Table 2.

EMR countries’ FBDGs dietary recommendations.

Food Groups	WHO‒EMR: User Friendly Guide	Food Dome Dietary Guidelines for Arab Countries	Kingdom of Saudi Arabia	Lebanese Dietary Guidelines	Qatar Dietary Guidelines	Omani Guide to Healthy Eating	Afghanistan	Islamic Republic of Iran
Cereals/Grain Products and Tubers	180 g/day: 90 g whole grain; 90 g “other” grains 30 g equivalent = 1 slice bread; ½ cup cooked pasta, rice, bulgar, or cereal; 1 cup dry cereal	6–11 servings/day: ≥5.5 servings whole grain 1 serving = 1 slice bread; ¼ Arabic bread; ½ cup cooked cereals; 30 g dry cereal	6–11 servings/day 1 serving = 1 slice bread (25 g), ½ cup of cereals, 1 slice of toast	6 servings/day (with at least ½ being whole grain) based on 2000 kcal diet 1 serving = ¼ big loaf of Arabic whole-wheat pita bread; 1 slice bread; ½ cup rice, pasta, or noodles; 1 cup dry cereal (unsweetened)	≥6 servings/day Substitute refined with whole and high-fibre grains. Choose grains prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt, read labels Avoid hydrogenated or trans-fat.	6–11 servings/day 1 slice bread; ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal; prefer whole wheat, brown rice	6 servings/day for a 2200 Kcal diet. 1 serving = ~140 kcal. ~ ¼ Naan (50 g piece); ~2/3 cup (125 g) cooked brown or white rice; 1 small potato boiled (160 g boiled weight), etc.	All types of bread (preferably whole), rice (brown, if available), macaroni, spaghetti, other pasta, barley
Fruits	4 servings/day or 2 cups/day 1 serving = 1 medium fruit; ½ cup fresh fruit; 1 cup fruit juice	3–5 servings/day 1 serving = 1 medium fruit; ¾ cup fruit juice	2–4 servings/day 1 serving = 1medium fruit; ½ cup juice; ½ cup dried fruit	2 servings/day 1 serving = 1 small fruit; 1 cup fruit juice; ½ cup dried fruit	2–4 servings per day 1 serving = 1 medium fruit; ½ cup cut fruit; ½ fruit juice; ¼ cup dried fruit. Favour whole fruit over juices, choose often as snacks	2–4 servings/day 1 serving = 1 cup raw or cooked; ½ cup fruit juice. Choose vitamin C-, vitamin A- and potassium-rich fruits.	3 servings/day for a 2200 kcal diet. 1 serving = ~80 kcal	Apples, pears, citrus fruit, peaches, grapes; dried fruits; fruit juices
Vegetables	5 servings/day or 2 ½ cups per day 1 serving = ½ cup raw or cooked; 1 cup leafy vegetable; ½ cup vegetable juice	3–5 servings/day 1 serving = 1 cup raw; ¾ cup vegetable juice	3–5 servings/day 1 serving = 1 cup raw or cooked; 1 cup juice	2–3 servings/day 1 serving = 1 cup raw or cooked; 2 cup leafy vegetables; 1cup vegetable juice	3–5 servings/day 1 serving = ½ cup cooked, fresh, raw, or canned; 1 cup green leafy vegetables	3–5 servings/day Chose vegetables prepared with little or no added fat and salt. Choose vitamin C-, vitamin A- and iron/folic acid-rich vegetables.	2.5 servings/day for a 2200 Kcal diet.1 serving = ~35 kcal	Green leafy and non-leafy vegetables
Milk & Dairy Products	3 cup equivalent/ day 1 cup equivalent = 1 cup low-fat milk or yoghurt; 45 g low-fat natural cheese; 60 g processed cheese; 8 tbsp labneh	2–3 servings/day 1 serving = 1 cup milk; 45 g cheese; 1 tbsp cream cheese	2–4 servings/day 1 serving = 1 cup milk or labneh; 30 g cheese	3 servings/day 1 serving = 1 cup low fat milk or dairy products to supply the daily recommended intake of calcium of 1000 mg/day based on 2000 kcal diet; 3 tbsp powdered milk; 45 g cheese; 8 tbsp labneh	2 cup equivalents/day 1 cup eq. = 1 cup milk or yoghurt; 50 g cheese; 14 tbsp labneh Daily consumption of r low fat milk and dairy products. Choose vitamin D fortified milk	1 serving/day 1 serving = 1 cup long-life, fresh, pasteurized, powdered milk or yoghurt; 45 g natural cheese; 60 g oz processed cheese, laban and kushk	3.5 servings/day for a 2200 Kcal diet. 1 serving = ~70 kcal	Milk, cheese, yoghurt, yoghurt drink (doogh), kashk (a traditional dry milk product), ice cream
Meat & Vegetal Proteins	160 g per day 1 serving = 30 g lean meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; ¼ cup cooked dry beans; 15 g nuts or seeds	2–4 servings per day 1 serving = 50–80 g meat, chicken, or fish; 1 egg; ½ cup legumes and nuts	2–3 servings per day 1 serving = 60–90 g red meat, chicken, or fish; ½ cup cooked legumes	5–6.5 servings per day 1 serving = 30 g meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 1 cup legumes; 15 g nuts or seeds	Eat a variety of fish at least 2 times a week. Chose skinless poultry and lean cuts of meat. Avoid processed meats. Chose legumes, nuts and seeds as alternative protein sources. Eat legumes daily. Choose legumes prepared with little or no added fat or salt	Meat: 1–2 servings/day 1 serving = 30 g red lean beef, lamb and camel, poultry, chicken. All fishes; 1 egg; 15 g oz nuts or seeds Legumes: 1 serving per day; ½ cup cooked lentils, beans or peas; ¼ cup cooked dry beans or tofu	Meat: 2 servings/day for a 2200 Kcal diet. 1 serving = ~70 kcal. Legumes: 1.5 servings/day for a 2200 Kcal diet. 1 serving = ~140 kcal.	Beef, veal, lamb, chicken, fish, canned tuna, shrimp, eggs Legumes, nuts including walnuts, almonds, pistachios, peanuts, hazelnuts
Oils	6 tsp per day	None provided	“least amount per day”	Limited consumption	Limited Consumption	None provided	None provided	None provided
Salt, Fats & Sugars	Salt: no more 2,3 g/day. Use iodized salt for growth and brain development Fat: 18 g/day Sugar: 8 tsp/day	None provided	Use iodized salt, especially in cities that are not on the sea coast “Least amount per day”	Salt: no more 2.3 g/day for healthy people and to less than 1.5 g for people with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or over 50 years. Fat: 56–78 g per day Sugar: <10 tsp per day	Salt: <5 g/day Additional information on how to check food labels for the words salt or sodium. Distinguish “Foods high in salt” and “Foods low in salt” Fat: <3 g per 100 g Sugar: <5 g per 100 g	Salt: <5 g/day; Fat: 59 g per day Sugar: <10% total calories sugar	Salt: <5 g/day; Reduce simple sugars and substitute sweets with fruits. Remove visible fat from meat. Reduce processed meat consumption.	None provided
Water & Fluids	Men: 3.7 L/day Women: 2.7 L/day	“Sufficient quantity”	1.5 L per day	2–3 L per day	2–3 L per day	Daily	Daily	Daily

Tbsp: tablespoon; tsp: teaspoon.