Know Your Food Groups
Knowing the food groups can help you get the nutritious foods you need.
1. Grains
2. Vegetables
3. Fruits
4. Protein
5. Dairy
6. Oils
7. Solid Fats and Added Sugars
8. Grains
Any food made from wheat, rye,
rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or
another cereal grain is a grain
product. In addition to bread and
pasta, there are cereal, rice, grits,
tortillas, even popcorn. Many
grains than needed.
Look for grain choices that are low
in saturated and trans fat and low
in added sugar when possible. But
be careful—low-fat baked goods
can be high in added sugar.
Try to choose grain products made
from whole grains. Make sure the
whole wheat, whole oats, or whole
grain. Other whole grains include
popcorn, brown rice, wild rice,
buckwheat, bulgur, and quinoa.
Whole grains can help you add
Grain Options
These are one ounce or an ounceequivalent
grain examples.
• Slice of bread
•
•
• Half cup cooked rice, pasta, or
cooked cereal
• Three cups popcorn
•
Vegetables
Sometimes, vegetables get a
bum rap. That’s a shame because
delicious vegetables come in a wide
green vegetables include broccoli,
collard greens, spinach, and kale.
Some red and orange vegetables
are acorn squash, carrots, pumpkin,
tomato, and sweet potato. Starchy
vegetables are foods like corn,
green peas, and white potatoes.
Other vegetables include eggplant,
sprouts, celery, artichokes, and
green peas) include black beans,
beans, soybeans, and tofu. These
can also be counted in the protein
foods group.
One-half cup of vegetables equals:
• Cup of uncooked leafy
vegetables
• Six baby carrots or one
medium carrot
• Half a large baked sweet
potato
•
•
pepper
• Half cup cooked green beans
Fruits
Like most Americans, older people
generally do not eat enough fruit.
Yet, there are so many choices—
citrus fruits like oranges and
berries; fruits that grow on trees
such as apricots, cherries, peaches,
raisins, and pineapples.
Try some fruits that you haven’t
eaten before. Fruits with skins like
apples and pears provide extra
One half cup of fruit equals:
• Small piece of fruit such as a
2-inch peach
• Quarter cup dried fruit
• One-eighth of a medium
cantaloupe
• Four ounces of 100% fruit
juice
• Half a medium grapefruit
• Sixteen grapes
Tip: Snacking
When you are out and need a
snack, don’t be tempted by a candy
bar. Instead, take along some fruit
or raw vegetables in a plastic bag
when you go out.
Protein
how often you eat more than the
suggested amount of protein.
But, simply cutting back on other
2018. February - 28 - vervemagazines.com