 |
What's in this booklet for me?
This booklet introduces you
to The Food Guide Pyramid. The Pyramid illustrates the
research-based food guidance system developed by USDA and
supported by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
It goes beyond the "basic four food groups" to help
you put the Dietary Guidelines into action.
The Pyramid is based on USDA's research on what foods Americans
eat, what nutrients are in these foods, and how to make the best
food choices for you.
The Pyramid and this booklet will help you choose what and how
much to eat from each food group to get the nutrients you need
and not too many calories, or too much fat, saturated fat,
cholesterol, sugar, sodium, or alcohol.
The Pyramid focuses on fat because most American's diet are too
high in fat. |
Following the
Pyramid will help you keep your intake of total fat and
saturated fat low. A diet low in fat will reduce your chances of
getting certain diseases and help you maintain a healthy weight.
This booklet will also help you learn how to spot and control
the sugars and salt in your diet, and make lower sugar and salt
choices.
Contents
The Food Guide Pyramid
The Pyramid and You
What is a Serving?
Fats
Cholesterol
Sugars
Salt and Sodium
The Food Groups
What Counts as a Serving,
Selection Tips
The Pyramid Food Choices Chart
How to Rate Your Diet
|
Page
2
8
10
6, 12
15
6, 16
17
19
25
28
|
|
What's the Best Nutrition Advice?
|
It's following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These are
seven guidelines for a healthful diet - advice for healthy
Americans 2 years of age or more. by following the Dietary
Guidelines, you can enjoy better health
|
and reduce your chances of getting certain diseases. These
Guidelines, developed jointly by USDA and HHS, are the best,
most up-to-date advice from nutrition scientists and are the
basis of Federal nutrition policy.
|
| THE
DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS |
Eat a variety of foods
to get the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you
need for good health.
Balance the food you eat with physical
activity - maintain or improve your weight to reduce
you chances of having high blood pressure, heart disease, a
stroke, certain cancers, and the most common kind of diabetes.
Choose a diet with plenty of grain
products, vegetables, and fruits which provide needed
vitamins, minerals, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, and can
help you lower your intake of fat.
Choose a diet low in fat, saturated
fat, and cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart
attack and certain types of cancer and to help you maintain a
healthy weight. |
Choose a diet moderate
in sugars. A diet with lots of sugars has too many
calories and too few nutrients for most people and can
contribute to tooth decay.
Choose a diet moderate in salt and
sodium to help reduce your risk of high blood
pressure.
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so
in moderation. Alcoholic beverages supply calories,
but little or no nutrients. drinking alcohol is also the cause
of many health problems and accidents and can lead to addiction. |
|
|
|
What is the Food Guide Pyramid?
The Pyramid is an outline of what to eat each day. 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 or improve your weight.
The Pyramid also focuses on fat because most Americans diets are
too high in fat, especially saturated fat. |
Looking at the Pieces of the Pyramid
The Food Guide Pyramid emphasizes foods from the five major food
groups shown in the three lower sections of the Pyramid. Each of
these food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients
you need. Foods in one group can't replace those in another. No
one food group is more important than another - for good health,
you need them all. |
 |
The small
tip of the Pyramid shows fats, oils, and sweets. These are foods
such as salad dressings and oils, cream, butter, margarine,
sugars, soft drinks, candies, and sweet desserts. These foods
provide calories and little else nutritionally. Most people
should use them sparingly. |
| On this
level of the Food Guide Pyramid are two groups of foods that
come mostly from animals: milk, yogurt, cheese; and meat,
poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts. These foods are for
protein, calcium, iron, and zinc. |
| This level
includes foods that come from plants - vegetables and fruits.
Most people need to eat more of these foods for the vitamins,
minerals, and fiber they supply. |
| At the base
of the Food Guide Pyramid are breads, cereals, rice, and pasta -
all foods from grains. You need the servings of these foods each
day. |
A Closer Look at Fat and Added Sugars
|
As you can see, fat and sugars are concentrated
in foods from the Pyramid tip - fats, oils, and sweets. These
foods supply calories, ut little or no vitamins and minerals. By
using these foods sparingly, you can have a diet that supplies
needed vitamins and minerals without excess calories.
Some fat or sugar symbols are shown in the food groups. That's
to remind you that some food choices in these food groups can
also be high in fat or added sugars. When choosing foods for a
healthful diet, consider that fat and added sugars in your
choices from the food groups, as well as the fats, oils, and
sweets from the Pyramid tip.
Fat
In general, foods that come from animals (milk and meat groups)
are naturally higher in fat than foods that come from plants.
But there are many lowfat dairy and lean meat choices available,
and these foods can be prepared in ways that lower fat.
Fruits, vegetables, and grain products are naturally low in fat.
But many popular items are prepared with fat, like french-fried
potatoes, or croissants, making them higher fat choices. |
Fruits, vegetables, and grain products are
naturally low in fat. But many popular items are prepared with
fat, like french-fried potatoes, or croissants, making them
higher fat choices.
For example:
| ONE
BAKED POTATO |
Calories: 120
Fat: Trace
|
| 14 French
Fries |
Calories: 225
Fat: 11 grams |
|
Added Sugars
These symbols represent sugars added to foods in processing or
at the table, not the sugars found naturally in fruits and milk.
It's the added sugars that provide calories with few vitamins
and minerals.
Most of the added sugars in the typical American diet come from
foods in the Pyramid tip - soft drinks, candy, jams, jellies,
syrups, and table sugar we add to foods like coffee or cereal.
Added sugars in the food groups come from foods such as ice
cream, sweetened yogurt, chocolate milk, canned or frozen fruit
with heavy syrup, an sweetened bakery products like cakes and
cookies. The chart on page 16 shows you the amounts of added
sugars in some popular foods. You may be surprised!
Fat and Sugar Tips:
» Choose lower fat foods
from the food groups most often.
» 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. |
How To Make the Pyramid Work for You
|
How many servings are right for me?
The Pyramid shows a range of servings for each major food group.
The number of servings that are right for you depends on how
many calories you need, which in turn depends on your age, sex,
size, and how active you are. Almost everyone should have at
least the lowest number of servings in the ranges.
The calorie level suggestions are based on recommendations of
the National Academy of Sciences and on calorie intakes reported
by people in national food consumption surveys. |
For adults and teens
1,600 calories is about right for many sedentary women
and some older adults.
2,200 calories is about right for most children, teenage
girls, active women, and many sedentary men. Women who are
pregnant or breastfeeding may need somewhat more.
2,800 calories is about right for teenage boys, many
active men, and some very active women. |
|
For young children
It is hard to know how much food children need to grow normally.
If you're unsure, check with your doctor. Preschool children
need the same variety of foods as older family members do, but
may need less than 1, 600 calories. For fewer calories they can
eat smaller servings. However, it is important that they have
the equivalent of 2 cups of milk a day.
For you
Now, take a look at the table below. It tells you how many
servings you need for your calorie level. For example, if you
are an active woman who needs about 2, 200 calories a day, 9
servings of breads, cereals, rice, or pasta would be right for
you. You'd also want to eat about 6 ounces of meat or alternates
per day. Keep total fat (fat in the foods you choose as well as
fat used in cooking or added at the table) to about 73 grams per
day.
If you are between calorie categories, estimate servings. For
example, some less active women may need only 2, 000 calories to
maintain a healthy weight. At that calorie level, 8 servings
from the grain group would be about right. |
SAMPLE DIETS FOR A DAY AT 3
CALORIE LEVELS
|
| |
Lower
about
1,600 |
Moderate
about
2,200 |
Higher
about
2,800 |
| Grain Group Servings |
6 |
9 |
11 |
| Vegetable Group Servings |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Fruit Group Servings |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| Milk Group Servings |
2-3 |
2-3 |
2-3 |
Meat Group (ounces)
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
| Total Fat (grams) |
53 |
73 |
93 |
Total Added Sugars (teaspoons)
|
6
|
12
|
18
|
Women who are pregnant or
breastfeeding, teenagers, and young adults to age 24
need 3 servings.
Meat group amounts are in total ounces. |
|
What is a Serving?
