If you need some online help planning a healthy diet, check out the Interactive Healthy Eating Index from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Web site offers graphics, tables and icons to not only measure an individual's diet, but also portion size, variety of foods and consumption of saturated fat.
"Giving Americans the opportunity to privately monitor their daily nutritional intake is an excellent way for people to determine what foods they should be consuming and how they can work these foods into a well balanced eating plan," says Edith Howard Hogan, a dietician with American Dietetic Association.
Hogan says comparing results to the Food Guide Pyramid is an ideal way to learn how many servings of each food group are needed. On the site, you can maintain a cumulative record of your dietary status and track improvement.
Health experts have been asking the government to revise its dietary recommendations to include more fruits and vegetables. While the Department of Agriculture Web site is no substitute for seeing your doctor or a nutrition specialist, it does offer nutrition messages on diet and health and encouragement to eat better.
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