1. Making Healthy Choices
Food Guides

2. Benefits of Healthy Choices
Making the correct choices can affect your health, your appearance, your job performance, and your personal life.
EXAMPLES:
An adequate supply of nutrients in the diet will help prevent deficiency disease.
Some nutrients will help prevent chronic diseases.
Having the correct nutrients can give your skin a soft and smooth texture and appearance.
People who are in good health will have fewer missed days of work.
Good physical health can give you the strength and energy to fulfill all the tasks in your daily schedule.
Choosing to be active in addition to eating healthy can make you feel good about yourself, improve your appearance, have a more positive attitude, help maintain an ideal body weight, and reduce the risk of certain illnesses and disease. Exercise and being physically active also greatly reduces depression.

3. Risks of Unhealthy Choices
EXAMPLES:
Too many unhealthy food choices can result in a lack of nutrients which can lead to deficiency disease.
Unhealthy weight gain
Lack of exercise can lead to muscle loss.
Tobacco- Lifestyle choices of using tobacco products carries many health risks. Using it any form is hazardous to your health. Smoking can cause lung cancer and other respiratory disease: Smokeless tobacco can cause disease of the gums, teeth, mouth, throat: Secondhand smoke can also cause many lung diseases and respiratory problems.
Alcohol use can cause liver disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers. It also leads to many car accidents, suicides, and acts of violence.
Secondary Health Risks: this is where unhealthy choices could have caused cancers which the medication or treatment makes you even more sick. Ex. Chemotherapy can cause nausea and lack of appetite- this in turn can make a person sicker- making it a never ending cycle.

4. Resources for Making Healthful Choices
Dietary Reference Intakes: (DRI’s)
These are estimated nutrient intake levels used for planning and evaluating the diets of healthy people. They are the standards which the nutritional quality of a diet can be measured. DRI’s are designed to help prevent diseases caused by a lack of nutrients, and diseases linked to poor diet such as heart disease.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
These are the guidelines and advice set forth by the federal government. They are intended to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and obesity in the US. This is revised every 5 years based on new scientific findings about health and nutrition. The guidelines are to be used for people ages 2 and older.

5. DAILY CALORIE NEEDS- TEENAGERS
3 Key Areas
Balance Calories: balancing calories over time will help people lose weight. Following the Dietary Guidelines will help people have a healthy body weight and avoid weight gain.
Calories: are the units used to measure the energy value of foods.
Calorie Balance: this is when calories consumed equals calories burned.
DAILY CALORIE NEEDS- TEENAGERS
Avoid OVERSIZED Portions; large portions are common in many restaurants. Try choosing foods from the appetizer or lunch menu. When eating at home make sure that you are checking the serving size of all of your food choices.
Gender/Age
Sedentary
Moderately Active
Active
Females yrs.
1800
2000
2400
Males yrs

6. 3 Key Areas
Eat More Of Some Foods: It is important to make choices that are good sources of required nutrients.
Nutrient Dense: these are foods and beverages that provide vitamins, minerals, and other healthful substances with relatively few calories. The most nutrient dense foods are low in solid fats. They contain little or no added sugars, solid fats, or sodium.
Make Half Your Plate Fruits & Vegetables: eating more of these foods will help you gain all of your nutrients needed. Most fruits and vegetables ( in their natural state) are naturally low in fat and calories while they are high in fiber. Filling up on these foods can help you eat less of the not so healthy choices.
Switch to Fat Free or Low Fat Milk- many Americans need to increase their intake of dairy products because of the nutritional value. However, you should always opt for the fat free or low fat versions to avoid too many extra calories.

7. 3 Key Areas
Eat Less Of Some Foods: these include foods that are high in solid fats. This can cause higher cholesterol, weight gain, and heart disease.
Compare Sodium in Foods such as Bread, Soup, and Frozen Meals: Most people in the US consume too much sodium. Consumers must look for this hidden in our foods that we are told are healthy. Sodium is a vital nutrient, but too much can be deadly.
Drink Water Instead of Sugary Drinks: Consumers also need to reduce the amount of sugar in their diet. Foods contain 2 types of sugar: Added & Natural. Soda is the largest source of added sugar in American diets.
Natural Sugars: found in many nutritious foods such as fruit and milk.
Added Sugars: are ingredients added to food during processing.

8. My Plate- www.choosemyplate.gov
The myplate icon is used to visually shows people what foods to eat and what portion sizes to eat.
Grains Group: foods such as breads, cereal, pasta. This group is divided into 2 subgroups: refined grains & whole grains.
Vegetable Group: includes any vegetables or 100% vegetable juice. This group is divided into 5 subgroups: dark green vegetables, red & orange vegetables, beans and peas, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables.
Fruit Group: this includes all forms of fruit- fresh, canned, dried.
Dairy Group: foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese.
Protein Group: includes, meat, poultry, seafood, beans, and eggs.
Oils: includes cooking oils, soft margarine, and salad dressing
Solid Fats & Sugars: Oils are not the only foods that do not fit into the 5 areas on myplate. These foods include jams, jellies, syrup, candy, desserts.

10. Choosing Wisely When Shopping For Food
Fresh or Processed?
You should consider the time and energy available to prepare your food as well as the nutrition and your family budget.
Processed Foods: are foods that have undergone some preparation procedure, such as canning, freezing, drying, cooking, or fortification. In most cases, processing can add to the cost of the food while decreasing the nutritional value. There are a few exceptions to the rule- freezing and some canning does not change the nutrients in the food as long as nothing is added to it. Whole milk when processed removes the fat so it actually becomes healthier.

11. Shopping Tips for Fresh Food
Choose a variety of fresh vegetables
Choose a variety of fresh fruits
Stock up on extra fruit to eat as snacks
Look for lean cuts of meat
Choose meat with little marbling and visible fat
Choose light meat pieces of chicken and turkey
Choose fresh fish and shellfish to replace meat

12. Shopping Tips for Processed Foods
Always refer to the nutrition label
Check for serving size
Check for added sugar & sodium
Remember-a food that is listed as having more than 400 calories per serving is considered a high calorie food
Choose whole grain rice, bread, and pasta
Choose canned vegetables that have no-salt-added.
Choose canned fruit that is canned in fruit juice and not sugary syrup
Buy processed meats sparingly
Choose reduced fat versions of dairy products

13. Choosing Wisely When Preparing Food
Start with the Main Course: this generally includes a protein. Prepare lean meats (trimming off excess fat) or consider using a dried bean as your protein source. You can also choose seafood. Use low-fat cooking methods such as roasting, broiling, grilling, braising, stewing, stir-frying, and microwaving instead of frying.
Rounding Out the Meal: choose sensible portions. Become familiar with what a serving size looks like. Don’t forget to factor in toppings for your foods.
Healthful Preparation Tips:
Cook & Bake with liquid oils
Avoid adding oil or salt to cooking water with pasta
Use only half the suggested amount of margarine or butter when preparing boxed foods.
Use salad dressing, mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese sparingly
Flavor veggies with lemon and herbs instead of salt and butter
Reduce the amount of sugar in baked goods- add vanilla or cinnamon
Dust cake with powdered sugar instead of frosting them.
Use fat free or low fat milk instead of whole milk or heavy creams

14. Choosing Wisely When Eating Out
Cooking & Eating more meals at home can help control calorie intake. Studies show that eating out puts people at a higher risk of weight gain. Things to look out for:
Added butter, sauces, cream, and gravy
Items that are breaded or fried
Soups, smoked foods, and barbecued foods are high in sodium
Ask for Dressings on the side
Consider having water with your meal.
Split an entrée with a friend
WATCH PORTION SIZES!