Final answer:
Evidence-based resources like the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate are aids for making nutritious food choices. They provide guidelines on proportions of food groups and recommendations for nutrient intake while also emphasizing the importance of balancing calorie intake with physical activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Consumers can utilize evidence-based guidance documents like the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to make nutritious food choices and patterns. These Guidelines suggest a healthy eating pattern that balances calorie intake with physical activity and includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains (at least half of which should be whole grains), low-fat dairy, and a range of protein foods while limiting saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars, and sodium.
Another crucial tool is MyPlate, which provides a visual guide to the relative proportions of foods from different food groups one should consume. MyPlate's recommendations embrace foods from five categories: vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, and dairy. Additionally, utilizing nutrition facts labels on packaged foods can help you choose options with the best nutritional value by providing information about the nutrient content and ingredients.
To support a healthy lifestyle and weight management, it's also essential to understand nutrient and energy density and how they can guide healthier food choices. Foods with high nutrient density provide more vitamins and minerals relative to their calorie content, encouraging choices that are rich in nutrients yet moderate in calories.