This is the recommended amount of daily or weekly servings for adults in each food group, based on their intake of a total of 2000 calories per day. Your calorie needs may vary depending on your age, activity level, and whether you're trying to lose, gain, or maintain your weight. The Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 30.6 million) recommend that you eat 8 to 10 ounces a week of a variety of seafood, not only because of the protein, but also because seafood contains omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, which are good for the heart. As these foods do not provide any nutritional benefits, they should only be eaten from time to time and in limited quantities.
Keep track of your dietary goals by using measuring cups or simply looking at the quantities (see Measuring Simply). The American Heart Association recommends an overall healthy dietary pattern adapted to your personal and cultural dietary preferences. Alcohol is not rich in nutrients and is not part of the healthy eating patterns recommended in the Dietary Guidelines. Most sweetened beverages don't help meet food group goals and often contain a lot of calories.
The nutrition label on packaged foods will show the calories and nutrients in a serving that is normally consumed. It is important to consume the recommended amount from each food group without exceeding the recommended daily calories. The plant food group includes dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, and legumes (beans and peas). Understanding the different food groups and how much of each of them should form your diet can help you establish a healthy eating pattern over time.
This link is provided for your convenience only and does not constitute an endorsement of the linked entity or of any product or service. The daily intake amounts listed in cups or ounces may not actually translate into cups or ounces of the food you are eating. Measuring your daily oils can be difficult, since you know what you add when cooking or baking is one thing, but oil is naturally part of some foods. It's important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods and dairy products, or alternatives to fortified soy.
