Looking at the Pieces of the Pyramid The Food Guide Pyramid emphasizes foods from the five major food groups shown in the three lower sections of the Pyramid. Each of these food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients you need. Foods in one group can't replace those in another. No one food group is more important than another - for good health, you need them all. USE SPARINGLY The small tip of the Pyramid shows fats, oils, and sweets. On this level of the Food Guide Pyramid are two groups of foods that come mostly from animals: milk, yogurt, and cheese; and meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts. These foods are important for protein, calcium, iron, and zinc. This level includes foods that come from plants-vegetables and fruits. Most people need to eat more of these foods for the vitamins, minerals, and fiber they supply. At the base of the Food Guide Pyramid are breads, cereals, Added Sugars These symbols represent sugars added to foods in processing or at the table, not the sugars found naturally in fruits and milk. It's the added sugars that provide calories with few vitamins and minerals. Most of the added sugars in the typical American diet come from foods in the Pyramid tip-soft drinks, candy, jams, jellies, syrups, and table sugar we add to foods like coffee or cereal. Added sugars in the food groups come from foods such as ice cream, sweetened yogurt, chocolate milk, canned or frozen fruit with heavy syrup, and sweetened bakery products like cakes and cookies. The chart on page 16 shows you the amounts of added sugars in some popular foods. You may be surprised! Fat and Sugar Tips: Choose lower fat foods from the food groups most often. Go easy on fats and sugars added to foods in cooking or at the table--butter, margarine, gravy, salad dressing, sugar, and jelly. Choose fewer foods that are high in sugars— candy, sweet desserts, and soft drinks. |