Carefully selecting foods from each of the Major Food Groups is the healthy and balanced way to organize your healthy meal plan through each day.
Fruits and Veggies: Eat at least one dark green and orange vegetable each day from the fruits and veggies food groups. Look for dark green vegetables such as broccoli, romaine lettuce, and spinach. Go for orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and winter squash.
Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt. Enjoy vegetables steamed, baked or stir-fried instead of deep fried. You should have vegetables and fruit more often than juice, plus it is great nutrition kids and adults need. Many people use the food guide pyramid, healthy foods for healthy diets.
Grain Products: Did you know that grain products are a food group? Whole grains are a source of fibre and are typically low in fat? Fibre rich foods can help you feel full and satisfied. A diet rich in whole grains may also help reduce the risk of heart disease.
To eat well, start by following these easy tips when choosing grains from the food groups:
Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day. Eat a variety of whole grains from the food groups such as barley, brown rice, oats, and quinoa and wild rice. Enjoy whole grain breads, oatmeal and whole wheat pasta.
Choose grain products that are low in fat, sugar, and salt. Compare the nutrition fact table on labels to make wise choices for your healthy eating plan, and healthy eating for kids. Enjoy the true taste of grain products. When adding sauces or spreads, use small amounts.
Meats and alternatives:
Did you know that meat and meat alternatives provide protein, fat and many other important nutrients including iron, zinc, magnesium and B vitamins? You don’t need to eat large amounts from this food group to satisfy your nutritional needs.
Food Group Choices
To eat well, start by following these easy tips from the Food Guide:
Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often. Eat at least two food guide servings of fish each week.
Choose fish such as char, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, and trout from this healthy food group.
Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt, so trim the visible fat from meats.
Remove the skin on poultry. Use cooking methods such as roasting, baking or poaching that require little or no added fat. If you eat luncheon meats, sausages (high fat foods) or prepackaged meats, choose those lower in salt (sodium) and fat.
Oils and Fats:
There are different types of fats in foods including saturated, unsaturated and trans fats.The nasty cholesterol fats Choosing the right amount and types of oils and fats and low fat foods can lower your risk of developing certain diseases such as heart disease.
Whether for good health, or a “low fat diet” include a small amount of unsaturated fat and limit the amount of saturated and trans fat in your day. Include a small amount – 30 to 45 mL (2 to 3 Tbsp) – of unsaturated fat each day to get the healthy fat you need. This amount includes oil used for cooking, salad dressings, margarine and mayonnaise.
Unsaturated vegetable oils include Canola, Corn, Flaxseed, Olive, Peanut, Soybean, and Sunflower.
The Nutrition Facts table appears on food labels with a consistent look, making it easy to find and easy to read. The labelling regulations introduced in 2003, also updated the requirements of over 40 nutrient content claims and allowed five health claims on diet-health relationships to be used on food labels or in advertisements.
Together, the Nutrition Facts table, the nutrition claims, and the ingredient list provide you with more information to make informed healthy food group choices with choosing from the major food groups.
