EatRight.org · New Jersey Dietetic Assn.
2015-2020 Guidelines PDF
New Jersey Registered Dietitians
Source: EatRight.org
For National Nutrition Month®, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages everyone to learn how to Savor the Flavor of Eating Right while still following a healthy eating pattern.
The Academy’s website EatRight.org includes helpful educational resources to spread the message of good nutrition and an overall healthy lifestyle for people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming:
Less than 10 percent of your calories per day from added sugars
- Read food labels and avoid buying foods with added sugars like high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, evaporated cane juice, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose, brown rice syrup, honey, agave or maple syrup.
- Drink water, low-fat or fat-free milk and 100-percent fruit or vegetable juice instead of sugary beverages.
- Choose snacks with no added sugar. For example, eat plain yogurt instead of flavored yogurt with whole fruits such as berries or pears.
- Grill fruits such as pineapple or peaches for a naturally sweet and healthier dessert.
- Eat smaller dessert portions. Often a bite or two will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Fewer than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day
- Use the Nutrition Facts label to compare sodium content of foods and choose products with less sodium.
- Buy frozen or canned products without added salt.
- Buy fresh poultry, seafood, pork and lean meat rather than processed meat and poultry.
- Cook meals from scratch to control the sodium content of dishes.
- Buy fewer jarred sauces and pre-flavored products.
- Flavor foods with citrus, herbs and spices instead of salt.
Reducing saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of calories per day.
- Saturated fat is found in foods such as meats, whole milk, cream, butter and cheese.
- Unsaturated fat, which includes polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, is found in foods like oils, fatty fish, nuts and seeds.
- Drink fat-free or low-fat milk (1-percent) instead of 2-percent or whole milk
- Eat low-fat cheese instead of regular cheese, oils instead of butter and lean rather than fatty cuts of meat.