Nutrition Basics

Nutrition Basics

MY FOOD PYRAMID

Link:  http://www.mypyramid.gov/downloads/MiniPoster.pdf

My Pyramid reminds you to:

  • Make smart food choices from the different food groups’
  • Eat a variety of foods
  • Eat those foods in moderation
  • Keep physically active

STARCHES AND GRAINS

Why is it important to eat starches and grains?

  • Provide energy
  • Whole grains provide fiber and nutrients

Healthy Hint:

  • Remember to make at least half of your servings whole grains

Serving size:

  • 1/3 cup rice or noodles
  • 1 slice bread
  • 1/4 cup breadfruit/ulu
  • 1/2 cup potato

Servings per day:  6 oz.

Some whole grains are:

  • Brown Rice
  • Oatmeal
  • Wheat bread
  • Wheat pasta
  • Wheat crackers
  • Popcorn

VEGETABLES

Why is it important that we eat vegetables?

  • Reduce risk of disease
  • Nutrients
  • Fiber

Healthy Hints:

  • Include vegetables in lunch, dinner, and snacks
  • Add vegetables when cooking other foods (in stir fry, soups, grill)

Serving size 1/2 cup chopped; 1 cup leafy

Serving sizes per day:  2 1/2 cups

 FRUIT

Why it is important that we eat fruit?

  • Reduce risk of disease
  • Nutrients
  • Fiber

Ways to incorporate fruit into their meals

  • Eat fruits as a snack
  • Have instead of candy or sweets
  • Blend together to make a smoothie

Serving size

  • ½ cup chopped or cooked
  • ¼ cup dried fruit; ¾ cup juice

Servings per day: 1 ½ cups

Least expensive way to eat fruits and veggies

Fresh          apples, peaches, pears, plums, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, cabbage, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, kale, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash/zucchini, mangoes, papayas, bananas
Frozen raspberries, collard greens, turnip greens, okra
Canned green beans, tomatoes, sweet corn, green peas, asparagus
Dried grapes (raisins), apricots
Juice  grapefruit (frozen), orange (frozen, pineapple, prune (plums), tomato 

Tips to save time and money to increase fruit and veggie consumption

  • Plan meals ahead and create a shopping list
  • Buy items in bulk and freeze smaller portions to use later
  • Instead of using expensive meats for protein, try using different beans and soy products
  • Choose quick and easy recipes that only use a few ingredients and add in-season, canned, frozen or dried fruits and vegetables

MILK & DAIRY

Why is it important to include milk?

  • Help keep bones strong

Serving sizes

  • 1 cup milk or yogurt
  • 1/3 cup dry milk

Servings per day:  3 cups

Healthy Tips:

  • Remember to choose low fat milk and dairy products
  • If you can’t drink milk, try lactose-free products or other calcium sources like fortified foods and some vegetables

MEAT & BEANS

Why is it important to have meat and beans?

  • Energy and important nutrients
  • Provides the body with building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood

Serving size:

  • 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish
  • ¼ cup cooked dry beans
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon of peanut butter,
  • ½ ounce of nuts or seeds

Servings per day:  5 1/2 ounces

Healthy Tips:

  • Go with lean protein
    • Keep it lean:
      • Trim away all of the visible fat from meats and poultry before cooking.
      • Broil, grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or fish instead of frying.
      • Drain off any fat that appears during cooking.
      • Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry, or fish. Breading adds fat and calories. It will also cause the food to soak up more fat during frying.
      • Choose and prepare foods without high fat sauces or gravies.
  • Vary your protein:
    • Choose more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds

FATS AND OILS

Why is it important to have some fats and oils?

  • Energy and important nutrients

Why is eating too much fat and oils not a good idea?

Serving size

  • 1 tablespoon salad dressing
  • 1 pat butter
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1/8 avocado

Know your limits on fats, sugar, and salt (sodium)

  • Make most of your fat sources come from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils
  • Limit solid fats like butter, shortening, & lard, as well as foods that contain them
  • Look at the nutrition labels to keep saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium low
  • Choose beverages with a low amount of added sugars

HEALTHY PLATE

Healthy plate or “plate method” is one way to portion out foods to eat all the different foods in the right amount - how you can apply My Pyramid serving size recommendations to your meals to get the right amount of food

  • Divide plate in half
  • Divide one half into quarters
  • One quarter is grains, beans, starches and starchy vegetables (breadfruit, peas, corn)
  • One quarter is lean meat
  • One half is vegetables and fruit