The Food Guide Pyramid
You must have noticed the food guide pyramid on food labels. The USDA and the DHHS designed this pyramid to be a flexible dietary guide for Americans. Each compartment contains a different food group and the recommended number of servings that should be consumed daily. The primary energy-providing nutrient (Chapter 2) found in each food group is written in parenthesis. See Figure 3-1.
Figure 3-1. Food Guide Pyramid
Fats, Oils & Sweets: use sparingly (Fats & added sugar)
Milk, Yogurt & Cheese Group: 2-3 servings (Proteins)
Vegetable Group: 3-5 servings (cho)
Figure 3-1. Food Guide Pyramid
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs & Nuts Group: (Vegetarian substitutes: meat alternatives, legumes, nuts, seeds) 2-3 servings (Proteins)
Fruit Group: 2-4 servings (cho)
Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group: 6-11 servings
Although this Food Guide Pyramid is found on most food labels, many people are unsure how to use its information. The most common questions are about serving sizes and how many servings should be eaten. Often people overestimate the size of a serving, thereby eating more kcals than they anticipated. Table 3-1 gives an estimate of the amount of food per serving for each food group and Table 3-2 lists the number of servings required from each food group to meet the various total daily kcals shown in the left column. Look up the number of servings you need from each of the food groups to meet your Estimated Energy Requirements (EER, Worksheet 1-2).
|
Food Group |
Serving Size |
|
Bread, Cereal, Rice, |
1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta, 1 oz.* |
|
Pasta & Grains |
breakfast cereal, 1/2 bagel. |
|
Vegetables |
1 cup leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup raw or cooked |
|
vegetable, 3/4 cup vegetable juice. | |
|
Fruits |
1 medium size fruit, 1/2 cup canned fruit, 3/4 cup of |
|
100% fruit juice, 1/4 cup dried fruit. | |
|
Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese |
1 cup milk or yogurt, 2 oz. cheese. |
|
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry |
3 oz. lean meat, poultry, fish, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp* |
|
Beans, Eggs, Nuts |
peanut butter, 1/2 cup cooked beans. |
|
Fats, Oils, Sweets |
1 tsp* oil, 1 pat of butter, 1 Tbsp salad dressing or |
|
sour cream. |
|
NUMBER OF SERVINGS PER FOOD GROUP | ||||||
|
Total Daily Kcals |
Bread |
Vegetables |
Fruits |
Meats |
Milk |
Fat grams |
|
1,400 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
<47 |
|
1,600 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
<53 |
|
1,800 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
<60 |
|
2,000 |
10 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
<67 |
|
2,200 |
11 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
<73 |
|
2,400 |
12 |
6 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
<80 |
|
3,000 |
15 |
6 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
<100 |
Adapted from Navy Nutrition and Weight Control Self-Study Guide, NAVPERS 15602A 1996, p. 44.
Adapted from Navy Nutrition and Weight Control Self-Study Guide, NAVPERS 15602A 1996, p. 44.
5-A-Day
You may have heard of the national campaign to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables eaten by all Americans. This campaign, called "5-a-Day" has been adopted by all military services. Its purpose is to encourage people to eat at least five servings of fruits a+tt*r n*atth*
and vegetables each day. Following this program can add needed vitamins and minerals to your daily food intake; cut your risk of heart disease, cancer and digestive diseases; help control cholesterol; prevent constipation; and can help manage your body weight and percent body fat. Additionally, many fruits and vegetables contain "antioxidants" (see Glossary) and other nutrients that can be beneficial to your health. Some ideas to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in your diet can be found in Appendix A.
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