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Balancing Your Diet


The Food Pyramid
A healthy diet includes foods from all food groups.

The food pyramid is a basic guide to good eating.

Source: USDA and DHHS

Making a Food Diary

Keeping track of what you eat will make you more conscious of your eating habits and help you manage nutrition and portion sizes.

Activity: Keep a diary of everything you eat and drink for at least one week and evaluate your eating habits. Or, track your diet online with this tool from the USDA. Go to this site, www.usda.gov/cnpp, click on Healthy Eating Index and log-in.

Fat Facts
One of the simplest things to keep an eye on when dieting is your fat intake. Knowing more about different types of fats will help you evaluate how best to reduce fat in your diet.

Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature, except for palm and coconut oils. Some foods that are high in saturated fat include cheese, whole milk, ream, butter, ice cream, fatty meats, poultry skin and fat, lard, palm oil, and coconut oil. These types of foods tend to raise blood cholesterol. You should limit your consumption of foods high in saturated fats.

Dietary Cholesterol
Foods high in cholesterol will also tend to raise the cholesterol level in your blood. Cholesterol is found in animal products, especially egg yolks, organ meats (like liver) and dairy fats.

Trans Fatty Acids
Foods high in trans fatty acids can also raise blood cholesterol. Hard margarines and shortenings tend to be high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, which contain a lot of trans fatty acids. Because of this, commercially fried foods and bakery goods are sometimes high in trans fatty acids.

Unsaturated Fats
Unsaturated fats do not raise blood cholesterol and may actually help decrease blood cholesterol. Unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils, most nuts, avocados, and fatty fish such as salmon. Even though unsaturated fats won't raise your cholesterol, you should still consume them in moderation. Remember, all fat is high in calories.

Source: USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2000

Shaking out the Salt
Sodium is an essential nutrient for your body, but too much salt can be unhealthy. Sodium plays a key role in regulating fluids and blood pressure in your body. Too much sodium, however, has been linked to high blood pressure. The USDA Dietary Guidelines suggest consuming a daily value of 2,400 mg of sodium; that's about 1 teaspoon of salt. You probably eat a lot more salt than that everyday. Here are some quick and easy ways to reduce the amount of salt in your diet.

Look for fresh, plain frozen, or canned vegetables that do not have added salt. Buy fresh or frozen fish, shellfish, poultry and meat. These tend to have less salt than canned and processed meats.

Look at the nutrition information labels on your food. Compare brands and look for lower-sodium options.

Look for foods that are labeled "low sodium."

Use spices and herbs, more than salt, to flavor your food. (Watch out for "combination" spices. Avoid the ones that contain sodium.)

Balsamic vinegar (not vinaigrette), lemon juice, and hot sauce can also be used to flavor foods.

Don't use too many condiments...soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and olives are high in sodium.

Source: USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2000

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Other Tips: Try to choose fat-free or reduced fat dairy products in the milk group. Dry beans, peas and lentils can be counted in either the meat group, or the vegetable group. Source: USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2000

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