What are the 4 main healthy eating guidelines?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have released updated versions of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provide today’s best scientific advice about how to eat to promote health, prevent disease, maintain a healthy weight, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
1. Choose a variety of foods that are high in nutrients like protein, fiber, and healthy fats as well as vitamins and minerals.
2. Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit at every meal and snack.
3. Choose whole grain options instead of processed or refined grains like white bread and pasta.
4. Limit added sugars to less than 10% of total calories.
5. Avoid trans fats, which are found in partially hydrogenated oils and other solid fats.
6. Keep a food diary to see what you’re eating and how it makes you feel.
7. Think about portion size, especially when you’re eating out or ordering takeaway meals.
Eating large portions can lead to overeating. Try to eat smaller portions, share with others and avoid supersized items or dishes.
8. Drink plenty of water or low-sodium drinks to stay hydrated and maintain a healthy weight.
9. Limit salt and sodium-containing foods, such as fried foods, processed meats, alcoholic beverages, and foods with high sodium content, to reduce your risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
10. Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or non-fat dairy products to get adequate amounts of essential nutrients.
11. Add calcium, vitamin D, and potassium to your diet.
These important minerals are found in dairy products, green leafy vegetables, legumes, and fortified breakfast cereals.
12. Ensure you have enough iron in your diet by eating red meat, fish and poultry as well as fortified breakfast cereals with added iron (12mg/100g) most days of the week.
13. Cut back on saturated fats, which are in animal-based foods, and trans-fats, which are found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
14. Eat foods that are rich in dietary fibre, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts, to help keep you feeling fuller longer.
15. Fill a quarter of your plate with proteins, such as legumes, nuts, seeds, fortified soy beverage, fish, shellfish, eggs, lower fat milk, low-fat yogurts and cheeses.
16. Avoid sugary soft drinks and candy, ice cream, desserts, fast foods, and highly processed snacks.
17. Make a conscious effort to replace highly processed foods with healthier alternatives, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain products, and lean meats and fish.
20 Conclusion: The good news is that it doesn’t have to be hard to eat healthy. It just requires some planning and attention to detail. And if you do it right, it will lead to greater energy, better mental and physical health, and less stress.
