The Food Guide Pyramid is one way for people to understand how to eat what is recommended. A rainbow of colored, vertical stripes represents the five food groups plus fats and oils.
Here's what the colors stand for
Orange - grains
Green - vegetables
Red- Fruits
Yellow - fats and oils
Blue - Milk and dairy products
Purple - Meat, beans, fish and nuts
I am a vegan and personally don’t eat everything that is listed on the food guide pyramid. If it isn’t culture friendly for you simply customize it to fit you. The smallest section of the Food Guide pyramid is fats, oils and sugars; this is because fats, oils and sugars aren’t exactly nutritious and are called empty calorie foods. Limit these foods if possible!
Remember my blog on color well if you can put all these colors on your plates throughout the day then you are on the right path. If you do not eat meats for example simple replace with the substitute of your choice! It is ok to eat more fruits and vegetables than recommended but this is only if your body is healthy and can handle all the sugars from the fruits. Although these sugars are natural people with diabetes for example have to be cautious!
Who says you have to eat 2000 calories a day? Well some smart guys came up with that but if you are extremely active then congratulations! Eating plenty calories a day with no exercise/physical activity can lead to weight gain and other issues.
The Food Guide Pyramid speaks about serving sizes, the average American does not follow these serving sizes and if you look at it Oriental populations and Europeans don’t eat as much meat as Americans do! Your chicken thigh or chicken breast is often bigger than it should be. In fact it is recommended that your salmon, chicken or any serving of meat be the size of the palm of your hands. Fruits and vegetables should take up more space on your plate than meats and carbohydrates! Keep that in mind the next time you eat a meal.
Here's what the colors stand for
Orange - grains
Green - vegetables
Red- Fruits
Yellow - fats and oils
Blue - Milk and dairy products
Purple - Meat, beans, fish and nuts
I am a vegan and personally don’t eat everything that is listed on the food guide pyramid. If it isn’t culture friendly for you simply customize it to fit you. The smallest section of the Food Guide pyramid is fats, oils and sugars; this is because fats, oils and sugars aren’t exactly nutritious and are called empty calorie foods. Limit these foods if possible!
Remember my blog on color well if you can put all these colors on your plates throughout the day then you are on the right path. If you do not eat meats for example simple replace with the substitute of your choice! It is ok to eat more fruits and vegetables than recommended but this is only if your body is healthy and can handle all the sugars from the fruits. Although these sugars are natural people with diabetes for example have to be cautious!
Who says you have to eat 2000 calories a day? Well some smart guys came up with that but if you are extremely active then congratulations! Eating plenty calories a day with no exercise/physical activity can lead to weight gain and other issues.
The Food Guide Pyramid speaks about serving sizes, the average American does not follow these serving sizes and if you look at it Oriental populations and Europeans don’t eat as much meat as Americans do! Your chicken thigh or chicken breast is often bigger than it should be. In fact it is recommended that your salmon, chicken or any serving of meat be the size of the palm of your hands. Fruits and vegetables should take up more space on your plate than meats and carbohydrates! Keep that in mind the next time you eat a meal.