The vast majority (94.9%) reported a protein intake within the recommended limits and it did not account significantly to the quality of the diet (Table 2) as opposed to Tardivo’s study where all macronutrients contributed significantly to determining the quality of the diet [21]. Regarding women who consumed a poor diet our results are comparable to their findings as to higher consumption of calories, lipids, saturated fat, cholesterol ansodium, as well as carbohydrates below the recommended intake (Table 2). When evaluating the mean quality scores separately for each component of the HEI, the worst records relate to the fruits and greeneries and, the vegetables groups (Table 3). The group of meat, eggs and beans stood out as the best score, possibly linked to the daily consumption of beans, a typical and vital component of the Brazilian diet. These findings are in agreement with the results of the Household Budget Survey (POF 2008–2009), which showed a profile of food consumption that combines traditional Brazilian diet of rice and beans with foods that are high in calories with low content of nutrients and, well below the recommended intake for fruits, greeneries and vegetables [22].