Food and nutrition are relatively connected as in food and health. Knowing food nutrition facts allows you to plan your diets for good health. How would you enjoy food when your health isn’t allowing? Healthy food (plus some exercise) leads to healthy life but what is “healthy food”? Food that make up balanced diet.

UDSA Food Pyramid generally tells you the nutrition consumption recommended for an average person. At different stage of life and at certain occasions, different diets may be more recommended. Diets for kids, the elderly, people with illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, uric acid, insomnia, obesity etc. and people with special needs such as vegetarian; are off general.

Carbohydrates (More)

Referring to the food pyramid, Grain Group which consists of bread, cereal, rice and pasta (generally food from cereal crops) supplies energy to body therefore this group is most required. Energy comes from carbohydrates in these foods.

Vitamins & Minerals (More)

Vegetable Group supplies vitamins and minerals. Vegetables in general provide vitamins and minerals but different vegetables contain different food nutrients so consume wide varieties of vegetables to balance the nutrition needs.

Fibre (Moderate)

Fruit Group is meant to supply fibre, vitamins and natural sugar. Similar to vegetables, different varieties of fruits provide different food nutrients but they mostly contain fibre –good nutrients, main reason of moderate consumption recommended for this group. Fibre aids in digestion.

Calcium (Moderate)

Dairy Group consists of dairy products produced from milk of mammals. Milk is rich in mineral calcium and also contains protein, phosphorus, vitamin A and vitamin D – good nutrients. It is high in saturated fat and cholesterol but freak not because low-fat dairy products are easily available in the market.

Protein (Moderate)

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts Group consists of food that supply protein plus other food nutrients such as iron, zinc and vitamin B12 in meat – good nutrients. Amongst all, meat is not recommended to be mainly consumed due to it being high in fat, cholesterol and sometimes sodium. It is wise to consume a little of everything in this group. Vegetarians or those who don’t consume animal products may get protein nutrients from soy or tofu. There is always alternatives ?.

Cholesterol (Less)

Fats, Oil and Sweets Group consist of cooking oils, fats and sweets. Please consume selectively and sparingly. There are some good fats in food like peanut butter and fish which is…good! If you aren’t careful, high consumption of food in this group may cause high blood pressure, diabetes etc. and you know “good friends” of these diseases you won’t welcome.

Remember “balanced diet”. Nothing, even good things, is ever good when excessive.

This post is tagged balanced diet, diets, food and health, food and nutrition, food nutrients, food pyramid, healthy food, nutrients, nutrition