| Foods to Eat for a Healthy Balanced Diet | | | | 1 small baked potato. |
| The USDA has the food pyramid to help | | | | 1 cup of green beans. |
| you determine how many servings of each | | | | 1 cup of broccoli. |
| type of food you need for a healthy | | | | Poorer choices include: |
| diet. There are other available from | | | | Frozen fruits made with syrup. |
| other nutrition and public health | | | | Desserts such as apple pie or peach |
| experts too that put more emphasis on | | | | cobblers. |
| fruits and vegetables, exercise and | | | | French fries. |
| healing foods. | | | | Meat, Fish and Eggs. While it is |
| Food Groups and Servings for a Healthy | | | | possible to get all of the protein you |
| Diet | | | | need from plant sources such as dry |
| Dairy. Choose two or three servings from | | | | beans and nuts, many people prefer to |
| the dairy group each day. Dairy products | | | | eat meat, fish and eggs as their main |
| are great sources of protein and are the | | | | protein sources. We need 2 or 3 servings |
| best sources of calcium. If you don't | | | | of protein each day for healthy function |
| like, or can't eat dairy products, look | | | | of all the structural components of our |
| for calcium-fortified orange juice and | | | | bodies and healthy sources of protein |
| other foods. Good dairy serving choices | | | | also offer vitamins, minerals, and in |
| include: | | | | the case of fish, healthy fats. Good |
| One cup of low fat milk. | | | | serving choices of protein include: |
| Two slices of cheese. | | | | 3 ounces of cooked lean beefsteak. |
| One cup of yogurt. | | | | 3 ounces of lean cooked pork chop. |
| 1/3 cup of shredded cheese. | | | | 1 small baked chicken breast. |
| Poorer choices include: | | | | 6 ounces of cooked oily ocean fish such |
| Milk shakes and malts. | | | | as salmon or tuna. |
| Ice cream sundaes. | | | | 1/2 cup of dry beans such as pinto beans |
| Processed cheese spreads. | | | | or navy beans. |
| Grains and Cereals. The USDA suggests | | | | 1 ounce of nuts, about 25 almonds, 13 |
| that you eat from six to eleven servings | | | | cashews or 9 walnuts. |
| of grains and cereals each day. | | | | Poorer choices include: |
| At least half of those servings should | | | | Fried chicken. |
| be from whole grains. Whole grains and | | | | Fish sticks. |
| cereals are great ways to get enough | | | | Red meat with large amounts of fat. |
| fiber in your diet and to add beneficial | | | | Processed lunchmeats, hot dogs and |
| vitamins and minerals. Fiber helps to | | | | sausages. |
| keep your digestive system healthy and | | | | Fats and Oils. Healthy unsaturated and |
| can help control your cholesterol | | | | mono-unsaturated fats such as fish oil, |
| levels. Good grain and cereal serving | | | | canola oil and olive oil are good for |
| choices include: | | | | your health. Saturated fats found in |
| 1 slice of whole wheat bread. | | | | meats and artificial trans fats found in |
| 1/2 cup brown rice. | | | | processed foods are bad for your health. |
| 1 cup of whole grain cereal. | | | | You don't need to add a lot of extra oil |
| 1/2 cup oatmeal. | | | | to your diet, just make healthy food |
| 4 or 5 whole grain crackers. | | | | choices and cooking choices to get |
| Poorer choices include: | | | | enough of the healthy fats that you |
| White bread. | | | | need. Good serving choices of healthy |
| Presweetened cereals. | | | | fats include: |
| Doughnuts, cake and cookies. | | | | 1 ounce of nuts, about 25 almonds, 13 |
| Fruits and Vegetables. The USDA suggests | | | | cashews or 9 walnuts. |
| that you eat from 5 to 9 servings of | | | | 3 ounces of cooked oily ocean fish such |
| fruits and vegetables each day. Fruits | | | | as salmon or tuna. |
| and vegetables provide lots of vitamins, | | | | 2 tablespoons of olive oil for cooking |
| minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. It | | | | or mixed with vinegar for salad |
| is difficult to imagine being healthy | | | | dressing. |
| without eating lots of fruits and | | | | 1 tablespoon of walnut oil for a salad. |
| vegetables. Good fruit and vegetable | | | | 1 teaspoon milled flax seeds. |
| serving choices include: | | | | Canola oil for cooking. |
| 1/2 cup of sweet corn. | | | | Poorer choices include: |
| 1 piece of fresh fruit such as an apple, | | | | Red meat with large amounts of fat. |
| a pear or a peach. | | | | Processed lunchmeats, hot dogs and |
| 1/2 cup fruit cocktail. | | | | sausages. |
| 1/2 cup berries like strawberries or | | | | Desserts, treats and candy with lots of |
| raspberries. | | | | sugar and fats. |
| 1/2 half cup of black beans or pinto | | | | Deep-fried anything. |
| beans. | | | | Fast food. |