The amount of food that counts as a serving is listed on the
next page. If you eat a larger portion, count it as more than
one serving. For example, 1/2 cup of cooked pasta counts as one
serving in the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group. If you eat
1 cup of pasta, that would be two servings. If you eat a smaller
portion, count it as part of a serving.
Isn't 6 to 11 servings of breads and cereals a lot?
It may sound like a lot, but it's really not. For example, a
slice of bread is one serving, so a sandwich for lunch would
equal two servings. A small bowl of cereal and one slice of
toast for breakfast are two more servings. And it you have a cup
of rice or pasta at dinner, that's two more servings. A snack of
3 or 4 small plain crackers adds yet another serving. So now
you've had 7 servings. It adds up quicker than you think! |
Do I need to measure servings?
No. Use servings only as a general guide. For mixed foods, do
the best you can to estimate the food group servings of the main
ingredients. For example, a generous serving of pizza would
count in the grain group (crust), the milk group (cheese), and
the vegetable group (tomato); a helping of beef stew would count
in the meat group and the vegetable group. Both have some fat -
fat in the cheese on the pizza and in the gravy form the stew,
if it's made from meat drippings.
What if I want to lose or gain weight?
The best and simplest way to lose weight is to increase your
physical activity and reduce the fat and sugars in your diet.
But be sure to eat at least the lowest number of servings from
the five major food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid. You need
them for the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and protein they
provide. Just try to pick the lowest fat choices from the food
groups.
To gain weight, increase the amounts of foods you eat from all
of the food groups. If you have lost weight unexpectedly, see
your doctor. |
WHAT COUNTS AS A SERVING?
Food Groups |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean
meat. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts
count as 1 ounce of meat. |
|
Fats
How much fat can I have?
It depends on your calorie needs. The Dietary Guidelines
recommend that Americans limit fat in their diets to 30 percent
of calories. This amounts to 53 grams of fat in a 1,600-calorie
diet, 73 grams of fat in a 2,200-calorie diet, and 93 grams of
fat in a 2,800-calorie diet.
You will get up to half this fat even if you pick the lowest fat
choice from each good group and add no fat to your foods in
preparation or at the table.
You decide how to use the additional fat in your daily diet. You
may want to have foods from the five major food groups that are
higher in fat--such as whole milk instead of skim milk. Or you
may want to use it in cooking or at the table in the form of
spreads, dressings, or toppings.
How to check your diet for fat
If you want to be sure you have a lowfat diet, you can count the
grams of fat in your day's food choices using the Pyramid Food
Choices Chart, and compare them to the number of grams of fat
suggested for you calorie level.
|
You don't need to count fat grams every day, but
doing a fat checkup once in awhile will help keep you on the
right track. If you find you are eating too much fat, choose
lower fat foods more often.
You can figure the number of grams of fat that provide 30% of
calories in your daily diet as follow:
A. Multiply your total day's calories by 0.30 to get your
calories from fat per day. Example: 2,200 calories x 0.30 =
660 calories from fat.
B. Divide calories from fat per day by 9 (each gram of fat has 9
calories) to get grams of fat per day. Example: 660 calories
from fat ÷ 9 = 73 grams of fat.
|
Are some types of fat worse than others?
Yes. Eating too much saturated fat raises blood cholesterol
levels in many people, increasing their risk for heart disease.
The Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat to less
than 10 percent of calories, or about on-third of total fat
intake.
All fats in foods are mixtures of three types of fatty acids -
saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.
Saturated fats are found in largest amounts in fats from
meat and dairy product and in some vegetables fats such as
coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils.
Monounsaturated fats are found mainly in olive, peanut,
and canola oils.
Polyunsaturated fats are found mainly in safflower,
sunflower, corn, soybean, and cottonseed oils and some fish.
How do I avoid too much saturated fat?
Follow the Food Guide Pyramid, keeping your total fat within
recommended (See the table for the number of grams suggested at
various calorie levels). Choose fat from a variety of food
sources, but mostly from those foods that are higher in
polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat.
Here are some selection tips:
»Use lean meats and
skim or lowfat dairy products.
»Use unsaturated
vegetable oils and margarines that list a liquid
vegetable oil as first ingredient on the label.
 |
»Read nutrition
and ingredient labels on food packages to check the
kinds and amounts of fat they contain.
