The
Food Guide Pyramid is an outline of what to eat each
day based on the Dietary Guidelines . It's not a rigid
prescription but a general guide that lets you choose
a healthful diet that's right for you. The Pyramid calls
for eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients you
need and at the same time the right amount of calories
to maintain healthy weight. Use the Pyramid to help
you eat better every day...the Dietary Guidelines way.
Start with plenty of breads, cereals, rice, pasta, vegetables,
and fruits. Add 2-3 servings from the milk group and
2-3 servings from the meat group. Remember to go easy
on fats, oils, and sweets, the foods in the small tip
of the Pyramid.
What Counts as One Serving?
The amount of food that counts as one serving is listed
below. If you eat a larger portion, count it as more
than 1 serving. For example, a dinner portion of spaghetti
would count as 2 or 3 servings of pasta.
Be sure to eat at least the lowest number of servings
from the five major food groups listed below. You need
them for the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and
protein they provide. Just try to pick the lowest fat
choices from the food groups. No specific serving size
is given for the fats, oils, and sweets group because
the message is USE SPARINGLY.
Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese:
1 cup of milk or yogurt,1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese,2
ounces of process cheese.
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts:
2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish;1/2
cup of cooked dry beans, 1 egg, or 2 tablespoons of
peanut butter count as 1 ounce of lean meat.
Vegetable:
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables,1/2 cup of other vegetables,
cooked or chopped raw 3/4 cup of vegetable juice.
Fruit:
1 medium apple, banana, orange 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked,
or canned fruit 3/4 cup of fruit juice.
Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta:
1 slice of bread 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal 1/2
cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta . |