2. Making Healthful Choices3
Making Healthful Choices

3. Objectives Name benefits of making healthful choices.
Explain how to use Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the MyPlate food guidance system as diet planning resources to meet daily needs.
Identify your recommended daily intake from each food group in MyPlate.
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4. Objectives
List tips to use when shopping for fresh and processed foods.
Describe suggestions for preparing healthful foods.
Apply the Dietary Guidelines for Americans when eating out.

5. Benefits of Healthful Choices
Knowing about nutrients gives you an idea of how important food is to good health
Making healthful food and daily activity choices can help people maintain
good health (prevent deficiency disease, lower risk for certain chronic diseases)
healthful appearance (Smooth skin, strong teeth, hair shiny and nails healthy)
top job performance (Miss less work, easier to stay focused, better equipped to manage stress)
positive personal relationships (strength and energy to manage all tasks in daily schedule)

6. Benefits of Healthful Choices
Food choices is not the only decision that can help promote good health.
Activity Choices affect the way people look and feel
Choosing to be active throughout the week can help people have more positive attitudes about themselves
They will be stronger and more flexible
They will have an easier time maintaining a healthy body weight
They will reduce their risk of certain major illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, and more cancers
They will be less likely to become anxious and depressed

7. Risks of Unhealthful Choices
Unhealthful food choices can lead to deficiency diseases and weight gain
Choosing too much sedentary activity can cause loss of muscle strength and energy
Unhealthful lifestyle choices involving tobacco and alcohol can lead to a wide variety of health risks, including heart and lung diseases

8. In Your Opinion
How would you rate the importance of your health and appearance?
© swissmacky/Shutterstock

9. Resources for Making Healthful Choices
Resources exist to help people
Many reports about health issues are linked to nutrients
General guidelines exist to make it easier to choose a healthful diet
identify nutrient needs
choose healthful diets
plan nutritious meals

10. Dietary Reference Intakes
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) can be used as guides to daily nutrient needs
Read Learn About…Page 59
© JohnKwan/Shutterstock

11. Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Dietary Guidelines for Americans comes from the USDA and the HHS and are revised every 5 years to reflect new findings about health and nutrition (Chart on Page 59)
The present Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations urge consumers to take steps in three key areas
Balance calories—make food and activity choices that will create calorie balance
Enjoy your food, but eat less
Avoid oversized portions
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12. Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Eat more of some foods—focus on choices that are nutrient dense (lots of nutrients with few calories, low in solid fats, little or no added sugar or sodium)
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables (low in fat, high fiber, natural sugars, reduces risk of some diseases)
Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk
Eat less of some foods
Limit high-sodium foods
Limit solid fats to less than 10% of total calories
Drink water instead of sugary drinks

13. MyPlate MyPlate includes five major food groups:
Grains Group
Vegetable Group
Fruit Group
Dairy Group
Protein Foods Group
Oils, solid fats, and sugars are not food groups and should be used rarely

14. Meeting Your Daily Needs
The ChooseMyPlate.gov website provides information to help people choose a healthful diet
© andersphoto/Shutterstock; USDA

15. Choosing Wisely When Shopping for Food
When shopping for food, consider the time and energy available to prepare it
Keep the Dietary Guidelines in mind when shopping for fresh and processed foods
Processed foods lose many nutrients during processing and often have fat or sodium added (potato chips)
Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables do not lose as many nutrients as other processed foods
Choose a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, lean cuts of meat, light meat poultry, eggs and fresh fish as healthful meal options
The closer a food is to its fresh state the more nutrient dense
Use fresh foods as soon as possible and do not buy more than will be used before they spoil

16. Shopping Tips for Fresh Foods
Choose a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables
Buy extra fresh fruits to use as snacks
Choose meats with little marbling and visible fat, choose “Select” grade meats
Choose white meat chicken and turkey (they are lower in fat)
Choose fresh fish and shellfish more often than meat and poultry

17. Shopping Tips For Processed Foods
Always read nutrition labels and check fat, sodium and sugar content of processed food
Many canned fruits come in juice or syrup. Syrup contains more sugar
Always note the serving size on the nutrition label and be aware of how your portion compares to the serving size
Use percent Daily Values on Nutrition Facts to help choose more nutrient dense food options.
A % Daily Value of 20% or more is considered high; 5% or less is considered low
Use the ingredient list to find if saturated fats, sugars, etc. where added or occur naturally

18. Shopping Tips for Processed Food
Choose whole grain bread, rice, pasta
Check labels of breakfast cereals for high sugar content
Read labels on fruit juices to make sure they are 100% juice
Choose beans, peas, and lentils often to replace meats
Buy processed meats, like lunch meat, bacon, and hot dogs LESS often
Choose fat-free and low-fat dairy products

19. Think Further
How often do you read and compare nutrition labels when shopping for food?
© Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

20. Choosing Wisely When Preparing Food
When preparing the main course,
focus meals on plant-based foods
choose seafood often
use low-fat cooking methods
When preparing side dishes,
choose sensible portion sizes
reduce, replace, or omit ingredients that add fat, sugars, or sodium

21. Think Further
How do the portions you typically eat compare with standard portion sizes listed on nutrition labels?
© vgstudio/Shutterstock
© Lisa A/Shutterstock

22. Choosing Wisely When Eating Out
Use menu terms as clues to the fat, sugar, and sodium content of foods
Request that items be prepared and served according to your healthful preferences
Order small portions or ask for a take-home bag to avoid overeating

23. In Your Opinion
What do you find most challenging about eating healthfully when eating out?
© Diego Cervo/Shutterstock

24. Review What are three benefits of making healthful choices?
(List three:) good health, healthful appearance, top job performance, positive personal relationships

25. Review
What are the three key consumer messages of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?
balance calories, eat more of some foods, eat less of some foods

26. Review What are the five major food groups of MyPlate?
grains group, vegetable group, fruit group, dairy group, protein foods group

27. Review
What can help consumers limit fat, sodium, and sugar content when shopping for processed foods?
reading labels

28. Review
When preparing a main course, what types of foods should most often be emphasized?
plant-based foods

29. Review How can consumers avoid overeating when eating out?
order small portions or ask for a take-home bag