Higher Fat

Higher Fat

Do you put goodies like chocolate cake and French fries on the "Forbidden Foods" list because you fear their calories and fat?

Let's say a scoop of ice cream provides 250 calories and 20 percent of your Daily Value for Total Fat. While these numbers are high, it doesn't mean that you have to forgo the pleasure. Just use the Food Guide Pyramid and Nutrition Facts labels to help you balance the rest of your daily food choices so calories and fat stay within healthful limits.

And, for goodness sake, don't worry if you exceed your targets now and then. A healthful eating plan is built from what you eat over several days, not by any one food, one meal, or one day of eating.

The best advice: Follow the Food Guide Pyramid, select mostly lower-fat choices from each group on most days, and go ahead and enjoy that ice cream now and then.