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The Food Label, the Pyramid, and You

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have revamped food labels to make planning a healthy diet easier for you and your family. By law, most foods are required to display a Nutrition Facts panel. The law also requires that label claims such as "lite," "low fat," and "high in fiber" not be just advertising hype—that they actually be true.

The Food Guide Pyramid was developed to help you make healthy food choices. The Pyramid is an outline of what to eat each day. It helps you follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans-seven basic principles representing the best, most current advice from health and nutrition experts.

Together, the new food label and the Food Guide Pyramid are powerful tools for building a healthy diet. This brochure will help you use these tools while you're at the grocery store.

What Does Healthy Eating Mean?

Healthy eating means following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans-advice for healthy Americans 2 or more years of age. Nutrition experts agree that following these seven principles will help you enjoy better health and reduce your chances of getting certain diseases, such as heart disease and some forms of cancer.

The Guidelines are:

Eat a variety of foods

▲ Maintain healthy weight

▲ Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat,

and cholesterol

▲ Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products

▲ Use sugars only in moderation

Use salt and sodium only in moderation

▲ If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation

The Food Guide Pyramid helps you put the Dietary Guidelines into action. The Pyramid shows you the food groups and the number of servings from each group to eat each day. The number of servings that's right for you depends on how many calories you need. That depends on your age, sex, size, and how active you are. To get needed nutrients, almost everyone should have at least the lowest number of servings recommended.

Within the five major food groups below the Pyramid tip, try to choose foods that are lower in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, added sugars, and sodium. Go easy on foods at the tip of the Pyramid-the fats, oils, and