You Are What You Eat - Eating Well Every Day
How to use the Food Pyramid
The Food Guide Pyramid is an outline of what to eat each day. It's not a rigid plan, but a general guide that helps you choose a healthy diet. At the top of the pyramid are foods you should eat only in small amounts. For food groups located closer to the base of the pyramid, the recommended number of servings increases.
The Food Guide Pyramid calls for eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need and the right amount of calories to maintain a healthy weight. There are many ways to create a healthy eating pattern, but they all start with the three food groups at the base of the pyramid: grains, fruits, and vegetables. Enjoy meals that have rice, pasta, tortillas, or whole grain bread at the center of the plate. Have lots of fruits and vegetables and eat low-fat choices from the dairy group and the meat and beans group. Go easy on foods high in fat or sugars.
Use the Food Guide Pyramid to help you judge your food choices for the day. For good health, try to eat a number of servings that falls within the recommended range for each food group. For example, you should eat 3-5 servings of vegetables each day. Three servings of vegetables is the minimum number you should eat in any given day.
Enjoy your favorite foods and your favorite places to eat. After all, no foods or meals are good or bad. The foods you choose for the whole day, or even several days, are what count.
With a little practice, you won't need to look at the pyramid anymore to remember how much of each type of food to eat.
You can scroll down for the complete descriptions:
Fats, Oils, and Sweets
(Use Sparingly)
*Go easy on fats and sugars added to foods in cooking or at the table-butter, margarine, gravy, salad dressing, sugar, and jelly.
*Choose fewer foods that are high in sugars--candy, sweet desserts, and soft drinks.
*The best way to moderate the amount of fat and added sugars in your diet is to cut down on sweets and rich desserts.
*Also choose lower-fat and lower-sugar foods from the other five food groups often.
Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese
(Have 3 Servings Per Day)
*Choose skim milk and nonfat yogurt often. They are lowest in saturated fat.
*1 ˝ to 2 ounces of cheese or 8 ounces of yogurt count as a serving from this group because they supply the same amount of calcium as 1 cup of milk.
*Choose part skim or low-fat cheeses when available and lower fat milk desserts, like ice milk or frozen yogurt. Read labels.
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts.
(Have 2-3 Servings Per Day)
*Choose lean meat, poultry without skin, fish, and dry beans and peas often. They are the choices lowest in saturated fat.
*Prepare meats in low-fat ways:
oTrim away all the fat you can see.
oRemove skin from poultry.
oBroil, roast, or boil these foods instead of frying them.
*Nuts and seeds are high in fat, so eat them in moderation.
*Use egg yolks and whole eggs in moderation. Use egg whites and egg substitutes freely.
Vegetable Group
(Have 3-5 Servings Per Day)
*Different types of vegetables provide different nutrients. Eat a variety.
*Include dark-green leafy vegetables and legumes several times a week--they are especially good sources of vitamins and minerals. Legumes also provide protein and can be used in place of meat.
*Go easy on the fat you add to vegetables at the table or during cooking. Added spreads or toppings, such as butter, mayonnaise, and salad dressing, count as fat.
Fruit Group
(Have 2-4 Servings Per Day)
*Choose fresh fruits, fruit juices, and frozen, canned, or dried fruit. Go easy on fruits canned or frozen in heavy syrups and sweetened fruit juices.
*Eat whole fruits often--they are higher in fiber than fruit juices.
*Count only 100 percent fruit juice as fruit. Punches, sport drinks, and most fruit "drinks" contain only a little juice and lots of added sugars.
Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group
(Have 6-11 Servings Per Day)
*To get the fiber you need, choose several servings a day of foods made from whole grains.
*Choose most often foods that are made with little fat or sugars, like bread, English muffins, rice, and pasta.
*Go easy on the fat and sugars you add as spreads, seasonings, or toppings.
*When preparing pasta, stuffing, and sauce from packaged mixes, use only half the butter or margarine suggested; if milk or cream is called for, use low-fat milk.
