The Food Pyramid The Pyramid is an outline of what to eat each day. 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 or improve your   weight.    The Pyramid also focuses on fat because most Americans diets are too high in   fat, especially saturated fat. 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 food group is   more important than another - for good health, you need them all.

The small tip of the Pyramid shows fats, oils, and sweets.   These are foods such as salad dressings and oils, cream, butter, margarine,   sugars, soft drinks, candies, and sweet desserts. These foods provide   calories and little else nutritionally. Most people should use them   sparingly.

On this level of the Food Guide Pyramid are two groups of   foods that come mostly from animals: milk, yogurt, cheese; and meat, poultry,   fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts. These foods are for protein, calcium, iron,   and zinc.

This level includes foods that come from plants -   vegetables and fruits. Most people need to eat more of these foods for the   vitamins, minerals, and fiber they supply.

At the base of the Food Guide Pyramid are breads, cereals,   rice, and pasta - all foods from grains. You need the servings of these foods   each day.