 Most diet and nutrition books list all the foods you should avoid.
This is a list of all the good foods you can choose from --
foods that are full of the nutrients you need to stay healthy and
help to prevent diseases. Remember the 80%-20% goal: if 80 percent of
the foods you eat are on this list, and you select a wide variety,
you'll have a healthy diet. You can do whatever you like with the
other 20 percent.
The general goals of healthful eating apply to everyone, but you may
have some special circumstances. See the suggestions in the Special Situations section
if you have:
Diabetes
Heart problems or high cholesterol
High blood pressure, or you
Need to lose weight
The "smiley face," "carrot" and "peanut" symbols next to each food in the Food Lists will guide you with choices to fit your
special situation. Here's what they mean:
 Foods marked with the Carrot symbol are foods that contain sugars or
starches that can cause blood sugar to rise quickly, which is a
concern for diabetics and people who need to lose
weight. They include the nutrient-rich fruits, root vegetables, and whole-grain
products made with flour such as whole wheat bread, whole grain
pastas and breakfast cereals. If you are diabetic or trying to lose
weight, eat fruits and root vegetables only as part of a meal, so the
other foods eaten at the same time will slow the release of sugars
into your bloodstream. Try to avoid the products made with
ground-up grains as much as possible, using whole grains (the seeds
themselves) instead. See WHOLE grains are better than any flour.
 Foods marked with the Peanut symbol are nutrient-rich foods that are also concentrated
sources of calories. They include nuts and snack
seeds, seafood and dairy products. People who want to
lose weight, lower cholesterol or control high blood pressure need
to control the portion size of these foods because they can add a
lot of calories without filling you up. Unless you are a strict vegetarian,
we recommend 2-3 servings of skim milk dairy products each
day and 4-6 ounce servings of seafood 2-3 times a week. With nuts
and snack seeds, a reasonable serving size is 1-2 tablespoons per
day.
 The Smiley-face symbol is given to nutrient-rich vegetables, whole grains and beans that are
bulky and have lots of fiber, so they fill you up. It would be very difficult
to eat too many, and most people can eat as much of these foods
as they like, as often as they like. Make them the centerpiece of
your meals.
*Note: If your doctor has given you special diet instructions, please follow
them regardless of the information contained in this book. If you
have questions about what is appropriate for you, consult your doctor or
health care provider.
|