According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) a healthy eating pattern should provide:

A variety of vegetables

A variety of fruit, especially whole fruit

Grains, especially whole grains

Fat-free or low-fat dairy products

Various protein foods

The DGAs suggest limiting:

Unhealthy fats (red meat, whole milk, butter, fried foods)

Added sugars (sugars added to foods, not those naturally present such as fruits

Sodium (salt or salty foods)

Essay Prompt: Critically evaluate 3-day diet record listed on pages 5-9 on attachment. Are you meeting all aspects of the DGA recommended healthy eating pattern as outlined above? Compare your overall diet to all 6 aspects of a healthy eating pattern. Are there areas of your diet that you should improve? How does your diet compare to the dietary aspects that a healthy diet should limit?