Wellness Articles

FATS, OILS & SWEETS

DAIRY PRODUCTS

PROTEIN

VEGETABLES

FRUIT

GRAINS & GRAIN PRODUCTS

Americans today are more aware of the relationship between diet and health than at any time in our history. And we’re looking for advice to answer the question, "What should I eat to stay healthy?" Now we have another tool to help us make health-supporting choices when it comes to food: the new Food Guide Pyramid.

In 1990, the federal government issued the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines list seven principles for making food choices that compliment, rather than undermine, our health. The Food Guide Pyramid is the visual companion to these guidelines. It displays the information in the guidelines in one graphic symbol.

At a glance, the Pyramid will help us understand more about the foods we need, from what groups, and in what amounts. For example the Pyramid clearly shows that fats, oils and sweets should be eaten sparingly.

The new graphic covers the three essential elements of a healthy diet: proportion, moderation, and variety.

PROPORTION

Proportion is the relative amount of food to choose from each major food group. The Pyramid shows that the greatest proportion of our calories should come from grains and grain products. The next largest share of calories should come from the fruit and vegetable groups. These three groups are known as complex carbohydrates, foods that provide our bodies with energy and perform other important metabolic functions.

Proteins, as represented by the meat and dairy groups, should make up a smaller proportion in our diet than complex carbohydrates. And fats, oils, and sweets should play the smallest role in a health-supporting diet.

MODERATION

By following the proportion guidelines of the Pyramid, you’ll be practicing moderation in the way you eat. Moderation means not overeating foods that, when taken in large amounts, have a detrimental effect.

VARIETY

Variety, as they say, is the spice of lie. When it comes to diet, variety is what keeps us from getting bored with our food choices, and that helps to keep us on the right track. The Pyramid emphasizes eating a variety of different foods from each of the major food groups every day.

NO "GOOD" OR "BAD" FOODS

Foods are not essentially "good" or "bad" for you. The foods we like to call "bad," such as fat, have a role in a health-supporting diet. The problems arise when we eat too much fat. But too much protein, or too many carbohydrates can cause problems too. The important thing to remember is this: to make health-supporting food choices, we must honor the principles of the Pyramid: proportion, moderation, and variety.

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