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| The Food Guide Pyramid...
Your Guide to healthy living and a great variety of food
All of us are familiar with the food guide pyramid!The food pyramid depicts the different food groups and is a healthy guide that brings variety and common sense to our everyday eating!It is meant for age groups from two to adulthood. The food pyramid is broader at the bottom and narrow at the top. The serving sizes decrease as we travel up the pyramid. The high calorie high Fat foods are at the top. The lower calorie,lower fat foods are at the bottom of the pyramid.Foods like whole grain breads, cereals along with vegetables and fruits low in fat and rich in Fiber. These fiber rich foods prevent several of the chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.The food pyramid gives us choices within the five major food groups.The number of servings varies wih the food group.
The following are the five food groups with their recommended daily servings:
The serving sizes are as follows
| Food Group |
Number
|
| Breads and cereals | 6-11 |
|
| Vegetables | 3-5 |
| Fruits | 2-4 |
| Meat and Meat Products | 2-3 |
Milk and MIlk Products | 2-3 |
| Sweets and Sugars | in moderation |
 What is a serving size ?
Serving sizes vary depending on the age of the individual. The serving sizes are smaller for children, than for adults. The serving sizes increase during pregnancy. These serving sizes are for normal adults and include both men and women.
1/2 -3/4 cup of cooked rice pasta, 1 slice of bread, 3-4 plain crackers,1/2 hamburger roll, bagel, or English muffin or 1 oz of ready to eat cereal.
1/2 cup of cooked vegetables, 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables or 3/4 cup of vegetable juice or 1 cup of raw fruits and vegetables.
1/4 cup dried fruit,1/2 cup cooked fruit, 3/4 cup of vegetable/fruit juice, 1 melon wedge or 1 fruit.
2-3 oz of meat, fish, poultry (sure it is small! we are used to eating a plateful!)or 1-11/2 cups cooked beans, 4 tbsp peanut butter, 2 eggs, 1/2-1 cup nuts.
1 cup of milk, 11/2 oz of cheese,2 oz of processed cheese,1 cup yogurt,2 cups cottage cheese,11/2 cups of icecream,1 cup custard/pudding.
How do you eat ? What are your preferences? Find out! Rate Your Plate Do you want to know more about eating right?
Source:Perspectives In Nutrition by Wardlaw Insel, Mosby Pub. |
