The New Food PyramidThe New Food Pyramid

Senior Health - Bauberger

GrainsGrains• Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another

cereal grain is a grain product.

• You should eat at least 3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, rice, or pasta every day.

• Grains are divided into 2 subgroups, whole grains and refined grains. – Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel:

• whole-wheat flour • oatmeal • brown rice

– Refined grains have been milled, removing the bran and germ. This is done to improve their shelf life, but it removes fiber, iron, and vitamins:

• white flour • white bread • white rice

• Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the vegetable group.

• Vegetables are organized into 5 subgroups:– Dark green- broccoli, romaine lettuce, spinach…– Orange vegetables- squash, carrots, pumpkin…– Dry beans & peas- black beans, lima beans, lentils…– Starchy vegetables- corn, green peas, potatoes…– Other vegetables- artichoke, asparagus, eggplant…

VegetablesVegetables

• Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group.

• Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.

• Avoid fruit juices with a lot of added sugar.

• Try to eat a wide variety.

FruitsFruits

• Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, like the vegetable oils used in cooking. Some common oils are canola oil, corn oil, and olive oil.

• Most oils are high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, and low in saturated fats.

• Oils from plant sources (vegetable oil) do not contain any cholesterol.

• A few plant oils, including coconut oil and palm kernel oil, are high in saturated fats and are considered to be solid fats.

• Solid fats are solid at room temperature, like butter and shortening. Some common solid fats are: – Butter, beef fat, chicken fat, pork fat (lard), stick margarine, shortening

• Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

OilsOils

• All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group.

• Foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are part of the group.

• Most milk group choices should be fat-free or low-fat. • For those who are lactose intolerant, lactose-free and

lower-lactose products are available. These include hard cheeses and yogurt. Also, enzymes can be added to milk to lower the lactose content.

• Calcium-fortified items such as soy beverages or orange juice may provide calcium, but may not provide the other nutrients found in milk and milk products.

MilkMilk

• All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group.

• Dry beans and peas are part of this group as well as the vegetable group.

• Most meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat.

• Fish, nuts, and seeds contain healthy oils, so

choose these foods frequently instead of meat or poultry.

• Baking, broiling, and grilling are the healthiest preparation methods.

Meats and BeansMeats and Beans

• For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous and add up to at least 30 minutes a day.

• Children & teens should be active for at least 60 minutes a day.• Moderate physical activities include:

– Walking briskly (about 3 ½ miles per hour) – Hiking – Gardening/yard work – Dancing – Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour)

• Vigorous physical activities include: – Running/jogging (5 miles per hour) – Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour) – Swimming (freestyle laps) – Walking very fast (4 ½ miles per hour) – Heavy yard work, such as chopping wood

ExerciseExercise

• You can use your discretionary calorie allowance to: – Eat more foods from any food group than the food

guide recommends. – Eat higher calorie forms of foods—those that contain

solid fats or added sugars.  Examples are whole milk, cheese, sausage, biscuits, sweetened cereal, and sweetened yogurt.

– Add fats or sweeteners to foods. – Eat or drink items that are mostly fats, caloric

sweeteners, etc. such as candy and soda

Discretionary CaloriesDiscretionary Calories