1. Adequate Nutrients within Calorie Needs
Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages from the basic food groups. Choose foods that limit your intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt and alcohol. Adopt a balanced eating pattern, such as the USDA Food Guide or the DASH Eating Plan.

2. Weight Management
To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories burned. To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in calories and increase physical activity.

3. Physical Activity
Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being and a healthy weight. To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood, engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week. For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration. To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy weight gain in adulthood, engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week, while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. To sustain weight loss in adulthood, participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity, while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

4. Food Groups to Encourage
Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week. Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains. Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

5. Fats
Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible. Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat or fat-free. Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids.

6. Carbohydrates
Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains often. Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners. Reduce the incidence of dental decay by practicing good oral hygiene and consuming sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently.

7. Sodium and Potassium
Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (approximately 1 tsp of salt). Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

8. Alcoholic Beverages
Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation — defined as the consumption of up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.

9. Food Safety
To avoid microbial food-borne illness, clean your hands, food contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed. Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing foods. Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms. Refrigerate perishable food promptly and defrost foods properly. Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices and raw sprouts.

To read the guidlines in their entirety, visit www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines.

For further assistance in understanding the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, all North Oaks Nutritional Services at (985) 230-6548.