The Food Guide Pyramid...
Beyond the Basic 4

HE-503, (1992)
Developed as a cooperative effort by: USDA Human Nutrition Information Service and the Food Marketing Institute
Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist

What's the Best Nutrition Advice?

It's following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  These are seven guidelines for a healthy diet - advice for healthy Americans 2 years of age or more.  By following the Dietary Guidelines,  you can enjoy better health and reduce your chances of getting certain diseases - such as heart disease,  high blood pressure,   stroke,  certain cancers and the most common type of diabetes.  These Guidelines are the best,  most up-to-date advice from nutrition experts.

• Eat a variety of foods.
• Maintain healthy weight.
• Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables,  fruits and grain products.
• Use sugars only in moderation.
• Use salt and sodium only in moderation.

What is the Food Guide Pyramid?

The Food Guide Pyramid is an outline of what to eat each day based on the Dietary Guidelines.  It's not a rigid prescription but a general guide that lets you 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 healthy weight.

Use the Pyramid to help you eat better every day...the Dietary Guidelines way.   Start with plenty of breads,  cereal,  rice,  pasta,   vegetables and fruits.  Add two to three servings from the milk group and two to three servings from the meat group.  Remember to go easy on fats,  oils and sweets,  the foods in the small tip of the Pyramid.

The Food Guide Pyramid
A Guide to Daily Food Choices

Looking at the Pieces of the Pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid emphasizes foods from the five major food groups shown in the three lower sections of the Pyramid.  Each of these food groups provides some,   but not all,  of the nutrients you need.  Foods in one group can't replace those in another.  No one of these major food groups is more important than another - for good health,  you need them all.

What Counts as 1 Serving?

The amount of food that counts as 1 serving is listed below.  If you eat a larger portion,  count it as more than 1 serving.  For example,  a dinner portion of spaghetti would count as 2 or 3 servings of pasta.

Be sure to eat at least the lowest number of servings from the five major food groups listed below.  You need them for the vitamins,  minerals,  carbohydrates,   and protein they provide.  Just try to pick the lowest fat choices from the food groups.  No specific serving size is given for the fats,  oils,  and sweets group because the message is USE SPARINGLY.

Food Groups

Now take a look at the table below.  It tells you how many servings of each major food group you need for your calorie level.  It also tells you the total grams of fat recommended for each calorie level;  the Dietary Guidelines recommend that Americans limit fat in their diets to 30 percent of calories.  This includes the fat in the foods you choose as well as the fat used in cooking or added at the table.

* These are the caloric levels if you choose low fat,  lean foods from the 5 major food groups and use foods from the fats,  oils,  and sweets group sparingly.

** Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding,  teenagers,  and young adults to age 24 need 3 servings.

Pyramid Pointers...
Selection Tips for Building a Better Diet

The most effective way to moderate the amount of fat and added sugars in your diet is to cut down on "extras" - foods in the sixth food group (fats,  oils,   and sweets).  Also choose lower fat and lower sugar foods from the other five food groups often.  Here are some tips.

Use Sparingly

• Go easy on fats and sugars added to foods in cooking or at the table - butter,  margarine,  gravy,  salad dressing,  sugar,  and jelly.

• Choose fewer foods that are high in sugars - candy,  sweet desserts,  and soft drinks.

6-11 Servings

• To get the fiber you need,  choose several servings a day of foods made from whole grains.

• Choose most often foods that are made with little fat or sugars,   like bread,  english muffins,  rice,  and pasta.

• Go easy on the fat and sugars you add as spreads,  seasonings,   or toppings.

• When preparing pasta,  stuffing,  and sauce from packaged mixes,  use only half the butter or margarine suggested;  if milk or cream is called for,  use lowfat milk.

3-5 Servings

• Different types of vegetables provide different nutrients.  Eat a variety.

• Include dark-green leafy vegetables and legumes several times a week - they are especially good sources of vitamins and minerals.  Legumes also provide protein and can be used in place of meat.

• Go easy on the fat you add to vegetables at the table or during cooking.   Added spreads or toppings,  such as butter,  mayonnaise,  and salad dressing,  count as fat.

• Use lowfat salad dressing.

2-3 Servings

• Choose skim milk and nonfat yogurt often.  They are lowest in fat.

• 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese and 8 ounces of yogurt count as a serving from this group because they supply the same amount of calcium as 1 cup of milk.

• Choose "part skim" or lowfat cheeses when available and lower fat milk desserts,  like ice milk or frozen yogurt.  Read labels.

2-3 Servings

• Choose lean meat,  poultry without skin,  fish,  and dry beans and peas often.  They are the choices lowest in fat.

• Prepare meats in lowfat ways:
  -Trim away all the fat you can see.
  -Remove skin from poultry.
  -Broil,  roast,  or boil these foods instead of frying them.

• Nuts and seeds are high in fat,  so eat them in moderation.

HE-503, (1992)