»Limit use of
products that contain a large amount of saturated fats.
Examples are nondairy creamers and rich baked products
such as pie crusts and other pastries, cakes, and
cookies. |
|
Cholesterol
What about cholesterol?
Cholesterol and fat are not the same thing.
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance present in all animal foods
- meat, poultry, fish, milk and milk products, and egg yolks.
Both the lean and fat of meat and the meat and skin of poultry
contain cholesterol. In milk products, cholesterol is mostly in
the fat, so lower fat products contain less cholesterol. Egg
yolks and organ meats, like liver, are high in cholesterol.
Plant foods do not contain cholesterol.
Dietary cholesterol, as well as saturated fat, raises blood
cholesterol levels in many people, increasing their risk for
heart disease. Some health authorities recommend that dietary
cholesterol be limited to an average of 300 mg or less per day.
To keep dietary cholesterol to this level, follow the Food Guide
Pyramid, keeping your total fat to the amount that's right for
you.
It's not necessary to eliminate all foods that are high in
cholesterol. You can have three to four egg yolks a week,
counting those used as ingredients in custards and baked
products. Use lower fat dairy products often and occasionally
include dry beans and peas in place of meat.
 |
| WHERE ARE THE ADDED SUGARS? |
| Food Groups |
|
Added Sugars (teaspoons) |
| Bread,
Cereal, Rice, and Pasta |
| Bread, 1 slice |
|
0 |
| Muffin, 1 medium |
x |
1 |
| Cookies, 2 medium |
x |
1 |
| Danish pasty, 1 medium |
x |
1 |
| Doughnut, 1 medium |
xx |
2 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, sweetened, 1
oz. |
x |
* |
| Pound cake, no-fat, 1 oz. |
xx |
2 |
| Angelfood cake, 1/12 tube cake |
xxxxx |
5 |
| Cake, frosted, 1/16 average |
xxxxxx |
6 |
| Pie, fruit, 2 crust, 1/6 8"
pie |
xxxxxx |
6 |
| |
|
|
| Fruit |
| Fruit, canned in juice, 1/2 cup |
|
0 |
| Fruit, canned in light syrup, 1/2
cup |
xx |
2 |
| Fruit, canned in heavy syrup, 1/2
cup |
xxxx |
4 |
|
|
|
| Milk,
Yogurt, and Cheese |
| Milk, plain, 1 cup |
|
0 |
| Chocolate milk, 2 percent, 1 cup |
xxx |
3 |
| Lowfat yogurt, plain, 8 oz. |
|
0 |
| Lowfat, yogurt, flavored, 8 oz. |
xxxxx |
5 |
| Lowfat yogurt, fruit, 8 oz. |
xxxxxxx |
7 |
| Ice Cream, ice milk, frozen
yogurt 1/2 cup |
xxx |
3 |
| Chocolate shake, 10 fl. oz. |
xxxxxxxxx |
9 |
|
|
|
| Other |
| Sugar, jam, or jelly, 1 tsp. |
x |
1 |
| Syrup or honey, 1 tbsp. |
xxx |
3 |
| Chocolate bar, 1 oz. |
xxx |
3 |
| Fruit sorbet, 1/2 cup |
xxx |
3 |
| Gelatin dessert, 1/2 cup |
xxxx |
4 |
| Sherbet, 1/2 cup |
xxxxx |
5 |
| Cola, 12 fl. oz. |
xxxxxxxxx |
9 |
| Fruit drink, ade, 12 fl. oz. |
xxxxxxxxxxxx |
12 |
| |
|
|
* Check product
label. x = 1 teaspoon sugar
Note: 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon |
|
Sugars
What about sugars?
Choosing a diet low in fat is a concern for everyone; choosing
one low in sugars is also important for people who have low
calorie needs. Sugars include white sugar, brown sugar, raw
sugar, corn syrup, honey, and molasses; these supply calories
and little else nutritionally.
To avoid getting too many calories from sugars, try to limit
your added sugars to 6 teaspoons a day if you eat about 1,600
calories, 12 teaspoons at 2,200 caloires, or 18 teaspoons at
2,800 calories. These amounts are intended to be averages over
time. The patterns are illustrations of healthful proportions in
the diet, not rigid prescriptions.
Added sugars are in foods like candy and soft drinks, as well as
jams, jellies, and sugars you add at the table. Some added
sugars are also in foods from the food groups, such as fruit
canned in heavy syrup and chocolate milk. The chart on the left
shows the approximate amount of sugars in some popular foods.
Salt and Sodium
Do I have to give up salt?
No. But most people eat more than they need. some health
authorities say that sodium intake should not be more than 2,400
mg. Nutrition labels also list a Daily Value (upper limit) of
2,400 mg per day of sodium. Much of the sodium in people's diets
comes from salt they add while cooking and at the table. (One
teaspoon of salt provides about 2, 000 mg of sodium.)
Go easy on salt and foods that are high in sodium, including
cured meats, luncheon meats, and many cheeses, most canned soups
and vegetables, and soy sauce. Look for lower salt and
no-salt-added versions of these products at your supermarket.
The table below will give you an idea of the amount of sodium in
different types of foods. Information on food labels can also
help you make food choices to keep sodium moderate. |
| WHERE'S THE SALT? |
| Food Groups |
|
Sodium, mg |
| Bread,
Cereal, Rice, and Pasta |
| Cooked cereal, rice,
pasta, unsalted, 1/2 cup |
Trace |
| Ready-to-eat cereal,
1 oz. |
100-360 |
| Bread, 1 slice |
110-175 |
| Popcorn, salted, 1
oz. |
100-460 |
| Pretzels, slated, 1
oz. |
130-880 |
| |
|
|
| Vegetables |
| Vegetables, fresh or
frozen, cooked without salt, 1/2 cup |
Less than 70 |
| Vegetables, canned or
frozen with sauce, 1/2 cup |
140-460 |
| Tomato juice, canned,
3/4 cup |
660 |
| Vegetable soup,
canned, 1 cup |
820 |
| |
|
|
| Fruit |
| Fruit, fresh, frozen,
canned, 1/2 cup |
Trace |
|
|
|
| Milk,
Yogurt, and Cheese |
| Milk, 1 cup |
120 |
| Yogurt, 8 oz. |
160 |
| Natural cheeses,
1-1/2 oz. |
110-450 |
| Process cheeses, 2
oz. |
800 |
|
|
|
| Meat,
Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts |
| Fresh meat, poultry,
fish, 3 oz. |
Less than 90 |
| Tuna, canned, water
pack, 3 oz. |
300 |
| Bologna, 2 oz. |
580 |
| Ham, lean, roasted, 3
oz. |
1,020 |
| Peanuts, roasted in
oil, salted, 1 oz. |
120 |
|
|
|
| Other |
| Salad dressing, 1
tbsp |
1 |
| Ketchup, mustard,
steak sauce, 1 tbsp. |
3 |
| Soy sauce, 1 tbsp. |
3 |
| Salt, 1 tsp. |
3 |
| Dill pickle, 1 medium |
4 |
|
| THE
FOOD GROUPS |
 |
Why are breads, cereals, rice, and pasta important?
These foods provide complex carbohydrates (starches),
which are an important source of energy, especially in
lowfat diets.
They also provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The
Food Guide Pyramid suggests 6 to 11 servings of these
foods a day.
What counts as a serving?
- 1 slice of bread
- 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
- 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
Aren't starchy foods fattening?
No. It's what you add to these foods or cook with them
that adds most of the calories. For example: margarine
or butter on bread, cream or cheese sauces on pasta, and
the sugar and fat used with the flour in making cookies. |
Here are some selection tips:
»To get the fiber
you need, choose several servings a day of foods made
from whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread and
whole-grain cereals.
»Choose most often
foods that are made with little fat or sugars. These
include bread, english muffins, rice, and pasta.
»Baked goods made
from flour, such as cakes, cookies, croissants, and
pastries, count as part of this food group, by they are
high in fat and sugars.
»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 lowfat milk. |
|
| THE
FOOD GROUPS |
 |
Why are vegetables important?
