Nutrition for Adults
Nutrition Tips
- A balanced diet and adequate nutrition is just as important for adults as it is for children
- For maximum health benefits, adults should consume a variety of foods from each food group
- All foods in moderation can fit into a healthy lifestyle
- Be mindful of your daily intake of added sugars, fats, & sodium that can be found in many common food items
Food Group Recommendations
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*Hint: Some snacks can be placed in more than one category!
Common Snack Items
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Important Nutrients to be Mindful of
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Recommended Intake:
- Limit added sugar intake to <10% of daily total calories
- ~6 tsp/day for women
- ~9 tsp/day for men
Actual Intake:
- Men consume an average of 19 tsp/day
- Women consume an average of 15 tsp/day
- Granola bars
- Ice cream
- Apple sauce
- Canned fruit (in syrup)
- Desserts
- Premade smoothies
- Premade coffee
- Instant oatmeal
- Breakfast cereals
- Energy drinks, sodas, sweetened teas
Foods Low in Sugar:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Lean meats
- Unsweetened apple sauce
- Unsweetened teas
- Granola bars (without added sugar)
Recommended Intake:
- 2,300 mg per day
Actual Intake:
- ~3,400 mg per day
*Did you know? Over 90% of US adult males & 80% of adult females exceed the recommended intake for sodium.
Foods High in Sodium:
- Canned soups
- Canned vegetables
- Canned meats
- Boxed pastas/casseroles
- Bagels/biscuits/breads
- Pizza
- Instant pudding
- Pretzels
- Hotdogs/Sausages
- Ham, salami, bacon
- Deli meats
- Frozen meals
- Cereals
- Sauces & dressings
Foods Low in Sodium:
- Oats
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Unsalted nuts
- Canned vegetables (with no salt added)
- Low sodium soups
- Low sodium deli meats
Recommended Intake:
- Limit added saturated fat intake to <10% of daily total calories
- ~22 grams/day (in 2,000 calories)
Actual Intake:
- ~11 – 15% of total daily calories
- Butter
- Coconut oil
- Palm oil
- Cakes
- Biscuits
- Pastries
- Fatty cuts of meat
- Sausage & bacon
- Cured meats: salami, pancetta, chorizo
- Full fat dairy products
Foods Low in Saturated Fats:
- Fish
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Lean red meats (90% lean)
- Fruits & vegetables
- Skim/fat-free milk products
Recommended Intake:
- In a 2,000 calorie/day diet, 20-35% should come from fats
- Of total daily fat intake, 50-65% should be from unsaturated fats
- ~22 – 50 grams/day unsaturated fats (in 2,000 calories)
Polyunsaturated Fats:
- sunflower oil
- corn oil
- soybean oil
- cottonseed oil
- walnuts
- hemp seeds
- chia seeds
- pine nuts
- flaxseed
- sesame seeds
- sunflower seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- salmon
- herring
- sardines
Monounsaturated Fats:
- olive oil
- canola oil
- peanut oil
- safflower oil
- sesame oil
- avocado
- peanut butter
- macadamia nuts
- hazel nuts
- pecans
- almonds
- Brazil nuts
- pistachios
- cashews
Recommended Intake:
- Avoid or limit trans fat intake to <1% of daily total calories
- ~0 – 2.2 grams/day (in 2,000 calories)
Intake of trans fat:
1. Is correlated with increased risk of heart disease
2. Raises “bad” cholesterol (LDL)
3. Lowers “good” cholesterol (HDL)
Foods that contain Trans Fats:
*All foods that contain hydrogenated oils
- Fried foods
- Donuts
- Margarine
- Non-dairy coffee creamer
- Many commercially baked goods
- Vegetable shortening
- Pre-made pancake mixes
- Frozen pizzas
*Did you know? Food companies can indicate 0g of trans fat on the nutrition label if the product contains less that 0.5g of trans fat per serving
Recommended Intake:
- The current 2020-2025 USDA Dietary Guidelines does not have a set recommended limit for cholesterol intake due to inconclusive evidence pertaining to the benefits/consequences of consuming dietary cholesterol (previously limit was set at 300 mg or less per day)
- The current recommendation: “cholesterol consumption should be low as possible without compromising the nutritional adequacy of the diet”
*Did you know? Cholesterol is essential in the body to help build & maintain cells and produce hormones, vitamin D, and bile
Nutritious foods that contain cholesterol:
- red meats
- organ meats
- cheeses
- eggs
- shellfish
- sardines
- full-fat dairy products
High cholesterol foods to limit:
- fried foods
- processed foods
- desserts
- fast foods
*Did you know? There are 2 types of blood cholesterol!
- High density lipoprotein (HDL) – considered the “good cholesterol” because it carries excess cholesterol to the liver to be removed from the body which keeps cholesterol from building up in the arteries
- Low density lipoprotein (LDL) – considered the “bad cholesterol” because it carries cholesterol to the cells; and too much LDL will cause narrowing of arteries due to a build up of cholesterol
- Recommended Intake:
- ~25 g for women
- ~38 grams for men
- Based on 14 g per 1,000 calories/day
Did you know? It is recommended to consume fiber from foods rather than supplements.
Actual Intake:
- US adults consume ~15 grams of dietary fiber per day
Foods High in Fiber:
- Fresh/Raw fruits and vegetables
- Dried fruits
- Beans
- Popcorn
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Whole grains
- Eggs
- Meats
- Fish
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Low fiber cereals
- Vegetable and fruit juices (without pulp)
- Refined grains (white bread, white rice, pasta made from white flour)
Mealtime Scenario
What would you choose?
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