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Official
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Food Pyramid
Meal plan examples
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Food Guide Pyramid - What is it?
The Food Guide 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 Food 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 Food Pyramid also focuses on fat because most
Americans diets are too high in fat, especially saturated fat.
Use the
Food Guide
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. 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.
General Dietary Guidelines for
Healthy Eating
1. Eat a variety of foods to get the
energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need for good health.
2. Balance the food you eat with physical
activity - maintain or improve your weight to reduce your chances of having
high blood pressure, heart disease, a stroke, certain cancers, and the most
common kind of diabetes.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Choose a diet moderate in salt and
sodium to help reduce your risk of high blood pressure.
7. 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.
Breakdown of the Food Guide
Pyramid Dietary Guidelines
Bread, Cereal, Rice, & Pasta
Group - 6-11 Servings
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To get the fiber you need, choose
several servings a day of foods made from whole grains. |
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Choose most often foods that are made
with little fat or sugars, like bread, english muffins, rice, and pasta.
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Go easy on the fat and sugars you add
as spreads, seasonings, or toppings. |
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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. |
Fruit Group - 2-4 Servings
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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. |
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Eat whole fruits often--they are higher
in fiber than fruit juices. |
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Count only 100 percent fruit juice as
fruit. Punches and most fruit "drinks" contain only a little juice and
lots of added sugars. |
Vegetable Group - 3-5 Servings
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Different types of vegetables provide
different nutrients. Eat a variety. |
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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. |
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Be careful with 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. |
Meat, Poultry, Fish - 2-3
Servings
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Choose lean meat, poultry without skin,
fish, and dry beans and peas often. they are the choices lowest in fat.
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Prepare meats in low fat ways:
1. Trim away all the fat you can see.
2. Remove skin from poultry.
3. Broil, roast, or boil these foods instead of frying them.
4. Nuts and seeds are high in fat, so eat them in moderation.
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Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese - 2-3
Servings
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Choose skim milk and nonfat yogurt
often. They are lowest in fat. |
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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. |
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Choose "part skim" or low fat cheeses
when available and lower fat milk desserts, like ice milk or frozen
yogurt. Read labels. |
Fats, Oils, & Sweets - Use
Sparingly
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Go easy on fats and sugars added to
foods in cooking or at the table--butter, margarine, gravy, salad
dressing, sugar, and jelly. |
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Choose fewer foods that are high in
sugars - candy, sweet desserts, and soft drinks. |
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The most effective way to moderate the
amount of fat and added sugars in your diet is to cut down on "extras"
(foods in this group). Also choose lower fat and lower sugar foods from
the other five food groups often. |
How Many Servings of Food Should
I Have?
The Food Guide 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
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1,600 calories is about right for many
sedentary women and some older adults. |
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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. |
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2,800 calories is about right for
teenage boys, many active men, and some very active women. |
TABLE 1. Sample Diet at Three
Different Calorie Levels
|
Food Group |
1600
Calorie Diet |
2200
Calorie Diet |
2800
Calorie Diet |
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Grains |
6 servings |
9 servings
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11 servings
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Vegetables |
3 servings
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4 servings
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5 servings
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Fruits |
2 servings
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3 servings
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4 servings
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Dairy/Milk |
2-3 servings
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2-3 servings |
2-3 servings |
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Meats (ounces)
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5oz |
6oz |
7oz |
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Total Fat (30%) |
53g |
73g |
93g |
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Total Added Sugars |
6 tsp |
12 tsp
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18 tsp
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Different
Foods in the Food Guide Pyramid Dietary Guidelines
FATS - Dietary Guidelines
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.
If you want to be sure you have a low fat
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 your 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.
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.
Choose fat from a variety of food
sources, but mostly from those foods that are higher in polyunsaturated or
monounsaturated fat.
Just so you know, 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.
SUGARS - Dietary Guidelines
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 calories, 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.
SALT & SODIUM - Dietary
Guidelines
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.)
Be careful with salt and foods that are
high in sodium, including cured meats, luncheon meats, and many cheeses,
most canned soups and vegetables, and soy sauce. Try to find lower salt and
no-salt-added versions of these products at your supermarket.
BREADS, CEREALS, RICE, PASTA -
Dietary Guidelines
These foods provide complex carbohydrates
(starches), which are an important source of energy, especially in low fat
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
VEGETABLES - Dietary Guidelines
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.
Different types of vegetables provide
different nutrients. For variety eat:
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Dark-green leafy vegetables (spinach,
romaine lettuce, broccoli) |
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Deep-yellow vegetables (carrots, sweet
potatoes) |
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Starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn,
peas) |
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Legumes (navy, pinto, and kidney beans,
chickpeas) |
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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 low fat salad dressing.
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
FRUITS - Dietary Guidelines
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?
-Medium apple, banana, or orange
-1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
-3/4 cup of fruit juice
MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, DRY BEANS,
EGGS, NUTS - Dietary Guidelines
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?
-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 meat on a medium chicken breast half.
- 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
MILK, YOGURT, CHEESE - Dietary
Guidelines
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
ALCOHOL - Dietary Guidelines
If you choose to drink, you should have
no more that 1 to 2 drinks a day. Alcoholic beverages provide calories, but
little to no nutrients.
Food Pyramid Guidelines -
Conclusion
From A to Z - apricots to zucchini,
adzuki beans to ziti - every food fits into the Food Guide Pyramid! The
Pyramid is meant for all healthy people from age two on up. It offers
practical advice to enjoy the diverse array of foods available in today's
marketplace. With its five food groups, the Pyramid has many kinds of foods
that promote health. Chosen carefully, all foods can be part of your
healthful eating style. Follow the Pyramid's advice. You'll consume the
nutrients and energy you need...without too many calories, or too much fat,
cholesterol, or sugars. Enjoy different foods within each food group. Even
similar foods differ in their nutrition content. That's another reason for
making food variety part of your eating style! 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, even several days, are what
counts. Eat at least the lowest number of servings recommended for each food
group daily. And enjoy just a bit from the Pyramid tip.
Source: U.S.
Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
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