Vegetables provide vitamins, such as vitamins A and C,
and folate, and minerals, such as iron and magnesium.
They are naturally low in fat and also provide fiber.
The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 3 to 5 servings of these
foods a day.
What counts as a serving?
- 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
- 1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped raw
- 3/4 cup of vegetable juice
Here are some selection tips:
»Different types of
vegetables provide different nutrients. For variety eat:
- dark-green leafy vegetables (spinach, romaine
lettuce, broccoli);
- deep-yellow vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes);
|
- starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas);
- legumes (navy, pinto, and kidney beans,
chickpeas);
- other vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green
beans)
»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 of 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.
»Use lowfat salad
dressing. |
|
| THE
FOOD GROUPS |
 |
Why are fruits important?
Fruit and fruit juices provide important amounts of
vitamins A and C and potassium. They are low in fat and
sodium. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 4 servings
of fruits a day.
What counts as a serving?
- a medium apple, banana, or orange
- 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
- 3/4 cup of fruit juice
|
Here are some selection tips:
»Choose fresh
fruits, fruit juices, and frozen, canned, or dried
fruit. Pass up fruit canned or frozen in heavy syrups
and sweetened fruit juices unless you have calories to
spare.
»Eat whole fruits
often - they are higher in fiber than fruit juices.
»Have citrus
fruits, melon, and berries regularly. They are rich in
vitamin C.
»Count only 100
percent fruit juice as fruit. Punches, ades, and most
fruit "drinks" contain only a little juice and
lots of added sugars. Grape and orange sodas don't count
as fruit juice. |
|
| THE
FOOD GROUPS |
 |
Why are meat, poultry, fish, and other foods in this
group important?
Meat, poultry, and fish supply protein, B vitamins,
iron, and zinc. The other foods in this group - dry
beans, eggs, and nuts - are similar to meats in
providing protein and most vitamins and 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.
What counts as a serving?
- Count 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or
fish as a serving. A 3-ounce piece of meat is about
the size of an average hamburger, or the amount of
meat on a medium chicken breast half.
- For other foods in this group, count 1/2 cup of
cooked dry beans or 1 egg as 1 ounce of lean meat. 2
tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts
count as 1 ounce of meat (about 1/3 serving).
Counting to see if you have an equivalent of 5-7 ounces
of cooked lean meat a day is tricky. Portions sizes vary
with the type of food and meal. For example, 6 ounces
might come from:
- 1 egg (count as 1 oz. of lean meat) for breakfast;
- 2 oz. of sliced turkey in a sandwich at lunch; and
- a 3 oz. cooked lean hamburger for dinner.
|
|
Lean
Choices
BEEF
Roasts/Steaks:
Round
Loin
Sirloin
Chuck Arm
PORK
Roasts/Chops:
Tenderloin
Center Loin
Ham
VEAL
All cuts except ground
LAMB
Roasts/Chops:
Leg
Loin
Fore Shanks
CHICKEN & TURKEY
Light & dark meat, without the skin
FISH & SHELLFISH
Most are low in fat; those marinated or canned in oil
are higher |
Here are some selection tips:
»Choose lean meat,
poultry without skin, fish, and dry beans and peas
often. They are the choices lowest in fat.
»Prepare meats in
lowfat ways:
- Trim away all the fat you can see.
- Broil, roast, or boil these foods, instead of
frying them.
»Go easy of egg
yolk; they are high in cholesterol. Use only one yolk
per person in egg dishes. Make larger portions by adding
extra egg whites.
»Nuts and seeds are
high in fat, so eat them in moderation. |
|
| THE
FOOD GROUPS |
 |
Why are milk products important?
Milk products provide protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Milk, yogurt, and cheese are the best source of calcium.
The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 3 servings of milk,
yogurt, and cheese a day - 2 for most people, and 3 for
women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers, and
young adults to age 24.
What counts as a serving?
- 1 cup of milk or yogurt
- 1-1/2 ounces of natural cheese
- 2 ounces of process cheese
Here are some selection tips:
»Choose skim milk
and nonfat yogurt often. They are lowest in fat. |
»1-1/2
to 2 ounces of cheese and 8 ounces of yogurt count as a
serving from this group because they supply the same
amount of calcium as 1 cup of milk.
