Why are breads, cereals, rice, and pasta important? These foods provide complex carbohydrates (starches), which are an important source of energy, especially in lowfat diets. They also provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 6 to 11 servings of these foods a day.

What counts as

a serving?

1 slice of bread

● 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal

1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

Aren't starchy foods fattening?

No. It's what you add to these foods or cook with them that adds most of the calories. For example: margarine or butter on bread, cream or cheese sauces on pasta, and the sugar and fat used with the flour in making cookies.

Here are some selection tips:

To get the fiber you need, choose several servings a day of foods made from whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread and whole-grain cereals.

Choose most often foods that are made with little fat or sugars. These include bread, english muffins, rice, and pasta. (See the Pyramid Food Choices Chart on page 25 for others.)

Baked goods made from flour, such as cakes, cookies, croissants, and pastries, count as part of this food group, but they are high in fat and sugars.

Go easy on the fat and sugars you add as spreads, seasonings, or toppings.

When preparing pasta, stuffing, and sauce from packaged mixes, use only half the butter or margarine suggested; if milk or cream is called for, use lowfat milk.

Why are vegetables important?

Vegetables provide vitamins, such as vitamins A and C, and folate, and minerals, such as iron and magnesium. They are naturally low in fat and also provide fiber. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 3 to 5 servings of these foods a day.

What counts as
a serving?
⚫ 1 cup of raw leafy
vegetables

1/2 cup of other vegetables,
cooked or chopped raw

3/4 cup of vegetable juice

Here are some selection tips:

Different types of vegetables provide different nutrients. For variety eat: dark-green leafy vegetables (spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli);

deep-yellow vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes);

⚫ starchy vegetables
(potatoes, corn, peas);
⚫ legumes (navy, pinto,
and kidney beans,
chickpeas);

other vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green beans).

Include dark-green leafy vegetables and legumes several times a week-they are especially good sources of vitamins and minerals. Legumes also provide protein and can be used in place of meat. (See the Pyramid Food Choices Chart on page 27.)

Go easy on the fat you add to vegetables at the table or during cooking. Added spreads or toppings, such as butter, mayonnaise, and salad dressing, count as fat. (See the Pyramid Food Choices Chart on pages 25 to 28 for more information on how to count fat.)

Use lowfat salad dressing.

Why are fruits important?

Fruits and fruit juices provide important amounts of vitamins A and C and potassium. They are low in fat and sodium. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 4 servings of fruits a day.

What counts as a serving?

a medium apple, banana,
or orange

1/2 cup of chopped,
cooked, or canned fruit

3/4 cup of fruit juice

Here are some selection tips:

Choose fresh fruits, fruit juices, and frozen, canned, or dried fruit. Pass up fruit canned or frozen in heavy syrups and sweetened fruit juices unless you have calories to spare.

Eat whole fruits often they are higher in fiber than fruit juices.

Have citrus fruits, melons, and berries regularly. They are rich in vitamin C.

Count only 100 percent fruit juice as fruit. Punches, ades, and most fruit "drinks" contain only a little juice and lots of added sugars. Grape and orange sodas don't count as fruit juice.

Why are meat, poultry, fish, and other foods in this group important?

Meat, poultry, and fish supply protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc. The other foods in this group-dry beans, eggs, and nuts are similar to meats in providing protein and most vitamins and minerals. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 3 servings each day of foods from this group. The total amount of these servings should be the equivalent of 5 to 7 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish per day.

What counts as a
serving?

Count 2-3 ounces of
cooked lean meat, poultry,
or fish as a serving.
A 3-ounce piece of meat
is about the size of an
average hamburger, or
the amount of meat on
a medium chicken
breast half.

For other foods in this
group, count 1/2 cup of
cooked dry beans, 1 egg,
or 2 tablespoons of
peanut butter as 1 ounce
of meat (about 1/3 serving).

Counting to see if you have an equivalent of 5-7 ounces of cooked lean meat a day is tricky. Portion sizes vary with the

type of food and meal.

For example, 6 ounces might come from:

-1 egg (count as 1 oz. of lean meat) for breakfast; -2 oz. of sliced turkey in a sandwich at lunch; and -a 3 oz. cooked lean

hamburger for dinner.