| Simple Nutrition Tips -- |
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The Food Guide Pyramid
The food guide pyramid is a general guide that recommends a healthy balance of carbs, fats and protein that will work for most people. This is not a diet but rather a way to think about the proper amounts of carbs, fat and protein one might consume as a way of life. Following this guide, along with proper exercise, proper intake of water and proper amounts of rest will gradually bring about healthy changes to one's physical and mental wellbeing. Here is a summary of the food guide pyramid.
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| Food Group |
Servings |
Major Contributions |
Food and Serving Size |
| Milk, yogurt, and cheese |
2-3 adult
3-4 children, teens, pregnant or lactating |
Calcium, Carbohydrate,
Riboflavin, Protein,
Zinc, Potassium |
- 1 cup of milk
- 1.5 once of cheese
- 1 cup yogurt
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1 cup pudding
|
| Meat, poultry, fish,
dry beans, eggs, nuts |
2-3 |
Protein, Niacin, Iron,
Vitamin B6, Zinc,
Thiamin, Vitamin B12 |
- 2-3 onces of meat,
poultry, or fish
- 3/4 cup beans
- 4 Tbsp. peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 2/3-1 caup nuts
|
| Fruits |
2-4 |
Carbohydrate,
Vitamin C, Fiber |
- 1/4 cup dried fruit
- 1/2 cup cooked fruit
- 3/4 cup juice
- 1 whole piece of fruit
(medium size)
|
| Vegetables |
3-5 |
Carbohydrate, Vitamin A,
Vitamin C, Folate,
Magnesium, Dietary Fiber |
- 1/2 cup raw or cooked
- 1 cup leafy greens
- 1/2 cup vegetable juice
|
| Bread, cereals, rice,
and pasta |
6-11 |
Carbohydrate, Thiamin, Iron, Niacin,
Folate,
Magnesium,
Fiber, Zinc |
- 1 slice of bread
- 1 ounce (3/4 cup) of
ready to eat cereal
- 1/2 cup cooked cereal,
pasta, or rice
- 1/2 bun
- 1/2 bagel
(hockey puck size)
- 1 small tortilla |
| Fats, oils, and sweets |
Foods from this group should not replace any
from the other groups.
Amounts consumed should be determined by individual
energy needs. |
High protein, low, or no carb diets are not recommended by us or by many others for these reasons. Protein is used by our body to build and repair body tissue (ligaments, tendons, and bones) and is used as fuel only when there is no other fuel available. Taking additional protein supplements, over and above what one gets from protein rich foods, is seldom necessary and may, in some instances, have serious health side effects. Too much protein in the diet can effect one's calcium balance (hello ladies), can lead to dehydration, and high protein foods are often high in fat.
Carbs serve as the primary energy source for working muscles, ensure that the brain and nervous system function properly and help the body to use fat more efficiently. The best carbs are complex carbs like whole grains (brown rice, not white rice), whole grain breads, cereal, and pasta. Try to limit intake of simple carbs such as the whites: white bread, potatoes, sugar, white rice and processed foods and snacks that contain lots of sugars
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| Water |
| We all know that water is important, but I've never seen it written down like this before. |
- 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
- In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
- Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
- One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study.
- Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
- Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
- A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
- Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 70%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
- Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?
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