Healthy Eating Guidelines

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• QWhat should my daily limit be for added sugar?

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  A Lucette Talamas, RD , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Baptist Health South Florida

  The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of added sugars consumed. For the average American, it’d be no more than 6 teaspoons per day for women and for 9 teaspoons per day for men.

  The World Health Organization suggests limiting consumption of added sugars to less than 5% of total calories in order to reduce public health problems. For the average American, this would be about 6 teaspoons per day.

  For perspective, one teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to 4 grams of sugar. Therefore, an average 20-oz soda bottle containing 64 grams of sugar is equivalent to 16 teaspoons.

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• QWhat are some tips for healthy eating?

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  A RealAge answered

  Nutritionists and diet gurus know that the two rules to healthy eating and slimmer waistlines are: Always eat a nutritious breakfast within an hour of rising, eat every three to four hours thereafter. Of course, what you eat is also important, and can go a long way toward remedying, and preventing, sags and slumps during your day. Avoiding that sensation of being off-the-charts ravenous will help you to fight mental fatigue and subzero energy. It will also help you to make better food choices at your next meal or snack.

  From The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Less Stress, Gorgeous Skin, and a Whole New You by Amy Wechsler.

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• QWhy is a balanced diet important?

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  A Mercy Health answered

  A balanced diet is important because what people eat plays a role not only in managing illness, but also preventing it, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For example, a well-balanced diet can help keep the immune system strong and that is an important safeguard against disease and illness. 

  If a person has a chronic condition, a carefully planned menu can make a difference. For instance, incorporating heart-healthy foods into an eating plan can help prevent and lower high blood pressure and this reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

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• QHow can I make healthier food choices?

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  A Piedmont Heart Institute answered

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) offer tips for healthy eating in Dietary Guidelines for All Americans.
  
  Focus on fruits. Eat a variety of fruits—fresh, frozen, canned, or dried—rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. For a 2,000-calorie diet, you will need 2 cups of fruit each day. An example of 2 cups is 1 small banana, 1 large orange, and 1/4 cup of dried apricots or peaches. Vary your veggies.

  Eat more: Dark green veggies, such as broccoli, kale, and other dark leafy greens; Orange veggies, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash; Beans and peas, such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, split peas, and lentils. Get your calcium-rich foods.

  Each day, drink 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk. Or, you can get an equivalent amount of low-fat yogurt and/or low-fat cheese each day. 1.5 ounces of cheese equals 1 cup of milk. If you don't or can't consume milk, choose lactose-free milk products and/or calcium-fortified foods and drinks. Make half your grains whole. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta each day. One ounce is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta. Look to see that grains such as wheat, rice, oats, or corn are referred to as "whole" in the list of ingredients.

  Go lean with protein. Choose lean meats and poultry. Bake it, broil it, or grill it. Vary your protein choices with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds. Limit saturated fats. Get less than 10 percent of your calories from saturated fatty acids. Most fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. When choosing and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Limit salt. Get less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about 1 teaspoon of salt) each day.
  
  This answer is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.

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• QHow much sugar should I eat a day?

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  A UCLA Health answered

  It is important to note that humans are not intended to eat a lot of simple sugar.
  
  The American Heart Association recommends 24 grams of refined sugars per day. It doesn't take much for you to take in too much sugar–which can lead to insulin resistance, meaning diabetes and heart disease. 

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• QWhat are the dietary guidelines for American adults?

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  A Baptist Health South Florida answered

  Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that you maintain a healthy eating style by:

  • making half your plate fruits and vegetables
  • ocusing on whole fruits
  • varying your veggies
  • making half your grains whole grains
  • moving to low-fat and fat-free milk or yogurt
  • varying your protein routine
  • drinking and eating less sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars
• QHow much fish should I eat per week?

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  A Intermountain Registered Dietitians , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare

  People who eat fish often have lower heart disease rates. Based on this, the American Heart Association recommends that people eat fish 2 to 3 times each week. Good fish to consider include:

  • Lake trout
  • Salmon
  • Sardines
  • Albacore tuna
  • Herring

  Mercury is increasingly common in many sea fish. To protect yourself, eat no more than 12 ounces a week of these fish: halibut, sea bass, swordfish, mackerel, grouper, red snapper, and orange roughy.
• QHow much dairy should I eat per day?

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  A Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answered

  Experts recommend that your protein and dairy together should not exceed 3 to 7 servings a day. This gives you the right amount of protein and amino acids. Remember that this product is good for you in moderation and should be eaten along with other essential foods on the food pyramid.

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• QWhat are the new American Dietary Guidelines 2010 key recommendations?

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  A HealthCorps answered

  Balance calories to maintain weight

  • Prevent or reduce being overweight or obese through improved eating patterns and physical activity
  • Control your daily total calories
  • Increase physical activity and reduce sedentary time
  • Maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life -- as you get older your metabolic rate typically slows -- so you do need to reduce calorie intake and/or increase physical activity

  Foods and food components you need to eat less of:

  • Sodium -- The average healthy American should target at or below 2300 mgs sodium daily, and 1500 mgs/day or less if you are a child, over 51 years old, or suffer from  a chronic disease. It is preferable for most people to target the 1500 mgs/day if possible.
  • Saturated fat -- Keep saturated fat at or below 10% of total daily calories consumed.
  • Cholesterol -- Keep daily consumption of total cholesterol at or below 300 mg.
  • Trans fats -- Try not to consume any trans fats.
  • Added fats, sugars -- Keep daily intake as low as possible, which means eat less refined and processed foods.
  • Limit processed foods -- The target is to reduce foods that have added sugars, unhealthy fats, sodium.
  • Alcohol -- If you don’t drink, don’t start. If you enjoy alcohol, women should limit to one drink per day, men to two drinks per day, and only if you are of legal age.

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• QWhat breads, cereals, and starches should I eat most often?

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  A Intermountain Registered Dietitians , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare

  Most often you should eat:

  • Whole grain bread
  • Brown rice
  • Oatmeal
  • Whole wheat bagels, pasta, and tortillas
  • Unsalted fat-free crackers
  • Rye or rice wafers
  • Air-popped popcorn
  • White or sweet potatoes (whole, with skin on)
  • Corn (prepared without salt or butter)

  Occasionally you may eat:

  • Homemade pancakes, muffins, and waffles
  • White bread, white rice, and white pasta

  Avoid or eat sparingly:

  • Doughnuts and croissants
  • Salty snacks: pretzels, chips, crackers, etc.
  • Store-bought baked goods made with saturated fat or hydrogenated oils: muffins, cupcakes, sweet rolls, etc.
  • Egg or chow mein noodles
  • Fried rice
  • Fried potatoes such as French fries and hash browns
  • Baked or mashed potatoes with butter and/or sour cream