“Taken together, the Dietary Guidelines encourage most Americans to eat fewer calories, be more active, and make wise

food choices.”1.

Choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods while avoiding an excess of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, salt, added sugar and alcohol.

Aim for a balanced diet everyday which includes foods from all the food groups while limiting the “bad foods”.

Balance the calories taken in from food and beverages with the amount of calories expended each day.

To prevent weight gain as one ages, make decreases in calorie intake and increase physical activity.

Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.

Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity at least 4-5 days/week in order to reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood.

Include cardiovascular, stretching, resistance and calisthenics for strength and endurance.

Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables each day while staying within the caloric limit.

Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day, making sure to consume from all five groups several times/week.

Consume 3 or more ounces of whole grains/day along with enriched or fortified grains.

Consume 3 cups/day of fat free or low fat milk or milk products.

Those who choose to consume alcohol should do so in moderation and sensibly.

Women should limit alcoholic beverages to one drink/day.

Men should limit alcoholic beverages to two drinks/day.

Avoid food borne illness: Clean hands, tools, work surfaces, etc. Cook foods to safe temperatures in order to kill microorganisms.

Chill perishable foods promptly and defrost foods properly.

Avoid raw or unpasteurized foods such as raw eggs, meat, poultry or unpasteurized milk or raw sprouts.

Consume less than 10 % of calories from saturated fats each day.

Consume less than 300 mg./day of cholesterol.

Keep total fat consumption between 20-35% of calories.

Choose polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats when possible.

Choose lean, low fat and fat free.

Choose fruits and vegetables which are high in fiber and whole grains.

When choosing prepared foods, look for those without a lot of added sugars or sweeteners.

Cut down on the amount of sugar and starch containing foods in order to maintain good oral health.

Try not to consume more than approximately 1 tsp. of salt (2300 mg.) of sodium/day.

Prepare foods with little salt.Consume foods such as fruits and vegetables which are rich in potassium.

1. http://florida4h.org