Food Guide Pyramid
Learning to Navigate the New Food
Guide Pyramid
http://www.gcsnp.org/powerpoint/Food%20Guide%20Pyramid.ppt
Food Guide Pyramid
The new pyramid helps us…
• Make smart choices from every food group,
• Find our balance between food and physical
activity, and
• Get the most nutrition out of our calories.
The New Food Guide Pyramid has
six food groups…
Grains
Vegetables
Fruits
Milk Group
Meats and Beans
Oils
• Any food made from: wheat, rice, oats,
cornmeal, barley, or other cereal grain.
• Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel.
• Refined grains have been milled, which
removes the bran and germ from the
grain.
• This improves the texture and shelf-life, but
removes the fiber, iron, and B vitamins from the
final grain product.
Grains
• brown rice • pasta
• bulgur • pita bread
• oatmeal • whole wheat bread
• popcorn • pretzels
• corn tortillas • quinoa
• couscous • sorghum
• grits • millet
Recommendation: 6 oz.
Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice
counts as a member of the vegetable group.
Vegetables can be:
• raw or cooked
• fresh or frozen
• dried
Remember to eat a variety of vegetables.
Vegetables
• broccoli • asparagus
• collard greens • beets
• watercress • cauliflower
• squash • eggplant
• sweet potatoes • cucumbers
• pumpkin • bell peppers
• corn • parsnips
• artichokes • onions
Recommendation: 2 ½ cups
Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of
the fruit group.
Fruits can be:
• fresh,
• canned
• frozen
• dried
Eat different colored fruits to add variety to
your diet.
Fruits
• apples • oranges
• avocados • nectarines
• bananas • peaches
• blueberries • limes
• cherries • plums
• lemons • pineapple
• grapes • papaya
• watermelon • guava
Recommendation: 2 cups
All fluid milk products and many foods made
from milk are part of the milk group.
The milk is a good source of calcium,
vitamin D, and riboflavin.
Try to choose milk group choices that are:
• fat-free
• low-fat
Milk Group
• milk • cottage cheese
• flavored milk • processed cheese
• puddings • cheddar cheese
• ice cream • mozzarella cheese
• frozen yogurt • parmesan cheese
• yogurt • Swiss cheese
• ricotta cheese • soy milk
Recommendation: 3 cups every day
• All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry
beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are
included.
•Most meat and poultry choices should be lean
or low-fat.
•Fish, nuts, and seeds contain healthy oils, so
choose them frequently.
Meat Group
• lean cuts of beef • lean ground beef
• lean cuts of pork • lean ground pork
• venison • salmon
• chicken • halibut
• turkey • tuna
• eggs • swordfish
• almonds • shrimp
• peanuts • scallops
• pistachios • crab
Recommendation: 5 ½ oz.
Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature.
Oils come from many different plants and from
fish.
Oils are generally high in monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats. These fats are healthy.
Coconut oil and palm kernel oil are highly
saturated. They are found in processed baked
products. Avoid these at all costs.
Oils
• canola oil • mayonnaise
• corn oil • salad dressings
• cottonseed oil • soft tub margarines
• olive oil • some fish
• safflower oil • Sunflower oil
• soybean oil
Recommendation: Use sparingly
Physical activity simply means to move the body
so it uses energy.
For health benefits, physical activity should be
moderate to vigorous for at least 30 minutes
a day.
This is the most important change to the food
guide pyramid.
Physical Activities
Moderate: Vigorous:
• walking briskly • running
• hiking • swimming
• gardening • aerobics
• dancing • competitive
• golfing basketball
• bicycling • walking fast
• weight training • weight lifting
These components make up…