The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a compilation of recommendations for an eating pattern to lower the risk of chronic disease and to promote optimal health. The report points to the USDA Food Guide Pyramid as well at the DASH Diet as ideal eating plans that incorporate the guidelines into practical diet information. Hence, both of the aforementioned eating guides are excellent resources to further study the components of a balanced diet.
Step 1
Keep a food diary. Use a notebook to write down the foods you eat. At the end of the day, add up the number of servings from each food group. Use this data to evaluate your nutritional intake. Document your weight or lab values in your food diary. This will help you link any changes in weight or lab values to changes in diet.
Step 2
Choose six to eight servings of whole grains each day. Avoid white bread and processed products. Include whole-wheat bread, and whole-grain rice, pasta and cereals. Look at the ingredient label to determine if a food is truly whole grain---if whole grain flour is at the first of the ingredient list, it is a good choice. Incorporate whole grain products into your diet to promote healthy bowels, reduce cholesterol, and to provide antioxidant benefits.
Step 3
Consume a combination of at least five fruits and vegetables each day. Incorporate a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables to ensure maximum vitamin and mineral intake. A good rule of thumb is to make sure at least half of your plate contains a vegetable. Keep fresh fruit handy whether at home or in your car to have a quick, healthy snack on the go.
Step 4
Include three servings of low-fat dairy products into your diet each day to ensure adequate calcium intake. If weight loss is a concern, note that adequate calcium intake has been linked with more successful weight loss. If you are lactose intolerant, choose items such as calcium-fortified juice and lactose-free milk products.
Step 5
Choose 6 to 8 oz. of low-fat meat, poultry or fish per day to meet protein needs. Cook meat using low-fat cooking techniques such as baking or grilling. Keep portion sizes under control. A 3-oz. portion is the size of a deck of cards and should cover only about 1/4 of a dinner plate.
Step 6
Minimize sugars, fats and oils. When you use fats and oils, choose unsaturated products such as olive oil, canola oil, avocados and walnuts. Use sweetener instead of sugar.
Tips and Warnings
- Gradually increase whole grains and fiber. Increase water consumption to prevent bloating.
- This article contains general information for a balanced diet. Your needs may be different if you are supposed to follow a special diet.
Things You'll Need
- Whole grains
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Lean meat
- Low-fat dairy products
- Notebook
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