»Cottage cheese is
lower in calcium than most cheeses. One cup of cottage
cheese counts as only 1/2 serving of milk.
»Go easy on high
fat cheese and ice cream. They can add a lot of fat
(especially saturated fat) to your diet.
»Choose "part
skim" or lowfat cheeses when available and lower
fat milk desserts, like ice milk or frozen yogurt. |
|
The Pyramid Food Choices Chart
|
The following chart lists commonly used
foods in each food group and the amount of fat in each.
Only a few of the thousands of foods we eat are listed.
However, they will give you an idea of foods from each
food group that are higher and lower in fat.
The Food Guide Pyramid symbol (») next to the
food items means that food is one of the lowest fat
choices you can make in that food group. |
You can use the food label to
count fat in specific foods. Many labels on food lists
the grams of fat in a serving.
How much is a gram of fat?
To help you visualize how much fat is in these foods,
keep in mind that 1 teaspoon (1 pat) of butter has 4
grams of fat. |
| For this amount of
food... |
count this many... |
| Bread,
Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group |
| Eat 6 to 11 servings
daily |
Servings |
Grams
of Fat |
| »Bread, 1 slice |
1 |
1 |
| »Hamburger roll,
bagel, english muffin, 1 |
2 |
2 |
| Tortilla, 1 |
1 |
3 |
| »Rice, pasta,
cooked, 1/2 cup |
1 |
Trace |
| Plain crackers,
small, 3-4 |
1 |
3 |
| Breakfast
cereal, 1 oz. |
1 |
* |
| Pancakes,
4" diameter, 2 |
2 |
3 |
| Croissant, 1
large (2 oz.) |
2 |
12 |
| Doughnut, 1
medium (2 oz.) |
2 |
11 |
| Danish, 1 medium
(2 oz.) |
2 |
13 |
| Cake, frosted,
1/16 average |
1 |
13 |
| Cookies, 2
medium |
1 |
4 |
| Pie, fruit,
2-crust, 1/6 8" pie |
2 |
19 |
* Check product label |
|
| For this amount of food... |
count this many... |
| Vegetable
Group |
| Eat 3 to 5 servings daily |
Servings |
Grams of Fat |
| »Vegetables, cooked 1/2 cup |
1 |
Trace |
| »Vegetables, leafy, raw 1
cup |
1 |
Trace |
| »Vegetables, nonleafy, raw,
chopped 1/2 cup |
1 |
Trace |
| Potatoes, scalloped, 1/2
cup |
1 |
4 |
| Potato salad, 1/2 cup |
1 |
8 |
| French fries, 10 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
|
| Fruit
Group |
| Eat 2 to 4 servings daily |
Servings |
Grams of Fat |
| »Whole fruit: medium apple,
orange, banana |
1 |
Trace |
| »Fruit, raw or canned, 1/2
cup |
1 |
Trace |
| »Fruit juice, unsweetened,
3/4 cup |
1 |
Trace |
| Avocado, 1/4 whole |
1 |
9 |
|
|
|
| Milk,
Yogurt, and Cheese Group |
| Eat 2 to 3
servings daily |
| »Skim milk, 1 cup |
1 |
Trace |
| »Nonfat yogurt, plain, 8 oz. |
1 |
Trace |
| Lowfat milk, 2 percent,
1 cup |
1 |
5 |
| Whole milk, 1 cup |
1 |
8 |
| Chocolate milk, 2
percent, 1 cup |
1 |
5 |
| Lowfat yogurt, plain, 8
oz. |
1 |
4 |
| Lowfat yogurt, fruit, 8
oz. |
1 |
3 |
| Natural cheddar cheese,
1-1/2 oz. |
1 |
14 |
| Process cheese, 2 oz. |
1 |
18 |
| Mozzarella, part skim,
1/2 cup |
1 |
7 |
| Ricotta, part skim, 1/2
cup |
1 |
10 |
| Cottage cheese, 4
percent fat, 1/2 cup |
1/4 |
5 |
| Ice cream, 1/2 cup |
1/3 |
7 |
| Ice milk, 1/2 cup |
1/3 |
3 |
| Frozen yogurt, 1/2 cup |
1/2 |
2 |
|
| For this amount of food... |
count this many... |
| Meat,
Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group |
| Eat 5 to 7 oz. daily |
Servings |
Grams of Fat |
