How to Eat Right

How to Eat Right

The 4 Food Groups

A balanced diet must include a variety of foods that all of the nutrients we need every day. Nutritionists have various ways of dividing the food groups, but most usually refer to the four basic food groups.

Grains
Good source of starchy carbohydrates. Very filling, mostly low in fat.
Includes foods made from flour and grains such as cereals, rice, pasta, and bread.
Less refined foods are better - for example, choose whole wheat toast over white.

Fruits & Vegetables
Good source of antioxidant, folates, fiber. Very low in fat and calories.
Includes frozen or canned, and blended juice drinks, but fresh is best.
Leafy green vegetables (spinach) and citrus fruits (oranges) contain a lot of vitamin C.
Orange vegetables (carrots) and fleshy fruits (peaches) are high in vitamin A.

Meats & Dairy
High in protein, low in carbohydrates.
Includes fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts.
Opt for lean meat, chicken without skin, and low-fat dairy products.
Also, nutritionists recommend eating fish at least twice a week.

Fats & Sugars
Source of essential fatty acids. High in calories, but little vitamins or nutrients.
Sweet snacks are fattening because they contain a lot of sugar, oil, and butter.
They aren't necessarily "bad," but eating too much of fat and sugrars instead of nutrients from other food groups is a problem. Eat these foods in moderation.

The Food Pyramid
The Food Pyramid was proposed by the US Deparment of Agriculture as a general guide to a healthy diet. Based on the four food groups, the pyramid indicates the amount of servings of each food group you should eat daily.
Sparing amount of fats
2-3 servings of dairy / 2-3 servings of meats
3-5 servings of vegetables / 2-4 servings of fruits
6-11 servings of grains

Servings

Below is the amount of a certain food that counts as one serving. You don't need to measure out exactly how many servings you're eating, but use this as an estimation to help balance your diet.

Grains: 1 slice of bread; 1/2 bowl of cereal; 1/2 muffin; 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta.
Vegetables: 1 cup of raw vegetables; 1/2 cup of cooked or chopped; 3/4 cup of juice.
Fruits: 1 medium fresh fruit; 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit; 3/4 cup of juice.
Meats: 2-3 ounces of cooked meat, poultry, or fish; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup of beans or nuts.
Dairy: 1 cup of milk or yogurt; 1-1/2 ounces of natural cheese; 2 ounces of process cheese.

You may have noticed that the food pyramid gives a range of servings for each food group. The number of servings you need depends on how many calories you need. This differs according to age, sex, size, and how active you are. Generally, people can be grouped into three levels of caloric intake. See which group you can go under. The table below indicates how many servings you should eat, based on the total amount of calories you should consume daily.

1,600 calories: sedentary women and some older adults.
2,200 calories: most children, teenage girls, active women, and many sedentary men.
2,800 calories: teenage boys, many active men, and some very active women.

	1600 kcal	2200 kcal	2800 kcal
Grains	6 servings	9 servings	11 servings
Vegetables	3 servings	4 servings	5 servings
Fruits	2 servings	3 servings	4 servings
Meats	2 servings	2.5 servings	3 servings
Dairy	2-3 servings	2-3 servings	2-3 servings

Calories

So there's more to a balanced diet than the appropriate amount of servings for each food group. You have to watch your caloric intake as well. First, some background knowledge: A calorie is a unit of energy. We tend to associate calories with food, but they apply to anything containing energy. Specifically, a calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. (Food calories usually mean kilocalories, meaning an apple of 100 food calories actually contains 100,000 calories.) Your body takes this energy food has and uses it.

There is no magic solution to dieting except this simple logic of weight loss: If you take in more calories than you burn, you gain; if you burn more than you take in, you lose. Thus, you should choose foods that are more filling and nutritious for the same amount of calories, It's good to have some idea of the caloric values of the food you eat (take a look at calorie charts). The key to a balanced diet is consuming a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need while keeping it under your optimum caloric intake.

Before you get the BigMac and super-size fries, check out the nutrition values of fastfood

Now What?

Food groups, pyramids, servings, calories... seems so complicated. But it is worth your effort to develop smart eating habits now. We are too used to eating without giving a second thought about what we are actually doing. It may be difficult at first, but if you continue, eating right will soon become second nature. I suggest you begin by keeping a "food journal." Just write down everything you ate that day. This will help you pay closer to attention to what you are eating. You may be surprised to find out how unhealthy your eating habits are. But it's never too late for change! Realization is the first step. Now, with the information above, you can begin a new, healthy lifestyle by starting to eat right today.

Why Eat Healthy? | How to Eat Right

About Me | Assignments | Daily Notes | Home