Planning a Nutritious Day

Eating well means enjoying a variety of food—and so does
eating to stay well. Variety matters because no food has all the
nutrients and other substances needed by your heart—and the rest
of your body. So be sure to follow a well-balanced eating plan.

The nutrient list that accompanies the recipes in this collection
can help you keep your diet in balance. The list gives nutrients
vital for good heart health. Use the list to aim for the recommended
daily total intakes of those nutrients.


The recommended daily intakes for healthy adults are given
below. Your needs may differ from these if you are overweight or
have heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes,
or another condition. If you do, check with your doctor or a dietitian
to find out what intakes are best for you.

Daily calorie and nutrient intakes:
● Calories ..............Consume enough to stay at a healthy weight
A calorie is a unit of energy, not a nutrient. The amount that’s
best for you depends largely on your height and weight. You’ll
also need to consider whether or not you have to lose pounds.
Other factors that affect your calorie needs include how physically
active you are and your age. Physical activity helps burn
calories, while middle-aged and older adults tend to need fewer
calories than younger persons.

Typical daily intakes are:
1,600 calories—For young children (ages 2-6), women, and
some older adults
2,200 calories—For older children, teenage girls, active
women, and most men
2,800 calories—For teenage boys and active men

● Total fat .............No more than 30 percent of daily calories
● Saturated fat ......Less than 10 percent of daily calories
● Cholesterol .........Less than 300 milligrams per day
● Fiber ....................25–30 grams per day
● Protein ...............10–35 percent of daily calories
● Carbohydrates....45–65 percent of daily calories
● Sodium ...............No more than 2,400 milligrams per day

To calculate percent of daily calories, it’s important to know
that protein and carbohydrate have 4 calories per gram, while fat
has 9 calories per gram. So, for example, if you eat 2,000 calories
a day, your daily total intakes should be: no more than 67 grams
of total fat, 22 grams or less of saturated fat, and 225–325 grams of
carbohydrates. For the other nutrients, have no more than the
maximums listed above. The Box on page 20 gives some daily
totals for saturated fat and total fat.

However, try to remember that the goal is to build a nutritious
pattern from nutritious meals. Not every dish needs to be low in
fat or calories. Keep your sights set on an overall healthy pattern.