Nutrition Pyramid


The nutrition pyramid lays out an illustrated set of recommendations for consumers related to the proportions of particular nutrients to incorporate in their diet. Outlined by the US Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services, the nutrition pyramid encourages healthy eating to maintain weight and general well-being, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and to augment life longevity. The nutrition pyramid is divided into vertical sections which depicts the extent of importance of consuming the nutrients in that section. These are as follows:

Fruits

Represented by a large orange strip within the nutrition pyramid, fruits are usually the sweet-tasting part of a plant, encompassing a wide variety including bananas, melons, apples, berries and citric fruits. It is generally recommended to consume 1 to 2 cups every day. One cup implies 1 cup of fruit, 1 cup of fruit or fruit juice or ½ cup of dried fruit.

Vegetables

The large green section within the nutrition pyramid indicates vegetables, which is the savoury part of a plant, and is not classified as an herb, spice or nut. This group may include the dark green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli, orange vegetables including carrots or pumpkin, dry beans and peas or starchy vegetables such as corn or potatoes. Like fruit, 1 to 2 cups of vegetables should be consumed.

Grains

Grains can be either wholegrain or refined grains and the large red section of the nutrition pyramid pertains to the frequent consumption of the former which includes any product derived from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal or barley. This may include brown rice, oatmeal, whole meal bread and grits which all contain dietary fiber, iron and B vitamins.

On the contrary, refined grains such as white rice, white bread and crackers are considered to be empty calories that actually potentiate hunger. Up to 1.5 to 3 ounces of grains should be consumed (half of this being wholegrain). Approximately, 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal or ½ a cup of cooked rice or pasta is considered as 1 ounce.

Dairy

Consisting of milk based products that retains a high calcium content, and is represented by a medium sized blue strip within the nutrition pyramid. Skim or low fat milk, cheese and yoghurt falls under this category. For adults, 3 cups of dairy should be consumed every day where one cup is equivalent to 1 cup of milk or yoghurt or 1 and ½ ounces of cheese.

Meats

Most of the foods listed within the purple section refers to the flesh of an animal such as beef, chicken, salmon, tuna, prawns, shrimps, pork, mutton and eggs. It is always recommended to eat lean or low fat meats or poultry whenever possible. As the nutrients derived from meats are similar to nuts, seeds and beans I.e. contains iron, protein, essential fatty acids and B vitamins, these are also classified under this group. For adults, 5 to 6 ounces of meats should be consumed daily.

Oils

The small yellow section of the nutrition pyramid denotes to oils rich in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, for example, canola, sunflower, olive, soybean and flax seed oils. Several types of foods already supply an adequate amount of oils such as avocados, nuts, olives and salad dressings thus there is no requirement for independent intake. Oils and solid fats rich in saturated and trans fats such as coconut and palm kernul oil and butter should be avoided. Up to 5 to 6 tablespoons of the “good” oils should be consumed every day.

The US government also has set out different nutrition pyramids to carter for different individuals in society, such as pregnant women or children. It is highly recommended to visit the website, www.mypyramid.gov to find out the precise proportions of all the above nutrients you should eat based on your age and sex.

Please help us serve you better: feel free to contact us here if you have any thoughts, questions, information, requests, or recommendations about the nutriton pyramid.

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