed or canned foods. Canned beans such as pinto, navy, black or kidney beans can be a good option but reduce salt by buying low sodium or rinse beans well with water in a colander. For meat, choose lean meats such as chicken, turkey or fish. Avoid red meat to cut down on saturated fat and incorporate almonds, walnuts or olive oil for healthy, unsaturated fats.