The Food Guide Pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid was designed as an easy way to show the groups of foods that make up a good diet. It also tells you that you need to eat a variety of foods from all five groups and how much of the foods from the different groups you should eat to stay healthy. Its pyramid shape (rather than a circle or square) helps explain which foods you should eat more or less of. The foods that make up the pyramid's base (the widest part) should provide the bulk (the biggest part) of your diet. As you go up the pyramid, the amounts of different foods you need get smaller.

To help you build a healthy diet, the Food Guide Pyramid gives the number of servings you should eat from each part of the pyramid every day. It usually lists a range of numbers, like six to 11 servings or two to four servings. Most kids need to eat at least the smaller number of servings to get the nutrients (say: noo-tree-ents) they need. Nutrients are the things in foods that your body needs to stay healthy and grow. And many kids will need more than the small number, especially those who are into sports and use lots of energy.

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group

This group forms the bottom of the pyramid, so the foods in this group should make up the biggest part of what you eat all day. That's because bread, cereal, rice, and pasta are all great sources of carbohydrate, the nutrient that the body uses as its major energy source. So if you want lots of power, be sure to hit the bottom of the pyramid!

And carbohydrate isn't the only bonus you'll get from this food group: you'll also get lots of B vitamins and some iron.

The Food Guide Pyramid suggests that people eat six to 11 servings from this group each day. Here are some examples of what counts as one serving:

1 slice of bread

1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of cooked rice or pasta

1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of cooked cereal

1 ounce ( 28 grams ) of cold cereal

1/2 bagel or English muffin

Vegetable Group

The vegetable group is toward the bottom of the pyramid. This means that lots of daily servings of vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. Veggies are great because they are loaded with vitamins and minerals. Carrots are a good source of vitamin A, and don't forget tasty tomatoes and cauliflower for vitamin C. Be sure to include bunches of broccoli and spinach, too, because dark green vegetables help keep you healthy.

Vegetables also provide carbohydrates for the energy your body needs, as well as plenty of fiber. Fiber is important because it helps your digestive system move things along the way it should, and it can help protect you from getting sick later in life.

The Food Guide Pyramid suggests that people eat three to five servings from this group each day. Here are some examples of what counts as one serving:

1 cup (236 milliliters) of raw leafy vegetables

1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of other raw vegetables or cooked vegetables

3/4 cup (177 milliliters) of vegetable juice

Fruit Group

The fruit group is near the bottom of the pyramid, too, so you know daily servings of fruit play a big role in a good diet. Fruits are fabulous because they provide important vitamins that keep you feeling fine and looking good. Vitamin C is a big player in this food group - it's in fruits like oranges, strawberries, watermelon, and lots more. And just say "a" for apricots and vitamin A!

Fruits also give you carbohydrates, the body's favorite kind of fuel. And don't forget fiber: fruit is full of it.

The Food Guide Pyramid suggests that people eat two to four servings from this group each day. Here are some examples of what counts as one serving:

1 medium-sized apple, banana, or orange

1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of cooked or canned fruit

3/4 cup (177 milliliters) of fruit juice (like orange juice, grapefruit juice, or cranberry juice) - but you're better off with real fruit than you are with juice!

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group

This food group is high up on the pyramid. This means that even though these foods are important for good health, you don't need to eat as many of them in one day as you do of foods lower down on the pyramid. Eating and drinking milk, yogurt, and cheese is the best way to get your daily calcium. And you'll have the power of protein to help you grow and build your body when you pick foods from this part of the pyramid.

The Food Guide Pyramid suggests that people eat two to three servings from this group each day. Here are some examples of what counts as one serving:

1 cup (236 milliliters) of milk

1 cup (236 milliliters) of yogurt

1 ounce ( 28 grams ) of cheese

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

This food group is also high up on the pyramid, so even though these foods are an important part of a good diet, you don't need to eat as many of them as you do of foods that are lower down on the pyramid. Meat, poultry (this means chicken, turkey, and other birds), fish, beans, eggs, and nuts have one thing in common: they all supply you with the super-important nutrient protein. They also load you up with iron and zinc.

The Food Guide Pyramid suggests that people eat two to three servings from this group each day. Here are some examples of what counts as one serving:

2 to 3 ounces (56 to 85 grams ) of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish - that's a little smaller than the size of a deck of cards

An ounce of meat is also equal to:

1 egg

1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of cooked dry beans (like pinto, black, or navy beans)

1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of peanut butter

Fats, Oils, and Sweets

Fats, oils, and sweets are a little different from the other parts of the pyramid because they don't make up a group in the same way the other foods do. They sit at the very top of the pyramid, which means that your body should have smaller amounts of them. Your body needs fat for some things, but it's smart to avoid eating too much of it. And although sugary foods like candy and cookies are simple carbohydrates that can give you quick energy, they are usually loaded with calories and don't offer much in the way of nutrients. In the right amount, though, fats and sweets can spike up the flavor in meals and snacks.

The Food Guide Pyramid suggests that when it comes to fatty, oily, or sugary foods, people should use them sparingly. In other words, eat only a little bit and don't eat them very often. By following the Food Guide Pyramid, you'll be sure to feel and look your best!