We’ve all heard it before. A healthy diet means following 5 food groups. We’ve all seen the pyramid. But what’s it actually about? How much of each thing are we really supposed to have? What foods fall into which group? What does a serving really mean? Never fear: we’re breaking it all down right now. Here are the facts about how you should really be eating the five food groups every day.
1. Grains
Flickr user Veganbaking.net
-What foods it includes:
Breads, pasta, rice, oatmeal, or anything else made from another cereal grain.
-What a serving means (approximately):
- 1/2 cup rice, cooked
- 1/2 cup pasta, cooked
- 1/2 cup hot cereal, cooked
- 1 slice of whole-grain bread
-How many you should have each day:
Three servings of WHOLE grains each day are recommended. That’s easy, right?
2. Protein
Flickr user Matthew Murdoch
-What foods it includes:
Any kind of meat, poultry, or fish obviously, but also eggs, beans, soy and nuts.
-What a serving means (approximately):
- One ounce of meat, poultry or fish
- 1/2 cup beans
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1/2 ounce of nuts
-How many you should have each day:
Two to three. So choose carefully.
3. Dairy
Flickr user ShardsOfBlue
-What foods it includes:
Anything made from milk that retains a high amount of calcium. Milk, yogurt, and cheese are the big ones. Related foods like cream cheese, ice cream, and ice cream do NOT count. Sorry.
-What a serving means (approximately):
- 1 cup low-fat or fat-free milk
- 1 cup low-fat or fat free yogurt
- 1.5 ounces natural cheese
-How many you should have each day:
Three servings are recommended. Remember, ice cream doesn’t count.
4. Fruits
Flickr user Iryna Yeroshko
-What foods it includes:
You know this. Bananas, apples, berries, peaches, watermelon, all that good stuff.
-What a serving means (approximately:
- 1 cup berries
- 1 whole orange
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 cup chopped melon
- 1/4 cup dried fruit like raisins or cranberries (like these Organic Cranberries by Ivgongreen)
-How many you should have each day:
5. Veggies
Flickr user Oregon State University
-What foods it includes:
All the stuff you pick off your burger. Tomatoes, corn, onions, lettuce, kale, mushrooms, etc.
-What a serving means (approximately):
- 2 cups raw spinach
- 1 cup cooked greens
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
- 20 cherry tomatoes
-How many you should have each day:
Bonus: Fats and Oils
Flickr user Thomas Ricker
-What foods it includes:
Mayonnaise, salad dressings, and (depending on how much oil is actually in them) items like avocados or nuts.
-What a serving means:
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1/2 of an avocado
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
-How many you should have each day:
These should generally be used sparingly, but if it’s something on the healthier side like olive oil or avocado it’s okay to have one or two each day.
How do you get all your food groups into your daily diet? Tell us in the comments below!
