NUTRITION
And
the Food Pyramid!!!
The Food Guide Pyramid is designed so that everyone can see and understand how to eat healthy. A
rainbow of colored, vertical stripes represents the five food groups plus fats and oils. Each stripe starts off wide, then gets narrower towards the top. This is to remind us that some foods in one food group are better for us than other foods in the same group. You may also have noticed that the colored stripes are not all the same size. This is because our bodies need different amounts of food from each group to be healthy.Here's what the colors stand for:
·
orange - grains·
green - vegetables·
red - fruits·
yellow - fats and oils·
blue - milk and dairy products·
purple - meat, beans, fish, and nutsGrains
Eat at least 3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice, or pasta everyday. Look for the word "whole" before grain on the packaging ingredients. Foods from this group have a lot of fiber to keep your heart healthy.
Vegetables
The actual daily intake amount for vegetables varies depending on your age, gender, and level of physical activity. For girls 9-13 years old, you should have about 2 cups of vegetables a day. For girls ages 14-18 and boys ages 9-13 about 2 ½ cups is more appropriate. Boys 14-18 need about 3 cups every day.
Fruits
Just like vegetables, the appropriate daily intake varies on age, gender, and level of physical activity. For girls ages 9-18 and for boys ages 9-13, 1 ½ cups of fruit a day is about right. For boys 14-18, 2 cups is better. Be careful with fruit juices! While it might seem like a smart way to get your daily fruit intake, some don’t have real fruit juice in them and are loaded with sugars!
Fats and Oils
Most people get there required intake of fats and oils from foods they already eat. Try making most of your fat sources come from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Make sure you limit solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard. VERY little fats and oils should be eaten a day.
Milk and Dairy
All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group. Foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are part of the group, while foods made from milk that have little to no calcium (cream cheese, cream, and butter) are not. Try only drinking or eating dairy choices that are fat-free or low-fat. People of all ages should be consuming about 3 cups of dairy everyday.
Meats
All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group. Try making most meat and poultry choices lean or low-fat. It is recommended that boys and girls get about 5-6 ounces everyday of this food group.
Finding a Balance between Food and Physical Activity
The man walking up the stairs on the food pyramid reminds us that while eating right is important, being physically active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week is just as important. Children and teenagers should be physically active 60 minutes everyday, or most days.
If you would like to learn more about the food pyramid, go to
www.mypyramid.gov.For a fun, interactive way to learn about nutrition, go to
www.adisney.go.com/healthykids/