What is a healthy diet?
The following Dietary Guidelines for
Americans age 2 years and older were developed by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services to provide the best, most up-to-date advice from
nutrition scientists
Eat a variety of foods
By eating a variety of food you'll get the energy, other nutrients and fiber you need for good health.
Balance the food you eat with physical activity; maintain or improve your weight
By balancing your food intake with physical activity and maintaining or improving your weight you will reduce your chances of having high blood pressure, heart disease, a stroke, certain cancers and the most common kind of diabetes.
Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruit
Grain products, vegetables and fruits are important sources of fiber, complex carbohydrates and other food components that can help reduce your risk of developing some chronic diseases.
Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.
By eating a diet that is low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol you will reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Doing this will also help you maintain a healthy weight.
Choose a diet moderate in sugars.
A diet with lots of sugars has too many calories and too few nutrients for most people and can contribute to tooth decay and being overweight.
Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium
This may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure in some people.
The following guideline on alcohol does not apply to children and adolescents. Children and adolescents should not drink alcoholic beverages.
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
Alcoholic beverages supply calories but little or no nutrients. Drinking them in excess is related to liver disease and some forms of cancer.
