Dietary Assessment (Food Groups)

The nutritional balance in the Food Group Breakdown is determined primarily by the United States Department of Agriculture's "MyPlate."

1. MyPlate Food Groups

■ Fruits
1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the Fruit Group.

■ Vegetables
1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group.

■ Grains
1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal can be considered as 1 ounce-equivalent from the Grains Group.

■ Protein Foods
1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce-equivalent from the Protein Foods Group.

■ Dairy
1 cup of milk, yogurt, or soy milk (soy beverage), 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese, or 2 ounces of processed cheese can be considered as 1 cup from the Dairy Group.

2. Recommended Intakes (Daily Allowance)

The recommended amount of each food group above is determined by MyPlate. Additionally, Asken Diet sets the recommended intakes for sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) and alcohol (specified below).

■ Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) Consumption
Asken's use of the term "sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB)" follows the definition set forth in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Using the information from this guideline, and our own criteria, we set the recommended intake of SSB as less than 200 kcal / day.

■ Alcohol Consumption
If you choose to consume alcohol, Asken Diet recommends that you only do so in moderation. Based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as up to one drink (14.0 g of pure alcohol) / day for women and up to two drinks (28.0 g of pure alcohol) / day for men.

Supervising Editor: Fumi Nihei Green, MS, RD