Healthy Eating…What does that mean, really?

An overview of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 and the new Food PyramidPrepared especially for use by Us TOO ChaptersPrepared by Karen Bacher, MS, MEd, Program Director, Us TOO International

Introducing the new food pyramid

Key recommendations for the general population based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005

Developed by the USDA

Resource: www.mypyramid.gov

A Look at the New Food Pyramid

Sample 2000 calorie/day plan

Get Your Own Customized Food Pyramid!

Help find the kinds and amounts of foods you should eat each day at MyPyramid.gov. When you enter your age, gender, and activity level, you get your own plan at an appropriate calorie level. The food plan includes specific daily amounts from each food group and a limit for discretionary calories (fats, added sugars,alcohol). Your food plan will be one of the 12 calorie levels of the food intake patterns from the Dietary Guidelines.

Download your own food plan diary!

An Overview of What You’ll Learn

Next, we will review the basic recommendations put forth in the Dietary Guidelines for 2005. After the presentation, we suggest you visit the website: mypyramid.gov to download your own customized food pyramid guide and start your journey to a healthier diet and a healthier YOU!

Variety is key…

Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within the basic food groups while choosing foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats.Include grains, fruits and veggies, low fat dairy, and lean meats/nuts.

The “Whole” Truth!

Eating More Whole Grains (at least 3 ounces)

To eat more whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product – such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice. It’s important to substitute the whole-grain product for the refined one, rather than adding the whole-grain product.

Get Fruity!

Choose a variety of fruits!

What foods are in the fruit group? Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.

Some commonly eaten fruits are: Apples Apricots Avocado Bananas Berries Grapefruit Grapes Kiwi fruit Lemons Limes Mangoes Melons Nectarines Oranges Peaches Pears Papaya Pineapple Prunes Tangerines or any 100% Fruit juice

Mom was right all along!

Choose a variety of veggies!Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the vegetable group. Vegetables are organized into 5 subgroups, based on their nutrient content. For example:

Dark green vegetables: broccoli, collard greens, kale, spinachOrange vegetables: squash carrots pumpkin sweet potatoes

Choose a variety of veggies!

Dry beans and peas: black beans, black eyed peas, soy beans

Starchy vegetables: corn, green peas, potatoes

Other vegetables: asparagus cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes

Got (skim) Milk?

Choosing Milk/Dairy Products

All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group. Foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are part of the group, while foods made from milk that have little to no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream, and butter, are not. Most milk group choices should be fat-free or low-fat.

Wise Dairy Selections

Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. If you choose milk or yogurt that is not fat-free, or cheese that is not low-fat, the fat in the product counts as part of the discretionary calorie allowance. If sweetened milk products are chosen (flavored milk, yogurt, drinkable yogurt, desserts), the added sugars also count as part of the discretionary calorie allowance.

Please note: for those who are lactose intolerant, lactose-free and lower-lactose products are available. These include hard cheeses and yogurt.

You’ve got to be nuts!

Meat/Poulty/Nuts/Beans

All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group. Dry beans and peas are part of this group as well as the vegetable group. Most meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat. Fish, nuts, and seeds contain healthy oils, so choose these foods frequently instead of meat or poultry.

Meat/cont’d

Choose lean or low-fat meat and poultry. If higher fat choices are made, such as regular ground beef (75 to 80% lean) or chicken with skin, the fat in the product counts as part of the discretionary calorie allowance. Select fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring, more often.

A note about nuts…

Sunflower seeds, almonds, and hazelnuts (filberts) are the richest sources of vitamin E in this food group.

To help meet vitamin E recommendations, make these your nut and seed choices more often.

Good Fats Vs. Not So Good Fats

Fats and Oils

Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, like the vegetable oils used in cooking. Oils come from many different plants and from fish. Some common oils are:

canola oil corn oil cottonseed oil olive oil safflower oil soybean oil

More about oils and fats…

A number of foods are naturally high in oils, like: nuts, olives, some fish, avocados. Foods that are mainly oil include mayonnaise, certain salad dressings, and soft (tub or squeeze) margarine with no trans fats. Check the Nutrition Facts label to find margarines with 0 grams of trans fat. Amounts of trans fat will be required on labels as of 2006. Many products already provide this information.

Last note on oils and fats…

Most oils are high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, and low in saturated fats. Oils from plant sources (vegetable and nut oils) do not contain any cholesterol. In fact, no foods from plants sources contain cholesterol. Choose these!

A few plant oils, however, including coconut oil and palm kernel oil, are high in saturated fats and for nutritional purposes should be considered to be solid fats. Use these sparingly.

Spend these next items wisely!

Discretionary Calories

You need a certain number of calories to keep your body functioning and provide energy for physical activities. Think of the calories you need for energy like money you have to spend. Each person has a total calorie “budget.” This budget can be divided into “essentials” and “extras.”Depending on the foods you choose, you may be able to spend more calories than the amount required to meet your nutrient needs. These calories are the “extras” that can be used on luxuries like solid fats, added sugars, and alcohol, or on more food from any food group. They are your “discretionary calories.”

Don’t blow the budget!

Each person has an allowance for some discretionary calories. But, many people have used up this allowance before lunch-time! Most discretionary calorie allowances are very small, between 100 and 300 calories, especially for those who are not physically active. For many people, the discretionary calorie allowance is totally used by the foods they choose in each food group, such as higher fat meats, cheeses, whole milk, or sweetened bakery products.

30 minutes a day and I mean it!

Get Active! Exercise is part of the pyramid!

Physical activity simply means movement of the body that uses energy. Walking, gardening, briskly pushing a baby stroller, climbing the stairs, playing soccer, or dancing the night away are all good examples of being active. For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous and add up to at least 30 minutes a day.

Run, Walk, Stretch, Lift!

Choose a moderate or vigorous activity to get the full benefits:

Moderate physical activities include:Walking briskly (about 3 ½ miles per hour) Hiking, Gardening/yard work, Dancing, Golf (walking and carrying clubs), Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour), Weight training (general light workout) Vigorous physical activities include: Running/jogging (5 miles per hour), Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour), Swimming (freestyle laps), Aerobics, Walking very fast (4 ½ miles per hour), Heavy yard work, such as chopping wood,Weightlifting (vigorous effort), Basketball (competitive)

Want to learn more?

Helpful Resources on the Web:

http://www.mypyramid.gov/ This site will help you design the exact food pyramid that is right for you based on your age and level of activity!http://www.dietitian.com/ibw/ibw.htmlThis site will help you determine your healthy body weight as well as your body mass index and daily calorie allowance!

More helpful resources on the web:

http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/portion/portion2.cgi?action=question&number=1 This website will help you identify a healthy portion size for common foods and beverages.http://www.nutrition.gov/index.php?mode=subject&subject=ng_weight_control&d_subject=Weight%20Management Learn all about how to manage your weight at this site!

Now get out of here and go eat something good for you!

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