Mens Health: Nutrition Guidelines
Section 1
Whole Grain Foods:
Men should regularly eat six to seven one-ounce servings of grains per day. Whole grains are an important source of fiber and a healthy diet, so least three of the servings should be from whole grains. One serving is equal to one slice of bread, one cup of breakfast cereal, one-half cup of pasta, cooked rice, or cooked cereal.
Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products.
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Grains are divided into 2 subgroups, whole grains and refined grains.
Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel -- the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples include:
whole-wheat flour
bulgur (cracked wheat)
oatmeal
whole cornmeal
brown rice
Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are:
white flour
degermed cornmeal
white bread
white rice
Most refined grains are enriched. This means certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron are added back after processing. Fiber is not added back to enriched grains. Check the ingredient list on refined grain products to make sure that the word enriched is included in the grain name. Some food products are made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains.
Milk and Dairy Foods:
Men should consume about three cups of dairy products, or milk-alternatives each day because dairy products are an important source of calcium. Low fat or no fat dairy products are the best choice. If you choose not to consume dairy products, alternative calcium sources include sardines, tofu, and calcium-fortified foods. One serving is equal to one cup of milk, one cup of yogurt, one and one-half ounces of cheese.
All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group. Foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are part of the group, while foods made from milk that have little to no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream, and butter, are not. Most milk group choices should be fat-free or low-fat.
Meat and Meat Product Foods:
Most men need about six to eight ounces of meat, legumes or other protein sources per day. Low fat meats and other protein sources are needed to provide protein and a variety of other nutrients. It is important to realize that many meats are high in saturated fat, which you don't want, and other proteins like fish and sea food are high in omega-3 fatty acids that you do want. According to the USDA, one serving is equal to one-half ounce.
All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group. Dry beans and peas are part of this group as well as the vegetable group.
Most meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat. Fish, nuts, and seeds contain healthy oils, so choose these foods frequently instead of meat or poultry.
