American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention

Choose foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

• Pay attention to standard serving sizes (see “What counts as a serving?” table under the section, “Maintain a healthy weight throughout life”), and read food labels to become more aware of the number of actual servings you eat.
• Eat smaller portions of high-calorie foods. Be aware that "low-fat" or "nonfat" does not mean "low-calorie" and that low-fat cakes, low-fat cookies, and other low-fat foods are often high in calories.
• Switch to vegetables, fruits, and other low-calorie foods and beverages to replace calorie-dense foods and beverages such as French fries, cheeseburgers, pizza, ice cream, doughnuts and other sweets, and regular sodas.
• When you eat away from home, choose food low in calories, fat, and sugar, and avoid large portion sizes.

Eat 5 or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day.

• Include vegetables and fruits at every meal and for snacks.
• Eat a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
• Limit French fries, snack chips, and other fried vegetable products.
• Choose 100% juice if you drink vegetable or fruit juices.

Choose whole grains over processed (refined) grains and sugars.

• Choose whole grain rice, bread, pasta, and cereals.
• Limit intake of refined carbohydrates (starches), such as pastries, sweetened cereals, and other high-sugar foods.

Limit intake of processed meats and red meats.

• Choose fish, poultry, or beans instead of beef, pork, and lamb.
• When you eat meat, choose lean cuts and eat smaller portions.
• Prepare meat by baking, broiling, or poaching, rather than by frying or charbroiling.