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The Basic Food Groups for a Healthy Diet
Let the food groups guide you to good
nutrition
When it comes to good nutrition, what you should and shouldn’t eat, and how
much you should eat can be overwhelming and confusing. The U.S. Department
of Agriculture has laid it out for everyone with their famous “Food
Pyramid”, which has been updated in recent years. This diagram clearly
outlines what the best foods are for you to eat, and how much of them you
should eat each day. By using this tool as a general guide for your diet,
you will be able to maintain a healthy weight, in addition to receiving all
of the nutrients that your body needs to function properly.
The Food Pyramid is broken down into 5 food groups.
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Grains. Whole grains are an important source of energy. Whole grains are
the best for us to eat, which are made from whole-wheat flour, rather than
white flour. They are not as processed, and therefore still contain many of
their vital nutrients and fiber. It is recommended that you eat 6-11
servings from this group each day.
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Fruits & Vegetables. These nutrient-rich foods are all-natural because
they come from the earth, and are loaded with many different nutrients,
including fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, potassium, and folic acid. Eat
a wide variety of each to garner the greatest health benefits. Try to get
3-5 vegetable servings and 2-4 fruit servings per day.
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Proteins. Proteins help your body to build and retain muscle, as well as
provide the energy you need each day. Protein-rich foods such as beans, lean
meats, poultry, fish, and eggs also provide healthy doses of zinc and iron.
Some of the foods in this group can be high in cholesterol, so keep that in
mind when making food choices. 2-3 servings of protein are recommended each
day.
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Dairy. Dairy products provide us with bone-building calcium, which is
known to help prevent osteoporosis. While this is a very important food
group to include in a balanced diet, it is important to remember that some
dairy foods are high in fat, such as ice cream and cheese. Remember portion
control, and try to get 2-3 servings of dairy daily.
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Fats and sweets. While technically not a food group, this category is here
because most people can’t live without at least some of the tempting treats
within! The foods in this group, which include butter, candy and desserts,
oils, and sugars, provide very little nutritional benefit when consumed. Use
these foods in moderation.
Following this pyramid will give you the tools to following a well-balanced
diet. You might think that it is impossible to get than many servings of all
the different types of foods in the pyramid. But there is something to think
about, especially if you are trying to lose weight, or maintain a recent
weight loss, and that is portion control. Portions can make or break a diet,
and most people have no real idea of what a portion is. Therefore, most of
us tend to eat a little (or a lot!) more than a suggested portion.
A portion is:
• 1 slice of bread
• ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta
• ¾ cup (6 oz.) whole fruit juice
• ½ cup cooked vegetables
• 1 medium apple or banana
• 2-3 oz. of lean meat
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 ½ oz. of natural cheese
When you see what a portion really is, you might realize that it isn’t that
difficult to fit all the right foods in to your daily diet!
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