Wellness Department -
On the Sixth Day of Wellness...12 Days of Wellness
|
Wellness Links
|
 |
|
|
|
There are six different food groups in the new food guide pyramid. The foods in each group have similar nutrition contents. A healthy balanced diet is one that contains foods from all of the six food groups every day, in the right amount. Such a diet is likely to supply your body with all its nutritional needs. Included with the six food groups is an additional groups of drinks. Here are the seven groups:
Grains
Grains are divided into two sub groups, whole grains and refined grain and include: breads, rice, cereals, pasta, noodles, oats, and tortillas.
Meat and Beans
Also known as the protein group, and include: meat such as lamb, beef and pork, poultry, fish and eggs, as well as vegetarian alternatives such as nuts, beans, peas, lentils, and soy-based products.
Milk
Commonly known as the dairy group. Products include: milk, yogurt, cheese, and milk-based products such as pudding, and ice cream. Low-fat and non-fat products are the better choices, as they have much less saturated fat and total fat than their full fat counterparts.
Vegetables
Any vegetable or product containing 100% vegetable juice is included in this group. The vegetables may be raw, cooked, frozen or canned. Vegetables are organized into 5 sub groups: Dark green vegetables such as broccoli & spinach, orange vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes, dry beans and peas such as black beans and kidney beans, starchy vegetables such as corn and potatoes and finally other vegetables such as: celery, cauliflower, tomatoes, and beets.
Fruits
Any fruit or product containing 100% fruit juice is included in this group. Just like the vegetable group, these products can be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. Some examples include: apples, strawberries, grapes, pears, peaches, oranges and melons.
Oils
Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, like the vegetable oils used in cooking. Oils come from many different plants and from fish. Some common oils are: canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil. Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated (PUFA) or monounsaturated (MUFA) fats. Oils are the major source of MUFAs and PUFAs in the diet. PUFAs contain some fatty acids that are necessary for health—called “essential fatty acids.”
Drinks
Drinks include water, canned drinks, tea, and coffee.
Activity for Today: try and combine all six groups into a wonderful healthy meal and determine your daily allowance for fruits by visiting http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/fruits_amount.aspxand clicking on the allowance chart.
Sample Recipe:
- 2 slices of whole grain bread (grain)
- 3 oz of turkey (meat)
- 1 oz cheese (milk)
- Tomato and romaine lettuce or any other veggies that you like (veggie)
- Have a large water, diet drink, or another drink of your choice (drink)
Mark on your Calendar: List one thing from each of the 6 groups you had today and write down the daily allowance for fruits for your age and gender..
Return to the 12 Days of Wellness 2009 Home Page
