Nutrition

The Food Guide Pyramid is a general guide that lets vou choose a healthful diet that’s right for you. The Pyramid calls for eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need and at the same time the right amount of calories to maintain a healthy weight. Most calories should come from food in the three lower sections of the Pyramid.

Each of these groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients you need. Foods in one group can not replace those in another. No one food group is more important than another. For good health, you need them all.

Following the guidelines of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, here is a list of examples for each of the food groups. Each item on the list counts as one serving. However, some foods are so high in fat that eating an amount equivalent to one serving may add too much fat to your diet. These foods are marked *. Foods that contain saturated fat or cholesterol are marked **.

Fats, Oils, and Sweets

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts

Vegetables

Fruits

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta