More detailed than ever- and perhaps a bit more demanding - the federal government's updated advice on how we should eat has generally been praised by experts.

But now comes the hard part: putting these guidelines into practice.

Some of the recommendations are a ''big jump'' for some people and it may seem overwhelming, said dietitian Marilyn Tanner, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Focus on fruits and vegetables: Though ''5-a-day'' used to be the battle cry, now we need to aim for 9 servings: 4 servings (2 cups) of fruit and 5 servings (2 1/2 cups) of vegetables each day. Ramping up your intake of fruits and vegetables not only supplies your body with fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants, but it will likely edge out the stuff the guidelines suggest we limit, such as sugary foods and beverages and trans-fat-laden snacks.

* One of the easiest ways to achieve this goal is to make fruits and vegetables half of what you eat at each meal.

* Don't leave home in the morning without some fruit for breakfast: a glass of orange juice, a bowl of mixed berries or a sliced banana on cereal.

* Keep a stash of baby carrots, red pepper strips or other cut-up veggies on hand for easy munching.

* Look for ways to make vegetables a center-of-the-plate star: Fortify pasta dishes with extra vegetables, pump up the vegetables in stir-fries and casseroles, or enjoy a hearty salad as your main entree.

* Vary your veggie selections and lean toward richly hued varieties, such as dark leafy greens (spinach, chard) and bright orange vegetables (think carrots, sweet potatoes and winter squash).

Make half your grains whole: The guidelines recommend 6 daily servings of grains, but three or more should be whole grains, which are important sources of fiber and other nutrients. Replacing refined grains with whole grains (at least 3 ounces per day), can help reduce the risk of several chronic diseases and may help with weight maintenance, the guidelines indicate.

* Breakfast is your best opportunity to get whole grains, but it may mean ditching your usual fare. Bypass the bagel with cream cheese and opt for two slices of whole-grain toast.

* Instead of a fried egg and biscuit sandwich, enjoy a bowl of oatmeal. Whether instant, old-fashioned or steel-cut, all oatmeal is whole grain. One cup is 2 whole-grain servings.

* When choosing ready-to-eat cereal, look for ones that list whole wheat, whole oats or another whole grain as the first ingredient.

* For lunch, make sandwiches with whole-grain breads. Check the label to make sure you see the word ''whole'' on the package or in the first ingredient.

* Skip the white rice and use brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or whole-wheat couscous.

* When making bread, muffins, pancakes or waffles, substitute whole-wheat flour for part or all of the white flour.

Drink your milk: The guidelines upped the ante on dairy, recommending 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk per day (or an equivalent amount of yogurt or cheese). Dairy foods supply many of the vitamins and minerals the guidelines said were chronically low in American diets: calcium, vitamin D, potassium, magnesium and vitamin A.

* Start your day with dairy: whole-grain cereal and milk, fruit and yogurt or an omelet with part-skim mozzarella.

* When making a run for coffee, order a large skim latte - but hold the sugar.

* Swap your soda at lunch for a glass of skim milk.

* Whip up a smoothie made with milk, fresh fruit and a few ice cubes. Or try a cut-up frozen banana instead of the ice.

* Stock up on individually wrapped string cheese for snacks.

Choose 'good' fats: The new guidelines reinforce the notion that not all fats are bad. Though we should curtail saturated fat and trans fat, there are some fats that we should make an effort to increase, such as omega-3 fats found in certain fish, nuts and oils. These ''good'' fats may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

* Use canola or olive oil for sautéing and making salad dressings, but limit them to 6 teaspoons per day.

* Eat more nuts, particularly walnuts, which pack in the most omega-3s. Add to salads, stir-fries, oatmeal or baked goods. Grab a handful of nuts for a snack instead of chips or pretzels.

* Eat fish twice a week (about 8 ounces total). Choose salmon, tuna or other fatty fish that is high in omega-3s. Keep canned, boneless salmon on hand for making salmon patties or flaking on top of a salad.

* Buy omega-3 enriched eggs. The hens have been fed a special diet that boosts the eggs' omega-3 levels.

* Slash the sources of trans fat in your diet to keep intake ''as low as possible.'' Major culprits are partially hydrogenated oils found in some cakes, cookies, crackers and chips.

* To help limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories, choose lean cuts of meat and poultry, and opt for more meals built around beans and peas (aim for 3 cups per week).

A day at a glance

The new dietary guidelines outline a range of recommended servings depending on age, gender and activity level. Here is a snapshot of your daily goals if you eat about 2,000 calories per day - about average for a moderately active woman.

Milk:

3 cups per day

1 cup serving equals:

l 1 cup low-fat/fat-free milk or yogurt

l 1 1/2 ounces low-fat or fat-free natural cheese

l 2 ounces low-fat or fat-free processed cheese

Fruit:

4 servings (2 cups) per day

1/2 cup serving equals:

l 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit

l 1 medium fruit

l 1/4 cup dried fruit

l 1/2 cup fruit juice

Vegetables:

5 servings (2 1/2 cups) per day

Including:

Dark green vegetables (3 cups/week)

Orange vegetables (2 cups/week)

Legumes (dry beans and peas) (3 cups/week)

Starchy vegetables (3 cups/week)

Other vegetables (6 1/2 cups/week)

1/2 cup serving equals:

l 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables

l 1 cup raw leafy vegetables

l 1/2 cup vegetable juice

Meat and beans:

5 1/2 ounces per day

ounce serving equals:

l 1 ounce cooked lean meat, poultry or fish

l 1 egg

l 1/4 cup cooked dry beans or tofu

l 1 tablespoon peanut butter

l 1/2 ounce nuts or seeds

Oils:

6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day

1 tsp equivalent equals:

l 1 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise

l 2 tbsp light salad dressing

l 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Grains:

6 servings (6 ounces) per day

Including:

Whole grains (3 ounces)

Other grains (3 ounces)

1 ounce serving equals:

l 1 slice bread

l 1 cup dry cereal

l 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cooked cereal

- Adapted from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, USDA and Department of Health and Human Services

More information

You might not want to wade through the 80-page document that spells out 41 specific eating recommendations, but a consumer booklet called Finding Your Way to a Healthier You boils down the new guidelines into an easy-to-digest format. You can download both at http:// healthierus.gov/

dietaryguidelines.

The lowdown on fats and salt

Here are some other important highlights of the new dietary guidelines.

Fats: Some fats and oils are needed for good health; keep total fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils. Limit saturated fats and cholesterol and avoid trans fats. On a 2,000-calorie diet, 24 grams of healthy fats per day are recommended; that's about 6 teaspoons of oil.

Salt: Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about 1 teaspoon of salt) per day to help prevent high blood pressure, while increasing the intake of potassium, which helps offset the effects of too much sodium. Potassium-rich foods include leafy green vegetables, fruit from vines and root vegetables. However, African-Americans and anyone who has high blood pressure or is middle-aged or older should limit sodium to 1,500 mg per day.