Health Tip: Budget Your Calories
January 5, 2009, 11:01 AM ET
• 1 min read
Jan. 6, 2009 -- (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests that you budget calories the way you do money -- in general, don't use more than you need.
The agency refers to calories consumed beyond what are essential as "discretionary" calories. It offers these suggestions to help you manage discretionary calories while maintaining a healthy weight:
The agency suggests you consume a relatively small amount of discretionary calories -- 100 to 300 extra calories each day. The total can vary somewhat based on how much physical activity you get.The discretionary calorie allowance can be used on "goodies" that contain solid fats or added sugars. Examples include whole milk, cheese, sausage, biscuits, or sweetened cereals or yogurt.The discretionary allowance can also be used by adding a sauce, dressing, butter or sweetened syrup to your food.Other goodies that may qualify for this allowance include candy, alcohol or soda.