The Food Guide Pyramid...THE FACTS

The food guide pyramid is often shown on cereal boxes, advertisements and other places that provide nutrition information to the public. The USDA Food guide pyramid contains the following groups of food.



a) Bread, Cereals, Rice, Pasta Group(6 to 11 servings): This group consists of the carbohydrate heavy foods and is placed at the bottom of the pyramid indicating that they should be eaten more often and should form an important part of the daily diet. The rationale behind eating more carbohydrates is that they provide energy so that a person is required to eat less fat. It is recommended that a person should have 6-11 servings from this group.

b) Vegetables (3-5 servings) and Fruit (2-4 servings): There is no doubt that fruit and vegetables are good for the body. Fruit and vegetables provide the body with essential vitamins and other nutrients and ward off diseases and ailments. A person should have 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruit a day.

c) Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts Group (2-3 servings): This group provides the body with proteins. Proteins help in building the body tissues and muscles. A person should eat 2-3 servings from this group a day.

d) Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group (2-3 servings) : This group provides proteins and calcium that make the bones strong and prevent health problems related to the degeneration of bone mass. A person should eat 2-3 servings from this group a day.

e) Fats, Oils and Sweets (eat sparingly) : This group should be eaten sparingly. Fat leads to heart s and obesity. Too much sugar also leads to obesity which can later create health problems.

The food guide pyramid provides an excellent way to ensure that the body's nutritional requirements are fulfilled properly. By following the guide, an individual will receive all the daily requirements in terms of energy, proteins, vitamins and other essential nutrients.

Here are the recommended sizes of the servings for foods high in carbohydrates.

Vegetables: 1 cup of raw vegetables, or ½ a cup of cooked vegetables, or ¾s of a cup of vegetable juice.
Fruit: 1 medium sized fruit (such as 1 medium sized apple or 1 medium sized orange), ½ a cup of a canned or chopped fruit, or ¾s of a cup of fruit juice.
Bread and cereals: 1 slice of bread; 1 ounce or 2/3 s of a cup of ready-to-eat cereal; ½ a cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal; ½ a cup of cooked dry beans, lentils, or dried peas.
Dairy: 1 cup of skimmed or low fat milk.

There has been endless research in the subject apart from the findings that have led to the development of the food guide pyramid regarding the proper intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The currently recommended balance according to the McGovern Select Committee on nutrition and human needs is approx.

Proteins : 12%

Carbohydrates : 58%

Fats : 30%

There is plenty of sound scientific evidence to suggest that endurance athletes should eat foods with proteins, carbohydrates and fats in the following proportions:

Proteins : 15-20%

Carbohydrates : 60-65%

Fats : 20-25%

Body builders eat more proteins to add muscle and bulk, with the proteins accounting for up to 35-40% of the diet for professional body builders like Arnold Schwarzennegger in his competing days.