wholesome Food Choices Just Got Easier

Cut salt, fat and sugar; eat a more plant-based diet... That's the key message for salutary food choices from the federal government's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The newest incarnation of diet guidelines urges all of us to reduce the number of sugar, salt, saturated fats and refined grains and eat more veggies, fruits, whole grains, low fat dairy and seafood. This not only will help us all stay healthy, it will lower the risk of persisting diseases and the prevalence of obesity.

The Food Pyramid

The problem is that fats and added sugars make up roughly 35% of the fat of the typical western diet.

Too many of us are eating way too many fat thanks to energy dense but nutrient poor foods coupled with our largely sedentary lifestyle. It's this that is fueling the obesity epidemic in this country, and leaving too many open to the consequences of all that weight: heart disease, diabetes, hypertension stroke and even some cancers.

The 2010 nutritional guidelines are hoping to encourage all of us to have healthier eating habits by taking into list private likes and dislikes and balancing the number of fat consumed with how active you are.

Experts are hoping that these newest guidelines will help you:

- Be more aware of what you're putting into your body so that you come to be a mindful eater, not a mindless eating machine.

- Know your own unique calorie needs, and the number of fat in the foods you're eating.

- Watch portion sizes at home and also when eating out at restaurants.

Most Americans eat way too much sodium, as things like tinned soup, sliced bread and frozen foods are all loaded with salt. The consequences to the body of our elevated consumption contain hypertension, heart disease and stroke risk. Because of this, children and adults need to reduce their sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day; if you're over 51, African American or have high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease, keep your intake to 1,500 mg of salt a day.

Even though certain fatty acids and cholesterol are carefully major contributors to both heart disease and diabetes, Americans' consumption of these foods hasn't changed all that much since the '90s. The new 2010 guidelines propose that we try to:

- reduce fat from saturated fats to no more than 10% of total calories, replacing them instead with healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead.

- Cut back on dietary cholesterol to under 300 mg daily and for those at risk of heart disease cut back to 200 daily.

- Eliminate trans fat where inherent from your diet, watching for ingredients like partially hydrogenated oils.

When it comes to things we should be eating, a diet with a blend of proteins is good for us; the trick is to choose the right kind. Meat, chicken and eggs have solid fats, but the fats found in fish, leaner cuts of meat and poultry, legumes, soy products, unsalted nuts and seeds are far good for us. The advice is for Americans to have two 4-ounce portions of fish a week.

And if you're not all that active, the newest guidelines call for you to eat less energy dense carbs, especially those oh-so-tasty, refined, high in sugar foods, to equilibrium your energy needs without adding weight. You'll want to limit sugar-sweetened drinks, desserts and refined grains and opt for whole grains instead.

One of the basics of the newest dietary guidelines is that we should be getting the nutrients our bodies need through the foods we eat. Sometimes however, dietary supplements or fortified foods help to supply the body with nutrients that might otherwise fall below the recommended numbers. Keep in mind that:

- Women who are trying to conceive should have 400 micrograms (mcg) per day of folic acid from whether fortified foods or by taking a supplement.

- Women who are pregnant should consult their healthcare team to see if they need an iron supplement.

- Adults over age 50 should eat foods (such as cereals) containing fortified vitamin B12 or reconsider supplements.

Last, but not least of the new guidelines, moderate drinking is connected to a lower risk of death and a reduced risk of developing diabetes and heart disease for middle aged adults. The 2010 guidelines define moderation as no more than one alcoholic beverage a day for women, two for men. The guidelines do not encourage you to start drinking if you don't, plainly for the health benefits.

You can get started with making salutary food choices now by eating less and avoiding oversized portions, making half of your meal fruits and veggies, switching to fat free or low fat dairy products, drinking more water and fewer sugary drinks. By making salutary food choices in line with the 2010 guidelines, you're ensuring your body will get the vitamins and nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

wholesome Food Choices Just Got Easier