| »Lean meat, poultry, fish,
cooked |
3 oz. |
6 |
| Ground beef, lean,
cooked |
3 oz. |
16 |
| Chicken, with skin,
fried |
3 oz. |
13 |
| Bologna, 2 slices |
1 oz. |
16 |
| Egg, 1 |
1 oz. |
5 |
| »Dry beans and peas, cooked,
1/2 cup |
1 oz. |
Trace |
| Peanut butter, 2 tbsp. |
1 oz. |
16 |
| Nuts, 1/3 cup |
1 oz. |
22 |
|
|
|
| Fats,
Oil, and Sweets |
| Use sparingly |
| Butter, margarine, 1 tsp. |
- |
4 |
| Mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. |
- |
11 |
| Salad dressing, 1 tbsp. |
- |
7 |
| Reduced calorie salad dressing, 1
tbsp. |
- |
* |
| Sour cream, 2 tbsp. |
- |
6 |
| Cream cheese, 1 oz. |
- |
10 |
| Sugar, jam, jelly, 1 tsp. |
- |
0 |
| Cola, 12 fl. oz. |
- |
0 |
| Fruit drink, ade, 12 fl. oz. |
- |
0 |
| Chocolate bar, 1 oz. |
- |
9 |
| Sherbet, 1/2 cup |
- |
2 |
| Fruit sorbet, 1/2 cup |
- |
0 |
| Gelatin dessert, 1/2 cup |
- |
0 |
What about alcoholic beverages?
If adults choose to drink, they should have no more that 1 to 2
drinks a day. Alcoholic beverages provide calories, but little
or no nutrients. These standard-size drinks each provide about
the same amount of alcohol.
| Alcoholic
Beverages |
|
Calories |
| Beer, 12 fl. oz. (1 regular can) |
150 |
| Wine, dry, 5 fl. oz. |
100 |
| Liquor, 1-1/2 oz. * |
100 |
| * A mixer such as a soft drink will add
more calories. |
|
How to Rate Your Diet
You may want to rate you diet for a few days. Follow these four
steps.
Step 1.
| Jot down everything you ate yesterday
for meals and snacks. |
Grams of Fat |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| Total |
|
Step 2.
Write down the number of grams of fat in each food you list.
»Use the Pyramid Food
Choices Chart to get an idea of the number of grams of fat to
count for the foods you ate.
»Use nutrition labels on
packaged foods you ate to find out the grams of fat they
contained. |
Step 3.
Answer these questions:
»Did you have the number of
servings from the five major food groups that are right for you?
(See previous chart to determine the number of servings that are
right for you.)
| |
Circle the Servings right for You |
Servings You Had |
| Grain Group Servings |
6 7 8 9 10 11 |
|
| Vegetable Group Servings |
3 4 5 |
|
| Fruit Group Servings |
2 3 4 |
|
| Milk Group Servings |
2 3 |
|
| Meat Group (ounces) |
5 6 7 |
|
How did you do? Not enough? About right?
»Add up your grams of fat
listed in Step 2. Did you have more fat than the amount right
for you?
| |
Grams Right for You |
Grams You Had |
| Fat |
53 73 93 |
|
How did you do? Too much? About right?
»Do you need to watch the
amount of added sugars you eat? See the previous chart to
estimate the number of teaspoons of added sugars in your food
choices.
| |
Teaspoons Right for You |
Teaspoons You Had |
| Sugars |
6 12 18 |
|
How did you do? Too much? About right?
Step 4.
Decide what changes you can make for a healthier diet. Start by
making small changes, like switching to lowfat salad dressings
or adding an extra serving of vegetables. Make additional
changes gradually until healthy eating becomes a habit. |
For More Information
Contact USDA's Center for Nutrition
Policy and Promotion. The address is:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
1120 20th St., NW
Suite 200, North Lobby
Washington, DC 20036-3475
|
|
