It is difficult or impossible to obtain adequate nutrition
from a diet high in energy-dense, nutrition-poor foods such as
- visible fats: butter, margarine,
oils, dressings, gravies;
- sweeteners: sugar, syrup, honey,
candy, sweetened beverages;
- desserts: cookies, cake, pastries,
ice cream, pudding;
- salty snacks: potato chips, corn
chips;
- miscellaneous: alcohol, coffee,
tea;
however, the average American in 2000 got about 1/3 of his
calories from such "junk" food.
The USDA
has a searchable data base of nutritional content of various foods.
The
National Academy of Sciences is publishing new
guidelines.
Aspects of nutrition discussed somewhat on this
web page: