So you know that you should have a balanced diet. But let's face it, very few people have the time to count calories and weigh all the foods they eat.
Is there an easy and effective way of eating the right foods in the right amounts? The food pyramid and accompanying dietary guidelines has proved to be an effective solution for health conscious consumers.
Diet tips
Follow these seven simple steps to ensure a healthy body:
1. Balance the food you eat with the physical activity you do, in other words, balance energy input with energy output.
2. Eat plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruit.
3. Limit your intake of fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol.
4. Consume sugar in moderate amounts.
5. Consume salt (sodium) in moderate amounts.
6. Consume alcohol in moderate amounts.
7. Eat a variety of foods.
The food pyramid
The food pyramid not only ensures that the right nutrients are included in the diet, but also that the recommended energy allowance is not exceeded. Every day, foods should be selected from the following food groups:
Bread, cereal, rice and pasta: 6-11 servings per day
Vegetables: 3-5 servings per day
Fruit: 2-4 servings per day
Milk, yoghurt and cheese: 2-3 servings per day
Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts: 2-3 servings per day
Fats, oils and sweets: use sparingly
The table below should give you a rough idea of how big serving sizes are:
Food group
One serving equals
Bread,
cereal, rice and pasta
1 small
roll, biscuit or muffin
1 slice of
bread
1/2
hamburger bun or English muffin
1/2
cup of cooked cereal
1/2
cup of cooked rice
1/2
cup of cooked pasta
Vegetables
3/4 cup of vegetable juice
1 cup of leafy raw vegetables,
such as spinach or lettuce
1/2 cup of chopped raw or
cooked vegetables
Fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit
1 medium-sized melon wedge
1/2 cup of strawberries
3/4 cup of juice
1 whole apple, banana or orange
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked or
canned fruit
¼ cup of dried fruit
Milk,
yoghurt and cheese
1 cup of milk
30 g of cheese (enough
thinly-sliced cheese to cover a piece of bread)
1 small tub (175ml) of yoghurt
Meat,
poultry, fish
60 - 90 grams of cooked lean
meat or fish (the size of a cassette tape)
90 grams cooked chicken,
without skin (the size of a chicken leg, thigh or breast)
2 cooked eggs
1 cup of cooked dry beans
4 tablespoons of peanut butter
Our food exchange list can also be used to select foods from different groups.
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