Food Plate Pyramid
Article by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
The Food Pyramid, Foundation for Weight Loss Success
Just as the wise man builds his house upon the rock, the wise dieter must build their daily diet on a strong, reliable foundation.
The strongest Diet Foundation known to modern day man is the Official Food Pyramid.
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In order to conquer weighty issues, one must begin with a strong foundation.
Recently, the Pyramid got a beauty makeover and has revolved into the Food Plate, but the recommended Food Groups as well as servings sizes remain the same.
The current recommendation for daily food groups are as follows:
Dairy Food Group: Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese, 2 to 3 Servings
Vegetable Food Group: 3 to 5 Servings
Protein Food Group: Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, Nuts, 2 to 3 Servings
Fruit Food Group: 2 to 4 Servings
Grain Food Group: Bread, Cereal, Rice, Pasta – 6 to 11 Servings
Fats, Oils & Sweets - Use Sparingly
However, do take note that the Food Pyramid recommendations are not set in stone and are continually being revised - just as the Pyramid was transformed into the Plate. Here is a picture of the Official Food Pyramid:
And here is a picture of the Official Food Plate:
To illustrate the foods that can fit nicely into each Food Group, Diet Bites created the following Food Plate:
Recommended Servings Not Set in Stone
Unfortunately, there is wide birth for error when trying to apply the varying daily recommendations to the daily diet - therefore the recommended servings should be used as a pattern with the following to be taken into consideration: age, daily activity level and muscle mass.
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Whereas some individuals require two servings from the Dairy Group, others willrequire three and so forth.
Thus the quandary, “How many servings does my body require?”
Special Dietary Needs
Other factors influencing an individual’s daily food recommendations include: special dietary needs (including the restriction of calories), height, weight, frame size, metabolic rate, gender, ethnic origin, climate and environment.
Different Energy Values in Foods, Even When in the Same Food Group Can Prove Challenging for Dieters
Due to the above ‘influencing factors’ there is another reason for variance in number of servings. Calories. Not all fruits were created equal in caloric values. Not all vegetables were created equal – and so forth.
Meeting Daily Food Group Recommendation Tips
A FUN TO-DO: Using the recommended daily servings above, before pillowing your head for the night, jot down the foods that you consumed today in your daily diet.
How well do they match the Food Pyramid recommendations? Did you consume the minimum recommendations? If yes - GOOD – that’s a great start!
Our next section of this free diet plan discusses the types of appetites. Based on the foods and drinks that you consumed in your menu today, you can easily determine which category your eating pattern falls into; simply see here to continue.
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