The specific nutritional needs of adults depend on gender and age. Men and women in their 20s often require more food than those in their 30s or 40s. Adults over the age of 50 typically require less food than younger adults. You can use the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture as guidelines when determining what foods to eat.
Ages 19 to 30
Women between the ages of 19 and 30 years old should get the equivalent of 6 ounces of grain each day, while men of the same age should get the equivalent of 8 ounces of grain each day. About half of the total grain intake should come directly from whole grains, regardless of gender. Women in this age group should get 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and the equivalent of 5 1/2 ounces of protein each day. Men this age should get 3 cups of vegetables and the equivalent of 6 1/2 ounces of protein each day. Both men and women in this age group should get 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of dairy each day.
Ages 31 to 50
Women between 31 and 50 years old should continue eating the equivalent of about 6 ounces of grain each day, but men in this age group should reduce their total grain consumption to the equivalent of 7 ounces a day. Half of the total grain consumption should come from whole grains. Both women and men this age should continue consuming the same amount of vegetables, which is 2 1/2 cups a day for women and 3 cups a day for men. Men this age can continue consuming 2 cups of fruit, but women should reduce the amount of fruit they consume to 1 1/2 cups a day. Women this age can continue consuming the equivalent of 5 ounces of protein, but men should reduce their protein consumption to the equivalent of 6 ounces a day. Both men and women of this age group can continue consuming 3 cups of dairy a day.
Over 50
Both men and women over 50 should reduce their total grain consumption. Women of this age group should get the equivalent of about 5 ounces of grain a day, while men this age should get the equivalent of 6 ounces of grain a day. At least half of these grains should come from whole grains. Both men and women of this age group should decrease the amount of vegetables they consume by 1/2 cup, which means women should get approximately 2 cups a day and men should get about 2 1/2 cups a day. The amount of fruit recommended for this age group remains the same, with women ideally getting 1 1/2 cups a day and men ideally getting about 2 cups a day. Women over 50 can continue getting the equivalent of 5 ounces of protein, but men over 50 should reduce their consumption to the equivalent of 5 1/2 ounces of protein a day. Both men and women over the age of 50 should continue getting at least 3 cups of dairy a day
Equivalents
Some people find it difficult to determine an equivalent to an ounce of protein or grain. The USDA notes that 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, one slice of bread or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, pasta or cereal counts as a 1-ounce equivalent of grain. One egg, 1/2 ounce of nuts, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/4 cup of beans, or 1 ounce of poultry, meat or fish counts as a 1-ounce equivalent of protein. If you have specific questions regarding portion sizes or whether you are meeting your nutritional needs, contact your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian.
Considerations
Keep in mind that the USDA’s nutritional recommendations are only guidelines. The Harvard School of Public Health has criticized the USDA’s recommendations for lumping in red meat with the other protein foods, recommending too much dairy and being too lax on showing the importance of replacing refined grains for whole grains. If you believe the USDA’s recommendations do not suit your needs, work with your doctor or dietitian to come up with a more appropriate eating plan.
