Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Eating is one of life's greatest pleasures. Since there are many foods and many ways to build a healthy diet and lifestyle, there is a lot of room for choice. The dietary guidelines are designed to help answer the question: "What should I eat to stay healthy?" They provide advice for healthy Americans over two years old about which food choices promote health and prevent disease. The following is a condensed list of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines may help with basic meal planning by providing key recommendations in seven main areas:

Enjoy your food, but eat less

Avoid over-sized portions

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables

Make at least half your grains whole grains

Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk

Monitor sodium intake

Drink water instead of sugary drinks

Resources

USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans web site: http://www.dietaryguidelines.gov.
2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans is available online at: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm
USDA myPlate web site: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/. You can find up-to-date information on different foods groups, dietary recommendations for specific population groups, personalized meal plans, and more.

Reference

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 2010.