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A healthy diet is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet can help one to live an active lifestyle, maintain energy levels, and prevent health and medical problems.

Maintaining a good health status is easier than one might think. The pathway to good health is not the same for everyone and may change over time. It is best to take reasonable steps along the way to stay healthy or to achieve a better state of health rather than trying to take on too many changes at one time. Each reasonable step toward healthier living will add up and help you reach your health goals. The Food Guide Pyramid provides us with good direction in accomplishing this.

The Food Guide Pyramid

Finding the Right Steps for You

The Pyramid is a guideline of what we should eat each day and can assist us in choosing the healthy foods and appropriate portions with tips on physical activity. For good health you should eat a variety to foods from each food group every day. This will help you get the various nutrients that you need each day to stay healthy. These nutrients include carbohydrates, protein, fats, minerals, vitamins, fiber, and water.

Grains – Eat at least 3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice or pasta every day. Look for “whole” before the grain name on the list of ingredients. A 1-ounce portion is about 1 slice of bread, about 1 cup of breakfast (dry) cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cereal, or pasta.

Vegetables – Eat more dark green and orange vegetables. Eat more dried beans and peas.

Fruits – Eat a variety of fruits. Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits and go easy on fruits juices.

Oils – Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Limit solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard.

Milk – Go low fat or fat free to keep your diet more heart healthy. If you don’t or can’t consume milk, choose lactose free products or other calcium sources such as fortified foods and beverages.

Meat and Beans – Choose low fat or lean meats and poultry. Trim visible fat from meat and remove skin from poultry. It is best to bake, roast, broil, or grill it. Vary your choices with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.

Food Intake Patterns

The suggested amounts of food to consume from the five food groups plus oils are listed below for some of the various calorie levels that are commonly used. A Registered Dietitian could assist you with determining personal calorie levels based on specific needs.