Government Guidelines on Healthy Eating
The United States government has developed guidelines for healthy eating. They update the guidelines every 5 years. The current guidelines are from 2005. The government creates these guidelines to help people ages 2 years and older improve their health and avoid major chronic illnesses by making better dietary choices.
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Who
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The government dietary guidelines are a joint effort created by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. Both departments choose 13 professionals to update the guidelines every 5 years.
Fruits and Vegetables
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It is recommended that you on eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables daily. Choose from a variety of colors and types for better nutrition.
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Starch
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Eat three or more ounce equivalents of whole-grain products daily. The rest of the recommended grains should come from enriched or whole-grain products.
Dairy
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It is recommended that you drink 3 cups daily of fat-free or low-fat milk or eat an equivalent milk product.
Fat
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Do not consume more than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and no more than 300 mg per day of cholesterol. Avoid trans fatty acid consumption as much as possible. Your total fat intake should be from 20 to 35 percent of your total calories.
Carbohydrates
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The carbohydrates recommended by the dietary guidelines are from fiber-rich fruits, vegetable and whole grains. Avoid foods that have a lot of added sugars and try to add a minimal amount to foods you prepare.
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