The Food Pyramid Including Picture of Food Pyramid

Written by Diet Bites

A healthy food mix ensures optimum nutrition. The picture of the food pyramid below is based on the USDA Food Pyramid and outlines all of the healthy foods necessary in the daily diet for optimum nutrition. The reasoning behind the food pyramid is complex.

1. The fat in the food pyramid is used by the body to pad and protect organs and provides healthy skin and nails. Fat IS an important part of the food pyramid AND your daily diet weight loss program.

Diet plans that cut fat totally from the diet (fad diets) should be avoided! Totally cutting fat from the diet can turn Rapunzel to Uncle Fester in no time flat. In other words, totally eliminating fat from the daily diet - or even an intense restriction - will indeed cause hair loss.

2. Dairy products have been associated with enhancing weight loss. In other words, by incorporating at least 3 cups of skim milk into your daily diet, you'll lose weight faster.

Proteins, fruit, grains and vegetables also play big roles in the daily diet. Please explore Diet Bites to learn all the in's and out's of the awesome food pyramid and why the foods contained in the food pyramid are so vital to your diet AND to weight loss.

Picture of Food Pyramid

What is a serving size?

How many servings for each Food Group

Milk, Yogurt & Cheese Food Group: 2-3 Servings

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs & Nuts Group: 2-3 Servings

Fruit Group: 2 - 4 Servings

Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group: 6-11 Servings

Vegetable Food Group: 3-5 Servings

Fats, Oils & Sweets - Use Sparingly

What is considered a serving size?

Milk Group 2-3 Servings	Beans & Meat Group 2-3 Servings	Vegetable Group 3-5 Servings	Fruit Group 2-4 Servings	Grain Group 6-11 Servings
Milk: 8 ounces	Meat: 2-3 ounces - size of a deck of cards	Raw Leafy Vegetables: 1 cup	Fruit Juice: 3/4 cup	Bread: 1 slice
Natural Cheese: 1 1/2 ounces	Peanut Butter: 2 Tablespoons - size of a golf ball	10 French Fries	Fruit, Sliced: 1/2 cup	Cereal, Dry: 1 cup
Yogurt: 8 ounces	Beans: 1 cup	Peas, most vegetables: 1 cup	Fresh Fruit: 1 medium	Pasta: 1/2 cup

Keep in mind that the servings and serving sizes recommended above by the USDA are intended as a pattern. The amount of foods consumed should be based on all of the following:

Age

Activity Level Based on Daily Activity

Muscle Mass

Special Needs such as pregnancy and dieting.

There are also other things that you can do to increase the nutritional benefits for each Food Group in the Food Pyramid such as choosing whole grains, wheat over white, natural cheese over cheese foods, lean meats over fatty meats and skim dairy products.

We are indeed what we eat and if we aim to eat those healthy foods set forth in the Food Pyramid Picture above, it increases our chances of a fuller, healthier, longer life.

Calories in Food Groups

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