• You need at least 2 cups of fruit each day. For example: 1 small banana, 1 large orange, and 1/4 cup of dried apricots or peaches.
• Eat at least 2 ½ cups of vegetables each day. For example: ½ cup steamed broccoli, 1 cup raw carrots, and ½ cup of pinto beans. Make sure to choose a variety of colorful vegetables for optimal health; specifically, dark green, orange, and yellow vegetables and legumes (dry beans).
• Make half of your grains whole. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. For example: 1 slice of whole wheat bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta. Look to see that grains are referred to as “whole” in the list of ingredients.
• Choose lean red meats and poultry. Bake it, broil it, or grill it. Vary your protein choices – with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
• Get 3 cups low-fat or fat-free milk or dairy products every day. (1 ½ ounces of cheese equals 1 cup of milk) If you don’t or can’t consume milk, choose lactose-free milk products and/or calcium-fortified foods and beverages.
• Look for foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart disease (5% DV or less is low, 20% DV or more is high).
  Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (olives, nuts, seeds, olives oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, flaxseed, wheat germ, salmon, and soybeans). Keep total fat intake between 20% - 35% of calories.
• Consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (~ 1 teaspoon salt) per day to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
  Most of the sodium people eat comes from processed foods, not from the saltshaker. A food is considered low in sodium if it has 140 mg or less of sodium per serving.
• Limit sugar intake to 8 teaspoons per day.