Lifestyle Choices

Dietary Recommendations: Fat

Total fat in the diet should be limited to 30 percent or less of the total calories consumed.

Saturated fat in the diet should be limited to 10 percent or less of total calories consumed.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats should be substituted for saturated fat in the diet.

Dietary cholesterol should be limited to 250 to 300 milligrams per day.

Dietary Implementation: Fat

Substitute lean meat, fish, poultry, nonfat milk, and other low-fat dairy products for high-fat foods.

Reduce intake of fried foods, especially those cooked in saturated fats (often true of fast-food restaurants), desserts with high levels of fat (many cookies and cakes), and dressings with high-fat levels.

Limit dietary intake of foods high in cholesterol
such as egg yolks, organ meats, and shellfish.

Use monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats for cooking.

Though two or three servings of fish per week may be prudent because of its content of Omega-3 polyunsaturated oils, the experts feel that there is not sufficient evidence to endorse a fish oil dietary supplement.

Be careful of the total elimination of a single food source from the diet. For example, the elimination of meat and dairy products entirely could result in iron or calcium deficiencies, especially among women and children.

For optimal health, carbohydrates, especially complex carbohydrates, should be the principal source of calories in the diet.

Complex carbohydrates are known as starches and include fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, and cereals. These foods are nutritionally dense and also contain cellulose (popularly known as fiber). Cellulose does not provide nutrition and is not digested, but is considered essential for the bulk it provides for efficient digestion.

Research evidence shows that diets high in complex carbohydrates such as whole grain cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruits are associated with a lowincidence of lung, colon, esophagus, and stomach cancer as well as coronary heart disease. Some of this benefit may be due to the fact that complex carbohydrate diets are likely to be low in saturated fat. Water-soluble fiber such as pectin and oat bran have recently been shown to produce small reductions in total blood cholesterol independent of the effects of reduced dietary fat. Longterm studies indicate that high-fiber diets may also be associated with a lower risk of diabetes mellitus, diverticulosis, hypertension, and gallstone formation. It is not certain whether these health benefits are directly attributable to high dietary fiber or other effects associated with the ingestion of vegetables, fruits, and cereals in the diet.

Complex carbohydrates may also be beneficial to health because they provide rich sources of vitamins and minerals. The possible benefits of consuming a diet high in carbohydrates and certain vitamins will be discussed in the section on vitamins.

Simple carbohydrates are sugars such as sucrose, lactose, maltose, glucose, and fructose. They are nutritionally low in density and are commonly found in foods considered to possess “empty calories” such as candy and soft drinks.

Simple carbohydrates do not have the same benefits to health as do the complex carbohydrates. Foods high in simple carbohydrates are often high in fat as well. Simple carbohydrates, especially sucrose, a sugar often found in candy and soft drinks, have also been shown to increase the incidence of dental caries. Research has NOT shown that sugar consumption, among those who have an adequate diet, is a risk factor for diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Dietary Recommendations: Carbohydrates

• Mal carbohydrate in the diet should account for 55 percent or more of total calories consumed.
• Simple carbohydrates should be limited to 15 percent or less of total calories consumed.
• High-fiber foods should be included in the daily diet.

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