Looking At The Pieces Of The Pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid emphasizes foods from five major food groups. Each of these food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients you need every day. Foods in one group can't replace another. No one food group is more important than another; for good health you need them all.

Bread, Cereal, Rice, And Pasta Group

Breads, cereals, rice, and pasta are all foods from grains. You need the most servings of these foods each day. These foods are important because they provide complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are an important source of energy, especially in low· fat diets. They also provide B vitamins, protein, iron, fiber, and other trace minerals. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 6 to 11 servings each day. One serving is any of the following.

1 slice of bread

½ hamburger or hot dog bun

1 ounce of ready·to·eat cereal

½ cup of cooked rice or pasta

½ cup of cooked cereal

Vegetable Group

Vegetables are important because they provide vitamins such as A and C, and folate. They also provide minerals such as iron and magnesium. Vegetables are naturally low in fat and are good sources of fiber. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 3 to 5 servings each day. One serving is any of the following:

1 cup of raw leafy vegetables

½ cup of chopped raw or cooked vegetables

¾ cup of vegetable juice

Fruit Group

Fruits and fruit juices provide important amounts of vitamin C and potassium, Fruits are naturally low in fat and sodium, and are also good sources of fiber. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 4 servings each day. One serving is any of the following:

1 medium apple, banana, orange, pear, or peach

½ cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit

¼ cup of dried fruit

¾ cup of fruit juice

Milk, Yogurt, And Cheese Group

The milk, yogurt, and cheese group provides calcium, protein, phosphorus, and vitamins A, D, B6' and B l2 . Dairy products are your best food source of calcium. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 servings each day for most people. One serving is any of the following:

1 cup milk or yogurt

1 ½ ounces of natural cheese

2 ounces of processed cheese

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs, And Nut Group

Meat, poultry, and fish supply protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B 12' The other foods in this group-dry beans, eggs, and nuts-are similar to meats in providing protein and most minerals. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 3 servings each day of foods from this group. The total amount of these servings should be the equivalent of 5 to 7 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish per day. One serving is any of the following:

2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish. Three ounces is about the size of a deck of playing cards.

½ cup of cooked beans, 1 egg, or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter is 1 ounce of lean meat, or about 1/3 serving.

Fats And Sugars

At the tip of the pyramid are fats, oils, and sweets. These are foods such as salad dressings, oils, cream, butter, margarine, sugars, soft drinks, candies, and sweet desserts. These foods provide calories but few nutrients.

The small circles in the pyramid symbolize the fat content in foods. The small triangles in the pyramid symbolize the sugar content of foods. The fat and sugar symbols are concentrated in the tip of the pyramid, but some fat or sugar symbols are shown in the other food groups. This is because some food choices in the food groups can also be high in fat or added sugars.