Picture of Food Nutrition Pyramid & Picture of Food Plate

Want a leaner body? A healthier body? A body that not only achieves lean, but stays lean?

Then look no further than the official Food Nutrition Pyramid. While the government is currently concentrating on the Food Plate - the backbone is still the Food Nutrition Pyramid.

This vital tool to optimum health is extremely easy to comprehend and follow. Simply put, the official Food Groups are stacked to form the pyramid. The base contains the group that is continually under attack by carb-restricted diets and the recommendations for this Food Group exceeds the others minimally by 3 to 1 - thereby lending great importance in the area of nutritional values to this group.

The Vegetable Group is next in line where recommended daily servings are concerned. While the remaining groups of the Food Nutrition Pyramid are important for optimum health, they are considered as building blocks. Let's take a closer look at the Food Groups housed within the Nutrition Pyramid as well as dangers of one-food diets and specialized diets such as protein-based plans.

The Grain Food Nutrition Group

It assists in keeping appetite under control, specifically when opting for whole grain goodness. The next time you are assaulted with a bad case of the hungries, try grabbing a bowl of oats. Cheerios, oatmeal, other whole grain cereals - all are excellent choices for battling weight gain and keeping the appetite satisfied.

Recommended servings from the Grain Food Group are 6 - 11 per day and include: bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Again, opting for whole grain not only delivers healthier benefits than non-whole grain food choices, but whole grain can assist in keeping your appetite satisfied for longer periods of time while providing essential energy to the body.

The Vegetable Food Nutrition Group

This is next in line based on recommended number of daily servings - 3 to 5 per day.

Keep in mind that not all calories are created equal.

While a stalk of celery contains minimal calories - often referred to as 'free calories', corn, potatoes and yams pack more punch where caloric values are concerned. Therefore, choose wisely.

The Fruit Food Nutrition Group

Has an RDA of 2 to 4 servings. Again, choose wisely as caloric values can be immense. An apricot contains about 17 calories, 1/2 cup of most berries contain about 50 calories as does most varieties of melon while apples, bananas and pears tend to pack twice the number of calories.

The Protein Food Group

Recommends 2 to 3 servings per day. Take note that protein comes in the forms of animal proteins and vegetable proteins. In addition, certain foods create 'complete proteins'. Meats are complete proteins as are dairy products. Meats should be free of visible fat with skin removed. When purchasing ground beef, opt for the leanest cut possible.

The Dairy Food Group

Recommends 2 to 3 servings per day - mirroring the Protein Group servings. Opt for skim, reduced fat and low fat varieties which offer more calcium benefits and less caloric content. Picture of Food Pyramid, Food Plate | Diet Bites Food Plate