The Healthy Eating Food Pyramid




The food pyramid features a chart filled with vertical stripes that represent the five major food groups, plus fats and oils. In was devised in the US to serve as a guide for people to understand how to eat healthy. The food pyramid is color coded and each color also represents a certain food group. Green – is for vegetables, red – is for fruits; yellow – is for fats and oils; blue – milk and dairy products; orange – grains; purple – meat, fish, beans and nuts. Here are other important facts about the food pyramid guide.

What Does The Food Pyramid Speak Of?
The food pyramid has messages for all of us. It tells us to eat a wide variety of healthy foods, as well as eat less of some foods and more of others. The illustrated food guide indicates that you have to eat a wide variety but balanced food items, which include food items from all food groups. That also means that you need to have foods of every color daily. In the food guide, as the colored gets thinner as they reach the top, it is an indication of the differences between food groups.

Food Serving Samples
The food pyramid introduces a number of food serving suggestions to achieve a balanced and nutritious diet. Here are some of the serving suggestion samples.
* Vegetables: Dark green and orange food items are considered best for consumption. Veggie servings are measured in cups. Kids of ages 4-8 require at least one and a half cups daily, while 9-13 year-olds need two and a half cups of veggies daily.
* Fruits: Sweet and juicy fruits are recommended to be included in the daily diet. Children from 4-8 need at least one cup daily, while adolescents from 9-13 years old require at least half cup of fruits daily.
* Grains: They are generally measured in ounces. 4-8 year-old children require at least 4-5 ounces of whole grains daily, while 9-13 year-olds need at least 5 ounces. An ounce of whole grains is equivalent to a half cup of cooked cereal, half cup of pasta, a cup of gold cereal and a slice of bread.
* Milk And Calcium-Rich Food: Calcium is an essential mineral that helps strengthen the bones and teeth. Milk can also be substituted with cheese, yogurt or calcium-fortified juice drinks. The daily requirement for kids aging 4-8 years is at least two cups of milk daily, while 9-13 year-olds must have at least three cups of milk daily.
* Milk, Beans, Fish And Nuts: An ounce of this group of food items would be equal to an ounce of poultry and fish, an ounce of fish, an egg, a tablespoon of peanut butter, and half an ounce of nuts and seeds.

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